Juventus vs. Inter: 5 players who will decide the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal

Juventus and Inter Milan will clash once more on Tuesday night at the Allianz Stadium for the first leg of the 2023 Coppa Italia semifinal, with the second leg set to take place later this month.

The Bianconeri have won five straight matches in all competitions since losing a tough 1-o match to Roma, even defeating Inter 1-0 on March 19. Max Allegri’s M.O. has been grinding out tough results, and, lately, the Bianconeri have successfully done that to keep their top-four hopes alive.

Meanwhile, the Nerazzurri have only won one of their last six matches to break up a six-game undefeated streak, even falling to the likes of Spezia and Lecce. They have a lot to prove on the road this Tuesday in the Derby d’Italia.

Here are five players between Juventus and Inter who could decide this match.

Juventus CM Nicolò Fagioli
Nicolò Fagioli has been a bright spot for Juventus in just about every match this season, given Juventini hopes of a bright future after what will now be a third straight season without a Scudetto (or even a real title race).

The 22-year-old midfielder has shown a high level of technical quality, which is something Juve have shockingly been lacking in midfield over these past few seasons. Fagioli will need to be able to progress the ball as a carrier and passer against Inter’s organized, hard-nosed midfield.

Inter ST Romelu Lukaku
Edin Džeko has been the better striker this season and could very well draw the start from under-pressure manager Simone Inzaghi, but it seems like Romelu Lukaku will get another chance to build momentum and reach the heights he achieved in 2020/21 when he was the best player in Serie A. And that was quite the achievement, considering Cristiano Ronaldo was his toughest competition.

Lukaku has already shown he has the tools to be a top 9 for Inter, once forming one of the most feared striker partnerships in the world with Lautaro Martínez. But in 2022/23, Lautaro has been the one carrying the pairing. Inter will need Lukaku to be at his all-around best against their bitter rivals, especially when looking at how strong Juve’s back line is at home.

Juventus ST Moise Kean
Although Moise Kean can be up and down, the young Juventus striker has frequently been decisive for the Bianconeri this season. Just this past weekend, Kean netted the matchwinner in a tougher-than-expected 1-0 win over Hellas Verona.

Kean has 6 goals in 867 Serie A minutes this season, mostly coming off the bench for Max Allegri. As a starter against Inter’s defense, Kean will need to take whatever chances come his way, because he may only get a couple. Of course, Kean has the ability to create chances from his own ability, as he is so good at using his body to out-leverage defenders.

Inter GK André Onana
There is a new star goalkeeper in the city of Milano, as former Ajax man André Onana has revived his career as the No. 1 for Simone Inzaghi. Onana is one of the most talented goalkeepers in the world, and fans who watched him in the Netherlands are not surprised to see what he is capable of with Inter.

This season, Onana has saved 75.9 percent of all shots he has faced in Serie A, meaning only Lazio’s underrated Ivan Provedel has a better save percentage. Onana has the quality to turn this game on its head and help Inter get a vital road win in the first leg, just by making saves that turn sure-fire goals into mere shots on target.

Juventus CB Gleison Bremer
The best defender of the 2021/22 Serie A season, Gleison Bremer has been as good as advertised. Outside of one rough night against the electrifying Victor Osimhen at the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, Gleison has been a blanket in defense for Juventus, significantly upgrading a unit that was the league’s most disappointing last season.

Now, Juve may have the best defense in Serie A. Bremer is an elite man-marker, and he loves going toe-to-toe with top strikers. Well, he will have two to contend with on Tuesday night. While Bremer will not be alone in the Bianconeri’s defensive effort, you had better believe he will be the most decisive man at the back, especially physically.