Cagliari 1-3 Inter Milan: Serie A Player Ratings

Let’s take a look at the Serie A Player Ratings from the showdown between Cagliari and Inter Milan at the Sardegna Arena.

Three late second-half goals secured Inter Milan a thrilling 3-1 comeback victory over Cagliari to keep their Serie A title challenge very much alive.

The Nerazzurri arrived at Sardegna Arena fresh from their Champions League elimination and without Arturo Vidal and Matias Vecino. Christian Eriksen, therefore, got his first start in over a month.

But the Dane struggled to insert any influence as Inter struggled to break down the Cagliari defense. Goalkeeper Alessio Cragno, in particular, was outstanding in the first half and pulled a series of brilliant saves.

Eriksen, Romelu Lukaku, Alessandro Bastoni, Alexis Sanchez, and Nicolo Barella all unsuccessfully attempted to beat the hosts’ defense.

Riccardo Sottil #CagliariInter pic.twitter.com/Hk7P9yN03R

— Fathy HQ (@FathyHq) December 13, 2020

Just three minutes before the break, however, Riccardo Sottil showed Inter how it’s done by firing in a rebound through a volley in what was Cagliari’s first genuine attempt at goal.

Antonio Conte responded during half-time by making several changes. But they proved futile, as Inter began the second period in the exact same manner by wasting more chances.

Eventually, though, Conte’s changes took effect and Nicolo Barella smashed home a volley from the edge of the box during a corner-kick to level the scoreline in the 77th-minute against his hometown club.

Nicolò Barella vs Cagliari

1 goal
1 assist
62 passes
82% pass accuracy
1 key pass
1 big chance created
2 tackles won
1 interception
3 aerials won

Inter's absolute hero today! ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/BzlEXpO42w

— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) December 13, 2020

The midfielder’s goal carved open the Cagliari defense, with substitute Danilo D’Ambrosio heading in a corner to hand Inter the lead.

Then just as Cagliari launched a desperate late search for a second goal, Romelu Lukaku bounced on the counter from a corner-kick by sprinting past goalkeeper Cragno to put the ball into an empty net.

The 3-1 victory moves Conte’s men back into second place in the league standings on 24 points from 11 games. Cagliari, on the other hand, remain outside the top-10.

Player ratings

Cagliari: Cragno (8); Farago (7), Walukiewicz (6), Carboni (6), Lykogiannis (7); Marin (6), Rog (7); Zappa (7), Pedro (7), Sottil (8); Pavoletti (6)

Bench: Klavan (6), Cerri (6), Nandez (6), Simeone (6).

Inter Milan: Handanovic (6); Skriniar (6), De Vrij (7), Bastoni (6); Darmian (7), Barella (9), Brozovic (6), Eriksen (5), Perisic (6); Lukaku (8), Sanchez (7).

Bench: Young (6), Sensi (6), Lautaro (6), Hakimi (6), D’Ambrosio (7).

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