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Ivan Perišić’s Two-Footed Genius Ensures Juventus Finishes Season Trophyless

By Travis Yoesting May 11, 2022
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Ivan Perišić showed he’s one of the world’s best two-footed players with two wonderful goals for Inter in extra time.
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Weston McKennie and Juventus will finish the 2021-22 season without a trophy. Ivan Perišić made sure of it with two well-taken goals — one with each foot — in extra time as Inter Milan claimed the Coppa Italia 4-2 on Wednesday at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. 

In a wild, back-and-forth match that saw Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri shown a red card, Inter took full advantage of two penalty kicks and dominated extra time to claim its eighth Coppa Italia, trailing only Juventus (14) and Roma (9) for most all time. 

Is Ivan Perišić Left Footed Or Right Footed? Neither

In an era dominated by largely one-footed players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah, Ivan Perišić is an anomaly. The wide player can bang in goals and crosses with either leg, making him equally proficient on the right as the left wing. Perišić is no Arjen Robben; you never know which way he’s going to go.

Perišić showed off its right-footed abilities when he scored the match winner in the 99th minute from the penalty spot, smashing a goal inside the left post. 

He then ensured the trophy for Inter with a superb volley off his left foot, set up by a great first touch on his right.

Are there many better two-footed players in the world right now than Perišić? Obviously, Kevin De Bruyne is in the conversation, especially after the right-footer scored a hat trick with his left foot on Wednesday, but after that, few can compare. Messi and Salah almost always score with their left, and Ronaldo can smash a shot with his off-foot left, but those usually lack accuracy. 

As good as Perišić’s penalty was, it wasn’t the best of the night. That belonged to Inter’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who equalized in the 80th minute. The Turkish midfielder’s shot looked like it was hit so hard it would fly over the net, only for the effort to bang off the crossbar while still rising before soaring into the back of the net. It was the perfect penalty. 

The goal helped stall the momentum Juventus gained after scoring two goals in two minutes.

Alex Sandro’s shot from the edge of the area somehow fooled Samir Handanović before Dušan Vlahović gave the Old Lady the lead moments later on the counter.

The goal of the game, however, belonged to the first of the night.

Nicolò Barella hit a rocket in the sixth minute to give Inter a dream start.  

Because Serie A is nothing if not wildly entertaining this season, Allegri was shown a red card after Inter’s fourth goal before the match finished. 

Inter now turns its focus to defending its Scudetto title. With two games left, the Nerazzurri trail rival AC Milan by two points (80-78). Inter plays at Cagliari and home to Sampdoria while Milan closes with Atalanta at home and away to Sassuolo on the final day.

Juventus, meanwhile, ends its season without a trophy, unless you belong to the Arsène Wenger school of thought and consider a Champions League place a trophy. 

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