InterNationals: 2147 minutes played and a ten - goal haul

MILAN – Following the UEFA Nations League matches on Wednesday, the international break is now over. 13 Nerazzurri players were involved in a host of games, ranging from friendlies and World Cup qualifiers through to the matches in Europe. In total, they were out on the pitch for 2147 minutes and will return to Milan with a ten-goal haul. Now, the team’s attentions will turn to the Derby showdown against Milan at 18:00 CEST on Saturday, but first let’s analyse our players’ recent performances for their respective National Teams.

ITALY | BARELLA, SENSI AND D'AMBROSIO ALL INVOLVED Three Nerazzurri players took to the pitch for Italy. Sensi played 22 minutes in Italy’s friendly victory over Moldova, while Barella started both of the Azzurri’s Nations League fixtures. Against the Netherlands, he was one of the best performers, providing the assist for Pellegrini to open the scoring. Meanwhile, D’Ambrosio played 90 minutes against the Dutch in Bergamo.

DENMARK | ERIKSEN: THREE GOALS AND 100 APPEARANCES Christian Eriksen made his 100th appearance for his country against England at Wembley. He decided matters too: his goal from the penalty spot secured a win for the Danes. Inter’s number 24 made his mark in Denmark’s other fixtures as well: he found the net against the Faroe Islands and during his country’s away win in Iceland.

BELGIUM | LUKAKU, A GOAL MACHINE Romelu Lukaku scored three goals in two matches in the latest round of international fixtures: after netting in Belgium’s defeat to England at Wembley, Romelu bagged a brace and captained the Belgians to victory in Iceland. Already his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, Big Rom has now found the net 55 times for Belgium and has scored 44 goals in his last 45 appearances for the Red Devils.

SERBIA | TWO MATCHES FOR KOLAROV Aleksandar Kolarov was involved in two games for Serbia. In their semi-final playoff showdown against Norway in European qualifying, the Serbs emerged victorious in extra time. They then played out a 2-2 draw with Turkey in the UEFA Nations League.  

CROATIA | BROZOVIC, PERISIC AND A REPLAY OF THE WORLD CUP FINAL Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Perisic were heavily involved for Croatia, who beat Switzerland in a friendly and Sweden in the Nations League. In the same competition, Dalic’s side lost out to France in Zagreb, failing to gain revenge for their World Cup final defeat. From the Nerazzurri’s point of view, Perisic’s assist against Sweden was particularly noteworthy.

NETHERLANDS | DE VRIJ PLAYS 225 MINUTES He played the first half of the Netherlands’ friendly against Mexico before remaining on the pitch throughout the Orange’s two Nations League fixtures. The Nerazzurri centre-back also played in a three-man backline, as he does at Inter, alongside Van Dijk and Aké against Italy.

CHILE | VIDAL AND SANCHEZ ON THE SCORESHEET AS THE LATTER BREAKS ANOTHER RECORD Chile’s World Cup qualifying campaign didn’t get off to the best start, but Vidal and Sanchez undoubtedly made their mark. First, Alexis scored against Uruguay, although this wasn’t enough to avoid a 2-1 defeat. Then, La Roja drew 2-2 with Colombia, with Vidal netting from the penalty spot and Sanchez bagging his country’s second prior to Falcao’s injury-time equaliser. Sanchez, who is already Chile’s all-time top scorer with 45 goals, moved ahead of Ivan Zamorano in the ranking for goals scored in competitive fixtures: 26 compared to 25.

ARGENTINA | IMPORTANT WINS AND A GOAL FOR EL TORO Argentina picked up an important six points in World Cup qualifying thanks to wins over Ecuador and Bolivia. Lautaro Martinez started both fixtures and managed to get on the scoresheet in La Paz, bagging his country’s equaliser prior to Correa’s winner.

MOROCCO | HAKIMI, A TRADEMARK ASSIST Hakimi’s Morocco played two friendly fixtures, both of which the Nerazzurri wing-back started. During his country’s win against Senegal, Achraf provided a great assist following a foray down the right, a real trademark of his.

INTERNATIONALS| THE OVERVIEW

Nicolò Barella (Italy) | 168 minutes Poland 0-0 Italy, 11.10.2020 | 78 minutes Italy 1-1 Netherlands, 14.10.2020 | 90 minutes + assist

Danilo D’Ambrosio (Italy) | 90 minutes Italy 1-1 Netherlands, 14.10.2020 |90 minutes

Stefano Sensi (Italy) | 22 minutes Italy 6-0 Moldavia, 07.10.2020 | 22 minutes

Aleksandar Kolarov (Serbia) | 210 minutes Norway 2-1 Serbia, 08.10.2020 | 120 minutes Turkey 2-2 Serbia, 15.10.2020 |90 minutes

Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia) | 135 minutes Switzerland 1-2 Croatia, 07.10.2020 | 45 minutes Croatia 2-1 Sweden, 11.10.2020 | 90 minutes

Ivan Perisic (Croatia) | 178 minutes Switzerland 1-2 Croatia, 07.10.2020 |15 minutes Croatia 2-1 Sweden, 11.10.2020 | 85 minutes + assist Croatia 1-2 France, 14.10.2020 | 78 minutes

Stefan de Vrij (Netherlands) | 225 minutes Netherlands 0-1 Mexico, 07.10.2020 | 45 minutes Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-0 Netherlands, 11.10.2020 | 90 minutes Italy 1-1 Netherlands, 14.10.2020 | 90 minutes

Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) | 180 minutes England 2-1 Belgium, 11.10.2020 | 90 minutes + goal Iceland 1-2 Belgium, 14.10.2020 |90 minutes + 2 goals

Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) | 165 minutes Argentina 1-0 Ecuador, 08.10.2020 | 76 minutes Bolivia 1-2 Argentina, 13.10.2020 | 89 minutes + goal

Alexis Sanchez (Chile) | 180 minutes Uruguay 2-1 Chile, 08.10.2020 | 90 minutes + goal Chile 2-2 Colombia, 13.10.2020 | 90 minutes + goal

Arturo Vidal (Chile) | 180 minutes Uruguay 2-1 Chile, 08.10.2020 | 90 minutes Chile 2-2 Colombia, 13.10.2020 | 90 minutes + goal

Christian Eriksen (Denmark) | 252 minutes Denmark 4-0 Faroe Islands, 07.10.2020 | 72 minutes + goal Iceland 0-3 Denmark, 11.10.2020 |90 minutes + goal England 0-1 Denmark, 14.10.2020 | 90 minutes + goal

Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) | 162 minutes Morocco 3-1 Senegal, 09.10.2020 | 90 minutes + assist Morocco 1-1 Rep. Dem. Congo, 13.10.2020 | 72 minutes