Inter midfielder Matteo Darmian has featured in just four Serie A matches this season, registering zero goals and zero assists for an average match rating of 6.30. Yet, the 36-year-old finds himself on the cusp of something the club has been building towards all season: a 21st Scudetto that could be confirmed as early as next weekend.
This context is crucial for understanding Darmian's standing at the club. His AI overall score of 70 out of 100, coupled with a potential rating of 32, indicates a player whose value is no longer as a developmental prospect. The veteran is a known entity – reliable, experienced, and tactically astute – utilised by Inter coach Cristian Chivu in specific scenarios rather than as a regular fixture in the starting XI. At 36, that's not a criticism; it's a job description.
The Scudetto race has effectively been wrapped up by Chivu's Inter. Napoli's home defeat to Lazio – with goals from Cancellieri and Basic settling the tie at the Maradona – stretched the Nerazzurri's lead to 12 points with five games left to play. The Nerazzurri sit first with 78 points from 33 matches, boasting a record of 25 wins, 3 draws, and 5 defeats, having bagged 78 goals and shipped just 29. That defensive record is the most telling statistic in the table: a backline that concedes fewer than a goal a game across a full season is no accident, and players like Darmian – versatile, positionally disciplined – are a fundamental reason behind it.
The summer transfer window adds another dimension to Darmian's situation. Reports from Corriere dello Sport suggest Inter's recruitment strategy is pivoting towards younger, Italian talents – with names like Koné, Palestra, and Vicario being linked, alongside interest in Muharemovic. This shift in direction doesn't necessarily spell the end for Darmian's role, but it does define it: he is an experienced head providing depth to a squad undergoing gradual renovation.
For now, the calculations are straightforward. Inter need results to fall their way in the coming week, and Darmian's four appearances this term suggest Chivu views him as a rotational option rather than a first-team regular for the run-in. The versatile player's contribution to a potential title will be measured less in minutes played and more in the stability he offers when called upon – a 6.30 average rating across limited appearances isn't a number that warrants a starting berth, but it is one that justifies his continued presence in the squad when the pressure is on.
A Scudetto medal at 36, earned within a 78-point season, would be a fitting final chapter – or perhaps a quiet continuation of one.