Inter Prepares Unconventional Defense and Confirms Goalkeeper Choice Against Shakhtar
Inter manager Cristian Chivu is preparing an unconventional defensive setup for the upcoming Champions League fixture against Shakhtar, seeking to stabilize a leaky backline following a difficult start to the European campaign. After conceding six goals across their opening two matches in the competition, including a heavy defeat against Bruges where the team surrendered four goals, the technical staff signaled that adjustments were necessary to turn their continental fortunes around.
During the final training session at Appiano Gentile, tactical preparations pointed toward a completely revamped central defense. Alessandro Bastoni is expected to anchor the backline from a central role, tasked with organizing the defense and raising the team’s overall solidity. Manuel Akanji is slated to shift to the right, where he would face fewer direct defensive responsibilities, while the returning Carlos Augusto is positioned on the left. Consequently, defender Yann Bisseck is set to drop to the bench, an exclusion intended to shake up the roster in the continued absence of injured anchors Benjamin Pavard and John Stones. This prospective tactical shift aims to enhance technical build-up quality and increase offensive thrust from the back, potentially pushing Shakhtar deep into their own half. Federico Dimarco could also leverage this movement, operating in a wide playmaker capacity to support the midfield and generate vertical attacking options.
Club officials emphasize that the adjustment remains an experimental measure rather than a permanent structural overhaul, particularly given Inter’s depleted squad depth. The team has been forced to call up Under-23 defenders Bovio and Stante to pad the bench. Chivu’s urgency stems from defensive vulnerabilities that have seen the squad concede 15 goals across nine matches in all competitions this season, a figure the technical staff considers unsustainable.
Addressing the team’s recent struggles during his first press conference since returning to the club, defender Alessandro Bastoni rejected the notion that the squad suffers from deep tactical imbalances. He attributed recent European setbacks primarily to individual mistakes rather than systemic faults. According to Bastoni, the challenges in continental play stem from the high calibre of opponents who capitalize immediately on minor errors, combined with a psychological hurdle. He also urged caution regarding public expectations, noting that winning the Champions League has never been an explicit objective, even in seasons when the club reached the final. Securing a victory against Shakhtar remains an immediate imperative for reaching the top eight in the standings. Bastoni represents the fourth different player deployed in the central defensive role by Chivu this season, following Akanji, Stones, and Bisseck, as the team searches for a definitive leader to replace the stability previously provided by Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij under former manager Simone Inzaghi.
Regarding the goalkeeping situation, Josep Martinez is expected to retain his starting position for his tenth consecutive match, despite scrutiny over costly errors in defeats against Real Madrid and Bruges that contributed to six goals conceded. Chivu opted against making a change in goal for this fixture, preferring to shield Ivan Provedel, who has been sidelined for seven and a half months with an injury and risks being thrust unready into a high-stakes environment. Provedel is instead anticipated to make his debut in upcoming domestic fixtures against Fiorentina and Venezia, matches scheduled closely together that will allow him to regain match fitness before long-term hierarchy decisions are finalized.
