Please raise your hand if, before the start of the season, you predicted that the Nerazzurri would have won their first 5 matches. They are on a current three match winning streak, however all games were against opposition that one would expect the Tuscans to beat.
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The bulk of the damage had been done, said Inter coach Roberto Mancini, even before then.
“We started the game well and we saw that Inter were struggling”.
This Inter side had conceded just one goal coming into this game in the league, but had seen that number quadrupled over 90 minutes by an impressive Viola side.
“From two shots, we were three-nil down”.
“I’m able to judge if the team is playing well or not”.
It is the first time the Tuscan side has been top of Serie A since February 1999 – after beating AC Milan.
“We made too many mistakes and lost too many individual battles”. “But I don’t think that will necessarily help us”.
Nikola Kalinic grabbed a hat-trick and Josip Ilicic also found the net for Fiorentina, who romped to a 4-1 win on Sunday, having led 3-0 inside 23 minutes in Milan.
“I take my share of the responsibility”, Handanovic said.
Kalinic exploited another yawning gap at the back to bear down on goal and the hopelessly out-paced Miranda hauled him to the ground, leaving referee Antonio Damato with little choice but to brandish the red card.
Handanovic could only parry a powerful dipping drive from Ilicic and as he and Brazilian defender Miranda waited for the ball to land, Kalinic wasted no time in running in to tap the ball home at the near post.
Kalinic doubled his tally five minutes later, sliding in to turn home Marcos Alonso’s cross after the Spanish defender had waltzed past Ivan Perisic on the left flank.
Ten-man Inter eventually pulled a goal back when Mauro Icardi picked up his own rebound from a free kick on the hour.
The former Fiorentina wonder kid couldn’t be blamed if he has some butterflies ahead of this match, but Jovetic will have to steady his nerves once the whistle blows.
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Inter is quite good at defending when teams start with a single striker and despite his physical abilities, Babacar will be no match for the hosts’ backline.
