The injury sustained by Benjamin Pavard in the last match against Leipzig opens interesting scenarios for Inter by Simone Inzaghi. Despite the former Bayern Munich player not yet expressing his full potential this season, the Frenchman’s absence offers an important chance for some players who could carve out significant roles in the defensive rotation and beyond.

Bisseck’s Moment

For example, Yann Bisseck could be the first candidate to benefit from Pavard’s stop. The young German center-back had a shaky start to the season, with too many mistakes, especially in the early days. However, in recent weeks, he has shown significant progress and put in a convincing performance against Leipzig, even better than a somewhat distracted Pavard.

A similar situation last year allowed Bisseck to emerge in the Nerazzurri squad, avoiding being loaned out. This year, the Frenchman’s new injury could provide the German with an opportunity for definite consecration.

A Chance for Palacios and Others

The use of Bisseck as an alternative to Pavard on the right creates a problem on the opposite side. Bastoni remains the point of reference, but solutions are needed to give the Azzurri defender a break. Here two possibilities open:

  • Introduction of Palacios: the young Argentine was only seen in the final minutes of the away game against Empoli, but Pavard’s injury could accelerate his entry into the rotations. Like Bisseck last year, Palacios could take advantage of the circumstances to gain space in Inzaghi’s starting eleven;
  • Carlos Augusto as a joker: the hypothesis of greater use of the Brazilian, who has already replaced successfully against Leipzig, seems more plausible. The former Monza player could be used both as a back-up for Bastoni and to provide more depth on the left flank behind Dimarco.

Buchanan’s Time

With Pavard’s absence, the door could open for Tajon Buchanan. The former Bruges player, stopped by a bad injury to his tibia last July, is gradually entering the rotations and could offer interesting tactical solutions. With Carlos Augusto and Darmian more involved in defensive roles, Buchanan could be used on both the right and left.

On one hand, he can be used as an alternative to Dumfries, taking advantage of his dribbling skills and numerical superiority to alter the balance of the matches coming off the bench. On the other hand, he can give Dimarco a rest. Before his injury, the Canadian was often used on that side by Inzaghi, where he could offer a different contribution compared to what the Italian does, moving in to look for shots or passes, giving width to Bastoni or the inner midfielders.

Resources from the Academy

In a defensive emergency, some talents from the Academy could be added to the first team. Among them, keep an eye on Mike Aidoo, already taken on the bench in the Champions League against Leipzig. Another talent to watch is Matteo Cocchi, a left-back who could enter rotations if necessary.

Inter without Pavard

Despite Pavard’s absence, the Nerazzurri defense remains one of the most solid in Europe. After the win against Torino, Inter has rearranged the rear department, collecting as many as 11 clean sheets between the league and the Champions League. De Vrij is growing and vies for a place with Acerbi, while Bastoni remains the irreplaceable pillar. The contribution of the ‘jokers’ such as Darmian, Carlos Augusto, and Bisseck will be crucial to maintaining high defensive efficiency.

The absence of Pavard, while penalizing, represents an opportunity for Simone Inzaghi to experiment with new solutions and for some players to carve out important roles. Inter, which had already been able to face similar emergencies last season, has shown that it can maintain very high rhythms in defense. It now remains to see who will be able to best take advantage of this opportunity to assert themselves in a key role.