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Who are the penalty takers, the players to target in fantasy football, and the new faces: everything you need to know about Chivu's squad.
Marco Bruckner
5 august 2026 (modifica il 6 august 2026 | 14:30) - MILANO
In his first season as Inter manager, Cristian Chivu led the Nerazzurri to the Scudetto title. Their league campaign was almost unstoppable, with challengers – Napoli and Milan – attempting to re-enter the race at various points in the season, but without ever getting decisively close. The Romanian coach now faces his most difficult mission: to consolidate, or rather improve, and go further in the Champions League. To do this, he will rely on his best players: from ThuLa, a partnership that scored 30 goals in the last Serie A, to Calhanoglu and Barella, and of course Dimarco, who had an outstanding season in 2025-26. In addition to these and other Nerazzurri stalwarts, the summer transfer market additions should not be forgotten. While awaiting a right-sided winger to replace Dumfries – an internal solution with Diouf could also prevail – Chivu is integrating Stones (here's his fantasy profile), a free transfer, and Stankovic (his fantasy profile), re-signed by Inter after his impressive performances at Bruges. To make the right choices for your fantasy football team, here's a guide on how to navigate between starters, penalty takers, and potential surprises.
Inter: Who to Pick in Fantasy Football
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The top recommendation for Inter can only be Lautaro Martinez, last season's top scorer with 17 goals, plus 6 assists for bonus points. Valued at 88 credits, he is the most expensive player in the competition, but given his numbers, it couldn't be any other way. You'll need 14 fewer credits to field his strike partner Marcus Thuram, who enjoyed a season of 13 goals and 6 decisive passes, with a strong finish. In midfield, the name to circle in red is Hakan Calhanoglu (60 credits): 9 goals and 4 assists for him last season, despite various physical problems. It should also be remembered that the Turk is the Nerazzurri's penalty taker. In midfield, however, you can also target Niccolò Barella (40 credits, 3 goals and 8 assists in 2025-26) and Piotr Zielinski (39 credits, 6 goals and 3 assists). Don't forget Petar Sucic (28 credits, 2 goals and as many assists), who had a good first year in Italy and whose playing time could increase next season. In defence, it's almost mandatory to secure Federico Dimarco (43 credits), an absolute standout last season with 7 goals and 16 assists, the latter being a crucial area where he far surpassed the competition. Also from the backline, you can pick Alessandro Bastoni (35 credits), Manuel Akanji (32 credits) and new arrival John Stones (30 credits, fantasy profile), all three are reliable for modifier bonuses and potentially dangerous from set-pieces. In goal, it should be noted that the starter, barring surprises, will be Josip Martinez (29 credits), in his first season as number 1 at a big club.
Inter in Fantasy Football: Potential Surprise Packages
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Having exercised their buy-back option from Bruges, Aleksandar Stankovic (18 credits, fantasy profile) will not go out on loan and will therefore be available to Chivu, who has already coached him in the youth ranks. Dejan's son is Calhanoglu's natural replacement; given the Nerazzurri's many commitments, he could be used frequently throughout the year. He could be a good low-cost acquisition, perhaps taken in tandem with the Turk. One of Inter's tasks is to replace Denzel Dumfries, who has moved to Real Madrid. However, it's not certain that the new right-sided winger will come from the transfer market: Andy Diouf (18 credits), whom Chivu has been trying to adapt to the new role since last year, could play in that area of the pitch. The Frenchman didn't impress in his first year in Milan, but his commitment was never in doubt, and his performances have steadily improved. Regardless of the transfer market, his playing time compared to last season should increase. The same applies to Carlos Augusto (24 credits), whose role – following the departures of Acerbi, Darmian, and De Vrij – should become more central. The Brazilian, a reliable defender, could be a good pick for modifier bonuses. Benjamin Pavard's (20 credits) situation should also be monitored: if he doesn't leave, the Frenchman could become a further defensive alternative for Chivu. Finally, Pio Esposito (40 credits) and Ange-Yoan Bonny (32 credits) cannot go unmentioned: these two cannot be called surprises, but they are certainly lower down the pecking order than 'ThuLa'. After a good season for both, Chivu might rely on them more often, especially in the league, to ensure the starters are at their best for the Champions League.
Inter: Probable Line-up
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(3-5-2): Martinez; Akanji, Stones, Bastoni; Diouf, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Lautaro, Thuram. Manager: Chivu
Inter: Who Takes Penalties
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Inter Penalty Takers: Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Lautaro.
This article was originally written in Italian by La Gazzetta dello Sport editor. The English version has been generated using AI translation tools. If you notice any translation errors or have suggestions, please contact us at iniziativegazzetta@rcs.it
