Christian Eriksen breathes life into Inter career with derby wonder strike

Tuesday's Coppa Italia clash between Inter and Milan marked 363 days since Christian Eriksen left Tottenham Hotspur to join I Nerazzurri on a four and a half year deal.

It was a move that made little sense at the time, and almost a year later, those preconceptions have proven to be spot on. Too much has happened over the past 12 months to truly chronicle each and every pitfall which the Dane has encountered since settling down in Italy, but enough water had passed under the bridge for us to safely assume his experience at Inter had reached a premature end.

In fact, those theories were all but confirmed by the club's CEO Beppe Marotta, who admitted they were prepared to sell Eriksen, given his inability to fit into Antonio Conte's rigid 3-5-2 system.

Rumours have been rife throughout January, linking the Dane with a switch to title-challenging Leicester City, a potential return to Spurs, or an even more shocking return to north London with bitter rivals Arsenal. And yet, he has stayed in Italy.

Whether the financial implications of the coronavirus have deterred potential buyers from parting with their cash this winter, or if Inter's owners have simply put their foot down and forced Conte to integrate Eriksen into the team remains to be seen.

But one way or another, the attacking midfielder has been given a second chance at life in Italy.

His mini renaissance began in the very competition in which he starred on Tuesday, albeit in the previous round against Fiorentina. Conte confirmed before the game that Eriksen had been learning how to play as a regista, operating in a much deeper and orchestral role to his usual attacking midfield position.

This was a clear lifeline for the Dane. Conte was never going to change his tactics purely for the needs of one player, no matter how important or well-paid. He was willing however, to help Eriksen adapt to a new trade - one that is vital to the success of the Italian's three-man midfield.

In Marcelo Brozovic, the ex-Spurs star faces some stiff competition to make that position his own in the long run, but for now, he's able to learn from one of the best teachers of the art that money can buy. Saying that, his debut in as a regista was inconspicuous, to say the least.

There were a few encouraging signs that he could indeed become a natural deep-lying playmaker over the two hours of action, but there were also some clear warnings that he had much to learn, and little time to do so.

Clearly, Eriksen had not wowed Conte into removing Brozovic from the base of his midfield, and he was left on the bench for Inter's next two matches, drawing with AS Roma and Udinese. And despite I Nerazzurri's struggles in those fixtures, he didn't even make the starting lineup against Milan in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.

The midfielder was forced to sit and watch as his teammates failed to land the killer blow on their rivals, despite boasting a man advantage for well over half an hour. With two minutes left on the clock and the score delicately poised at 1-1, Conte turned to what many would consider his last resort.

"Eriksen, you're up."

Normally, an 88th minute substitute is not blessed with the time required to make their impact, but an injury to referee Paolo Valeri meant there were 10 additional minutes for the benchwarmer to stake his claim.

He only needed seven of them. Inter were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box in the 97th minute, and Eriksen shouldered the responsibility of half a city. He stood over the ball, an icy-cold focus frosting his eyes, then stepped up and hit the sweetest of strikes - something only the best can do.

Finally. After almost 12 months of grimaces, furrowed brows and sideways glances of discontent, a smile spread across Eriksen's face. It was not only a grin of relief, but one of hope, that this could become a regular occurrence once again in his incredible career. It was an ambition that his coach evidently shared, too.

Speaking after the dramatic victory, Conte confirmed that Tuesday's hero will not be leaving the club in this transfer window, meaning whether he likes it or not, Eriksen will remain with I Nerazzurri at least until the end of the season.

"Eriksen will stay here at Inter," Conte explained. "He’s not leaving because we’re not signing any players, so we won’t let him leave the club.

"I’m so happy for his goal." You weren't the only one, Antonio...

It was a goal which propelled Inter into the semi-finals of the domestic cup, simultaneously deflating spirits across town. Conte's men are in hot pursuit of Milan at the top of Serie A, and while the 2-1 victory has no impact on the league table, it could provide the chasers with a psychological lift in this dramatic race.

At the heart of this potentially pendulum-swinging derby, was our man Eriksen. No matter what emotions supporters felt towards him before the victory on Tuesday evening, they will now be forever indebted to his magical right foot, and all too aware of just what he can offer when given the chance to shine.

It's up to Conte to satisfy those demands, and embed belief in his superstar that he can play his best football in a brand new position - or face the wrath of a fanbase and owner expecting success from both their key individuals and the team as a whole.

Eriksen will be an Inter man for the foreseeable future - but only time will tell if that is down to desire through necessity.