Inter’s win over Shakhtar offered Manuel Akanji more than a clean sheet: it suggested a practical route through a difficult opening stretch, in which the Swiss defender and the team around him have not always matched last season’s standards. Reduced to ten men after Alessandro Bastoni’s dismissal, Inter found the discipline to protect their lead and keep Josep Martinez unbeaten, securing three points that keep direct qualification for the Champions League round of 16 within reach.
Akanji begins to recover his footing
Akanji has endured an uneven period, particularly in physical terms, after a demanding World Cup campaign with Switzerland. His level has fallen below that of the previous season, when he played a leading role, and mistakes had appeared across matches against Monza, Napoli, Udinese, Roma and Club Brugge.
Against Shakhtar, however, there were signs of a defender finding his rhythm again. Initially used on the right side of Inter’s central defensive unit, Akanji moved into the middle after the interval. The former Manchester City player helped oversee a rare shutout for Martinez, even after Bastoni’s red card changed the shape and priorities of the evening.
- Inter recorded a win and a clean sheet against Shakhtar.
- Akanji began on the centre-right of the defence before operating centrally in the second half.
- Bastoni’s sending-off forced Inter into a more resilient closing phase.
- The result delivered three important Champions League points in the chase for a direct last-16 place.
A more measured defensive idea
After the match, Akanji did not frame his comments as criticism of Cristian Chivu, but his view pointed towards a less exhausting interpretation of Inter’s game. Rather than pressing high at every opportunity, he argued that there are moments when opponents should be made to prove they can play through the team without being handed simple chances.
“Sometimes we have to let the opponents show that they are better than us, while not giving them easy opportunities,” Akanji said. “That can also be a good way to play our football. We do not always need to press high, because it costs too much energy.”
For Akanji, restraint can create a different kind of attacking chance. If Inter regain possession from a deeper and more patient position, they can break forward in transition rather than continually spending energy on an aggressive press.
“At times we must allow the other side to be good enough to get out and create something,” he added. “Then, once we win the ball back, we can counterattack. It is a good tactic. Sometimes you need to rest a little, wait and then attack at the right moment.”
Ten men, a different kind of Inter
That approach became particularly visible once Bastoni had left the pitch. Inter had to accept a less attractive version of themselves and, in Chivu’s own terms, get their hands dirty. The emphasis shifted from forcing the game high up the field to staying compact, waiting for the right moment and making Shakhtar earn every route towards goal.
It was not necessarily the most elegant performance, but it was an effective one. For a side that has suffered defensive instability in the early part of the season, the clean sheet and victory gave Akanji and Inter a useful reference point: control does not always have to come through constant pressure, especially when the calendar and the physical demands are beginning to show.
