An early penalty from Kristjan Asllani was all Inter needed to overcome a Verona side that seemed to surrender before the match had even begun.
Verona’s lacklustre performance, coupled with Inter’s clear intention to conserve energy ahead of their clash with Barcelona, produced a flat encounter almost entirely devoid of noteworthy moments.
Football Italia were among the accredited media at San Siro – here are the player ratings.
Inter 1-0 Verona: player ratings
Inter: J Martinez 6.5; Bisseck 6 (68 ′ Dimarco 6), De Vrji 6.5, Carlos Augusto 6.5; Darmian 6, Frattesi 6, Asllani 6.5, Zielinski 6 (68 ′ MkhiTaryan 6), ZaLewski 6 (84 ′ Acerbi N/A); Corre 5, Arnautovic 5.5 (76 ′ Taremi n/a)
Best Inter Player: Asllani and Carlos Augusto 6,5 – Showed character by stepping up to take the penalty, and converting it clearly gave him a confidence boost, making his game more daring—though not always precise. The move that led to the penalty was initiated by the Brazilian full-back, a reliable presence Inzaghi knows he can count on regardless of the occasion or the strength of the opposition. Is he now a contender for a starting spot against Barcelona?
Lowest Inter rating: Correa 5 – His lack of chemistry with Marko Arnautovic often hampers his side’s attacking fluidity for extended periods. While the Austrian striker is capable of linking up well with other teammates, the former Lazio forward frequently brings moves to a halt due to his lack of precision and attacking presence.
Inter Coach: Simone Inzaghi (Replaced by Massimilano Farris) 6 – What many suspected before kick-off became clear after Inter’s early opener: the Nerazzurri were already fully focused on their upcoming season-defining clash with Barcelona. Their only real objective was to preserve energy and avoid injuries ahead of what promises to be a long, gruelling battle. Verona were little more than an awkward hurdle between Inter and Tuesday night—and it showed on the pitch: minimal effort, maximum result.
Verona: Montipò 6; Danililiuc 5.5, Valentini 5, milling 5.5; Tcatchoua 5, Serdar 6, Duda 5.5 (80 ′ Tengstedt n/a), Niase 5.5 (80 ′ Kastanos n/a), Bradaric 5.5 (90 ′ Livramento n/a); Suslov 6 (69 ′ Bernede 6); Sarr 5.5 (69 ′ Mosquera 6)
Best Verona player: Suslov 6 –The only attacking presence that drew any real attention from Inter’s defence, his attempts to take initiative were his team’s lone source of hope in unsettling the hosts—but it was far too little.
Lowest Verona rating: Valentini 5 – Although he likely made just one real mistake on a night when Inter’s attacking threat was relatively easy to contain, it proved costly—and further exposed the inadequacy of Verona’s already timid game plan.
Verona Coach: Paolo Zanetti 5 – The overriding sense is that his team could have shown more courage against a heavily rotated Inter side, rather than simply waiting for a lucky break—especially after conceding so early. Verona had nothing to lose today, yet they lost without offering almost anything on the pitch.
