Inter Milan’s Resilience Amidst Derby Disappointment

In the recent Milan derby, Inter Milan dominated possession and recorded more shots than their rivals, yet left the pitch empty-handed after a 1-0 defeat to AC Milan. Despite earning nine corners and successfully executing five shots on target, compared to Milan’s solitary corner and three shots, Cristian Chivu’s side was unable to find the back of the net. The only goal of the game came from Christian Pulisic in the 54th minute, leaving defender Alessandro Bastoni deeply disappointed with the outcome.

Bastoni expressed his frustration at the defeat, emphasizing that he could not recall any significant goal-scoring opportunities for Milan apart from their decisive strike. He stated on RAI: “It’s challenging to analyze this match clearly; I don’t remember any clear chances for them apart from the goal. We will need to conduct a thorough review, even if confronting defeats like this can be painful. Sometimes a significant loss offers more room for improvement, but I believe we played well today. In past matches, we felt vulnerable, but this time we held our ground, showing courage against players like [Rafael] Leao and Pulisic. There was no sense of imminent goals against us.”

This defeat marked Inter’s fourth in the Serie A campaign, placing them in fourth position in the league table. A victory could have propelled them to the top spot temporarily. Bastoni acknowledged, “This serves as a wake-up call—four losses is quite a lot. However, it is essential to analyze defeats. I am more concerned when a team lacks character or focus, but I see the right mentality in our squad. As long as we maintain this spirit, I am confident that we will recover.”

Coach Christian Chivu also shared his disappointment regarding the match outcome, highlighting issues with performance and focus. “The frustration stems not just from what we created, but from our overall performance. We managed to limit their counter-attacks, yet we conceded on the only occasion we lost possession in midfield. This is the nature of football. I take pride in the team’s effort; they kept pushing until the end despite the disappointment of hitting the woodwork twice. They exhibited the fighting spirit that I want to see.”

Chivu acknowledged the impact of the fourth defeat in twelve matches, noting, “That is too many losses, yet the league standings remain competitive. We must address this frustration, as a defeat like this can leave a lasting impression. We all share responsibility for the outcome, and there were moments where we could have performed better, whether in scoring early or managing the match’s flow. Our priority now is to regroup, especially with the crucial Champions League match against Atletico Madrid upcoming.”

Inter has only two days to prepare for their clash with Atletico Madrid, a pivotal game in their Champions League campaign, where they currently sit third in the group, tied on points with Bayern Munich and Arsenal. Following their European challenge, they will face Pisa in Serie A on Sunday.