Among the priorities addressed upon his arrival on the Inter bench, Cristian Chivu immediately began working on the defensive phase of the Nerazzurri. The excessive number of goals conceded last season led to an overall rethinking of the attitude not only of the three defenders, but of the whole team when out of possession.

From these premises came the coach’s insistence on certain key points: from the aggressiveness of the forwards against the first opposing ball carriers, to a much higher defensive line compared to the past. A revolution that is beginning to bear fruit and has certainly been accelerated by the addition to the squad of a defender strong in individual duels and fast like Akanji.

Another defender who could prove fundamental in this process is Yann Bisseck. The German defender went through a difficult period at the start of this season, especially during the match lost against Udinese. Chivu, however, intends not only to give him more chances, but to make him central to his new project.

As explained this morning by La Gazzetta dello Sport, the coach sees in Bisseck a modern defender, equipped with “physical attributes and mentality” suited to his idea of aggressive football. The class of 2000, for whom Inter turned down significant offers from the Premier League last summer, could even change roles over time and become a true central defender in the back three, leaving the role of right-sided center-back.