Derby Blues and Bold Bets: Inter’s Second-Guess Derby Downfall and a Roadmap to Redemption

Match Report

Inter’s coach Kristian Kivo said frustration could leave a mark on his side after the painful 1-0 loss to arch-rivals Milan in Sunday’s 12th round of Serie A.

The Nerazzurri controlled the first half at San Siro, but luck refused to smile as an Francesco Acerbi header hit the post and Lautaro Martinez’s attempt also struck the woodwork after a brave save by Mike Maignan.

Christian Pulisic scored on a counter-attack started by Alexis Salemaekers, and Maignan palmed away Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty with a sharp, acrobatic save.

Inter had not beaten Milan in their last six clashes across Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the Super Cup, drawing two and losing four.

For DAZN, Kivo said: “Frustration isn’t just about what we produced; it’s about performance and focus. We hardly allowed counterattacks, even though we knew the attackers could cause problems.”

He added: “In the one moment we lost the ball in midfield, they scored. That’s football. I praise the players’ effort as they kept going to the end, despite the disappointment of conceding and two shots rattling the crossbar.”

He continued: “We tried to score in every possible way, and that is the spirit I want to see.”

Inter’s head-to-head record this season reads poorly: losses to Juventus, Napoli, and Milan, with a single win over Roma; Milan, by contrast, beat Bologna, Napoli, Roma, and Inter, while drawing with Juventus.

On this, the coach admitted: “When you suffer four defeats in 12 rounds, that’s a lot, but the table remains tight, so we stay at the top and must cope with this frustration, because a defeat like this could leave a mark.”

Sommer’s Form

Asked about his goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s error-prone display and its role in the defeat, the coach replied: “I know what we do and what we concede; these are the risks we take. I never analyze individuals publicly, and I won’t. When I see my players give everything in training, I cannot point fingers, and I won’t make excuses. We’re all responsible for this, for better or worse.”

He added: “We could all have performed better, scored earlier, or managed moments of the match more calmly. Our task now is to regain balance, because we have another big game on Tuesday.”

That match will be in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid, led by Diego Simeone, a side that also relies heavily on counterattacks.

He continued: “Our players’ traits push us to attack with many men, which leaves us a little exposed. Still, I must point out we allowed only one counterattack against Milan, and it was deadly.”

He explained: “Considering the risks of this attacking style, we don’t permit many shots on goal. I think we must anticipate danger earlier, and perhaps hand out extra yellow cards to defuse situations before they escalate.”

Lautaro Martinez was substituted at halftime, and the coach was asked why. “He’s fine. Can’t I substitute players? It was a technical decision, my choice. The substitutes deserve to contribute too; Boni and Biao have performed well this season.”

Inter’s Season Numbers

In Europe, Inter started brightly in the Champions League, beating Ajax away 2-0, then routing Slavia Prague 3-0 with Lautaro Martinez’s brace and a goal from Domfries, before hammering Union Saint-Gilloise 4-0.

In their fourth group match they conceded their first goal but held firm to win 2-1, avoiding a shock.

So far the team has 11 goals scored and one conceded, collecting 12 points, level with Bayern and Arsenal, and ahead of Manchester City.

In Serie A, Inter faced tougher tests: the season opened with a 5-0 win over Torino, then two shocks with losses to Udinese 2-1 and Juventus 4-3.

Then a run of wins: Sassuolo 2-1, Cagliari 2-0, Cremonese 4-1, Roma 1-0; after four straight wins, Inter were beaten away by Napoli 3-1, before bouncing back with a 3-0 win over Fiorentina.

Inter continued their solid run under Romanian coach Kivo, with a 2-1 win away at Hellas Verona, then a 2-0 victory over Lazio.

Inter’s struggles against the big teams persisted, as they lost 1-0 to Milan, leaving them on 24 points in fourth after 12 rounds.

Looking ahead, the next test is a Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone; another stern challenge built on counterattacks.

Punchline 1: If frustration were a sniper’s target, Inter would need longer range—and a better aim.

Punchline 2: In football, timing is everything; apparently Inter’s timing is to shoot at the crossbar and call it a tactical retreat.