Dimarco’s free - kick in the spotlight

Federico Dimarco scored his first-ever Inter goal in the game against Sampdoria on Sunday – and what a goal it was.

It was his left-footed free-kick, travelling at 106 km/h, that gave the Nerazzurri the lead against Samp in a match that would eventually finish in a 2-2 draw.

Born in Milan, lifetime Inter fan Dimarco shared his feelings about the special moment after the match when he spoke to club media.

Dimarco’s goal was the first Inter have scored from a direct free-kick this season. Last year, the Nerazzurri managed two such goals, both scored by Christian Eriksen (one against AC Milan in the Coppa Italia and the other against Udinese on the final day of the season).

Dimarco’s first Inter goal came on his ninth appearance overall for the club and his first start in Serie A. It means he becomes the first Italian Inter defender to score on his maiden Serie A start. Dimarco’s first-ever professional goal came three years and a day before the match against Samp, in a match between Italy U21 and Albania U21 on 11 September 2018.

Before Dimarco, the last Italian player to score a direct free-kick for Inter in Serie A was Mario Balotelli, who did so against Bologna in February 2009. And until yesterday, the last time Inter had scored a direct free-kick at Marassi was back on 27 February 2011, when a certain Wesley Sneijder found the net.