FIFA 19: Inter Milan Career Mode Guide, Tactics, Formations & Tips

Inter Milan are a club enriched with history. 18 league titles, seven domestic cups and three European Cups make them heavyweights in Italian football, but at the moment, they just can’t get near Juventus. For seven seasons they have had to watch the Old Lady claim the Serie A title, with Inter’s last league success coming during Jose Mourinho’s treble winning season in 2009/10.

Just one Coppa Italia (in 2011) has arrived since, and whichever way you look at it, Inter Milan are in crisis. That could soon be over, however, with the Nerazzurri finishing inside the Serie A top three for the first time since 2011 last season, and adding midfield superstar Radja Nainggolan to their squad over the summer. 

Work still needs to be done, but can you take Inter back to where they belong on FIFA 19’s Career Mode, at the top of Italian football?

Team Rating

Inter Milan receive a four and a half star rating on FIFA 19, which is made up by an 86 attack, 81 midfield and 82 defence. 

Formation

The default 4-2-3-1 wide formation for Inter Milan is a safe bet, but with three world class centre backs, you may be tempted to switch to a 5-2-3 – a classic in Italian football. Other possible formations are a more attacking 3-4-3, or conventional 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 systems. 

Samir Handanovic (89 GK positioning) is a top quality option in goal, and he receives solid protection from new signing Stefan de Vrij, anchor Miranda (90 standing tackle) and the destructive Mile Skriniar (92 marking). The on-loan Sime Vrsjalko and former Juventus man Kwadwo Asamoah are in the wing back positions. 

The engine Radja Nainggolan (93 stamina) partners Marcelo Brozovic in a two-man midfield, with Matteo Politano and the tricky Ivan Perisic (88 sprint speed) on the flanks. Lethal striker Mauro Icardi (91 finishing) captains the side from the front. 

On the bench go for Diego Padelli, Andrea Ranocchia, Danilo D’Ambrosio, Borja Valero, Joao Mario, Keita Balde and Lautaro Martinez. 

Tactics and instructions

A five at the back system may look defensive, but with three players in attack it is surprisingly versatile. Against the big teams you can look to sit deep and spring forward on the counter-attack, but if you find yourself dominating possession, you can bring the ball out of defence and play round the opposition. 

Your key weapon is Mauro Icardi (94 jumping, 91 heading accuracy) and with his quality in the air, you must swing balls into the box. If chances fall his way, he will put them away, and you can use Radja Nainggolan (84 short passing, 84 composure) to open up the defence. Not only that, the Belgian can win the ball back early (90 sliding tackle, 86 standing tackle, 86 interceptions), and if given room, can shoot from range (86 long shots). 

Not too much needs to be done with your instructions to begin with, but in a two-man midfield you could find yourself open on the counter. Marcelo Brozovic provided the steel in Croatia’s midfield during their run to the World Cup final, and he should do the same for you at Inter. Change his attacking support to ‘stay back while attacking’.

Other possible tweaks you could make is getting right winger Matteo Politano, who can also play as a striker, to ‘get into box for cross’ for support on crosses, and making the most of Mauro Icardi’s aerial ability by having him on ‘stay central’ and ‘target man’ for support runs and attacking runs, respectively.

Training

In your training sessions you should look to use players with high growth to make the most of your time. At Inter, these are Mile Skriniar, Keita Balde, Lautaro Martinez, Roberto Gagliardini and Dalbert.

The Transfer Market

Starting transfer budget: £39 million

Starting wage budget: £164,000 a week

Who should go

Inter have a small squad on FIFA 19, consisting of just 24 players, with four of these goalkeepers. The only outfielder you can afford to let go is Antonio Candreva, with the 31-year-old the least dangerous of your five options out wide. The Italian international can collect you around £11 million and save you £65,000 a week in wages.

Two of your reserve goalkeepers can then go, with Tommaso Berni and Raffaele Di Gennaro having no future at the club. You should get over £500,000 for the pair, freeing up £14,000 a week in your wage budget. 

Who to sign

New transfer budget: £51 million

New wage budget: £245,000 a week

Starting left wing back

The weakest player in your starting lineup is Kwadwo Asamoah at left wing-back, and aged 29 and at his peak, you should find a replacement. The 24-year-old Dalbert is a reliable replacement, but even his potential is only 80.

The best value for money signing in this role has to be Benfica’s Grimaldo. You can pick up the 22-year-old Spaniard for around £27 million, with his wages starting at just £12,000 a week. His 81 overall consists of attributes of 86 balance, 85 acceleration and 85 curve which can improve as he nears an 86 potential. 

Alternative options

Young centre half

Not blessed with cash, you need be savvy with your second signing. If you wish to persevere with the 5-2-3 formation, you will want more cover in central defence, with Andrea Ranocchia the only other option there outside of the starting lineup.

You should look for someone who could replace the 33-year-old Miranda in the coming seasons, and that looks to be Bordeaux youngster Jules Kounde. The 19-year-old may only be rated at 74, but this can grow to a potential of 87. The Frenchman’s stats of 78 jumping, 77 standing tackle and 76 interceptions will set you back around £15 million with wages of just £11,000 a week.

Alternative options

Contracts

Just three contracts are running out for Inter at the end of the season, and given the small squad, you should look to renew two of them. Diego Padelli is a decent backup goalkeeper to Samir Handanovic, and the same goes for centre back Andrea Ranocchia. You would be incredibly short if you let either of these players go. 

As for Tommaso Berni, try to sell the 35-year-old as soon as possible, but if you can’t ship him, just let his contract expire. 

Managerial objectives

The managerial objectives at Inter aren’t too demanding, with the long-term goals the priority. For your domestic success, you must reach the semi-finals of the Coppa Nazionale (Coppa Italia) and finish in the top four of the Serie A. You will also be expected to win the league title by the end of next season. 

Brand exposure is critical, and here you must gain £132 million in shirt sales over the campaign and pick up £18 million in competition prize money. Brining in, and scoring with, big names helps with the shirt sales, and a pre-season tournament victory could give you half the cash needed for the prize money straight off the bat. 

Continental success has a high importance, and this is the trickiest objective, with a trip to the Champions League semi-finals demanded by the board. In a group containing Barcelona, Tottenham and PSV you have a work cut out even making it to the knockouts. 

For youth development you will need to sign a player to your youth squad and grow them by ten overall points. Once they have improved, you must play them in five matches over the season. With a small squad, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Lastly, your financial goal sees you needing to increase club worth by 25% within two seasons. Pick up silverware and maintain a profit each year to achieve this. 

End Juve’s dominance

It’s easier said then done, but you must have your eyes in first closing the gap and then overtaking Juventus in Serie A. It is a surprise to see your objectives prioritise a strong European run, but when it gets to that second season you must have the squad to fight for the title. As things stand, you are probably three first team signings away from challenging Juve.

In season one, you should look to finish inside the top two of Serie A, with very little between Inter, Napoli, AC Milan and Roma. You must make sure you don’t lose to your rivals, with clashes against bottom half clubs all must win games. 

In Europe, the semis does seem a strength, so do everything you can to reach the quarter-finals. After such as tough group, you may find things get easier in the knockout stages.

Inter are on the rise, and you can sense this squad’s potential, perhaps making them the best equipped to topple Juventus. Can you deliver on FIFA 19? 

Full Inter Milan player ratings