Yann Bisseck and Inter's rearguard held Cagliari scoreless on Sunday, as Hakan Calhanoglu's goal proved the difference in a 1-0 away victory that kept the Nerazzurri perfect through two Serie A matches.
The result matters beyond the three points. Inter coach Cristian Chivu acknowledged after the final whistle that his side risked running into trouble — a candid admission that the win was harder to secure than the scoreline suggests. For Bisseck, a 25-year-old centre-back still consolidating his place in a competitive defensive rotation, clean sheets carry particular weight. They are the clearest evidence a defender can offer, and Inter have conceded just once across their opening two fixtures.
Bisseck carries an AI overall of 76 out of 100, with a potential of 80, numbers that position him as a player with a meaningful ceiling still to reach. His average rating across the two Serie A matches stands at 6.80 — steady rather than spectacular, which is precisely what a defence-first system demands in the early weeks of a campaign. Chivu's Inter have scored five and conceded one in those two games, a profile that reflects a team functioning with genuine structural discipline rather than relying on individual brilliance to paper over defensive gaps.
The trip to face Cagliari was described by Chivu himself as a complicated task, and the coach made selective changes to his lineup, naming Lautaro Martínez, Francesco Pio Esposito, and Calhanoglu from the start. That Bisseck's defensive unit absorbed whatever Cagliari offered without conceding reinforces the cohesion Chivu is building at the back.
Inter sit top of Serie A with six points from two matches, level on wins with the other sides sharing that summit. The schedule will grow more demanding, and Chivu has already noted that players including Jones and Thuram can contribute when needed — a signal that squad depth will be managed carefully. Bisseck's consistency in these early rounds gives the coaching staff a reliable option as that rotation begins in earnest.
Two matches is a sample, not a verdict. But a defender who keeps clean sheets while the team scores freely is doing exactly what the role requires.