Inter opened their pre-season campaign with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Karlsruher SC at the BBBank Wildpark on Sunday evening, as substitute Diouf scored a stunning second-half brace to turn the match on its head.
The Nerazzurri, now under the guidance of Cristian Chivu, found themselves trailing against the German second-tier side in the first half. Karlsruher capitalised on Inter's early-season disjointedness, but Chivu's tactical adjustments after the interval — most notably the introduction of French forward Diouf — completely transformed the contest.
Diouf made an immediate impact with two outstanding finishes. His first was a composed effort that levelled the score midway through the second half. With the game heading towards a draw, he struck again in stoppage time — a powerful strike from inside the box that secured the win and earned him a match-high 7.5 rating from La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Josep Martinez, starting in goal, demonstrated solid distribution and good command of his area, though he nearly gifted Karlsruher a second goal when he failed to secure a routine catch ten minutes before half-time. The Spanish goalkeeper otherwise looked assured, earning a 6.5 rating.
Nicolò Barella dictated the tempo in midfield with his customary energy and intelligence, while Alessandro Bastoni was authoritative in central defence. Federico Dimarco was a persistent threat down the left flank and earned a 7/10 rating. Both were among Inter's better performers on the night.
Luis Henrique, deployed on the right wing, struggled to impose himself and was rated 5/10 — a reminder that the gap left by Denzel Dumfries remains a work in progress. Stankovic, operating in the deep-lying playmaker role, displayed composure in possession and earned a 6/10 for his efforts.
The result gives Chivu valuable early observations as Inter continue their pre-season preparations in Germany before returning to Italy for the 2026-27 Serie A season. The squad will play further friendlies before the competitive campaign begins.
Sources
- https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Inter/storie/26-07-2026/karlsruher-inter-1-2-le-pagelle-i-voti-gazzetta/martinez-6-5.shtml
