Sportmediaset: Carlos Augusto set for wing-back role against Shakhtar

For Cristian Chivu, the advantage is being able to use the same player in two roles. In Sportmediaset’s analysis, Carlos Augusto has more freedom to join the attack when starting at wing-back, while on the left of a back three he can help give the defence stability. That is the balance to strike, beyond the choice between him and Dimarco.

The outlet’s analysis starts with the three goals and two assists already registered by Inter’s number 30. At wing-back, his forward runs allowed him to meet Zielinski’s pass in Bologna and Lautaro’s in Madrid. Against Udinese, meanwhile, it was a long-range strike that brought Inter back into the game. These different ways of making an impact strengthen his claim for a place ahead of Dimarco, whom Sportmediaset considers to have been less impressive so far.

Then there are the figures for goals conceded: by the outlet’s count, Inter have conceded five in the 348 minutes Carlos Augusto has played and ten in the 462 minutes without him, excluding stoppage time. The comparison describes what has happened, but is not enough to credit the Brazilian alone with the greater defensive solidity: the same analysis notes that several of his appearances from the bench came while the Nerazzurri were attacking in pursuit of a comeback. It remains a factor to weigh alongside his attacking contribution when assessing how to use him.

That dual role has been a feature of his time at Inter: having arrived from Monza in the summer of 2023, Carlos Augusto is also described by Inter’s official website as a player capable of operating both at wing-back and as a wide centre-back. The decision now is chiefly where to make use of that versatility: according to Sportmediaset, wing-back is the most likely option against Shakhtar, while his role in the longer term remains under consideration.