Gazzetta: Chivu tests Bastoni at the heart of defence

Training at Appiano Gentile, Inter’s training ground, points to a possible reshuffle of the defensive roles. According to Italian sports daily la Gazzetta dello Sport, Cristian Chivu has deployed Alessandro Bastoni in the middle of the back three, with Carlos Augusto to his left and Akanji to his right. The set-up could be used against Shakhtar, with Bisseck potentially in line for a rest: it remains a possible line-up, pending the coach’s decisions.

The change stems from the need to make a side that has conceded six goals in its first two Champions League matches more compact. According to the newspaper’s account, Bastoni would be the fourth player tried in the middle of the defence this season, after Stones, Akanji and Bisseck. Chivu is looking for a solution as he awaits the return of Stones and Pavard, whose absences limit his defensive options.

For the Italy international, it would mean a shift from the position in which he has established himself at Inter. In celebrating his 300th appearance, reached against Cagliari early in the season, Inter’s website highlighted his importance on the left side of the defence and in the build-up. The experiment reported by Gazzetta would instead see him occupy the central position, leaving Carlos Augusto in the left-sided role.

Bastoni also comes into the game on the back of scoring twice for Italy and, when asked about the possibility of changing position, recalled having already played in the middle, expressing no concerns about the new role. The defender’s willingness therefore supports Chivu’s experiment: the line-up against Shakhtar will reveal whether the work done at Appiano translates into a selection decision for the match.