Bergomi: "Lautaro's absence will be felt, Inter must stay calm"

The Champions League defeat and the captain’s injury: Bergomi analyzed the situation of Inter on Sky Sport microphones, placing it in the broader context of the European performance of Italian teams in the last round.

“They are four different defeats,” the former defender began. “You can lose to Real, maybe not in that way. Inter and Napoli could have put in different performances; as for Como, it was their first time away against a tough opponent. I feel really sorry for the Giallorossi, who led the match. Like Inter in Madrid, they played their game, then lost their sharpness at the end, which is normal when you play with such intensity. They needed to be more clear-headed on set pieces.”

On the European journey of the Nerazzurri, Bergomi added: “Our teams need to lower their expectations, in the Champions League there are 7-8 teams that are stronger. Inter reached the final twice because they were the best, but they were never among the strongest. Now Inter must focus on getting points to reach the playoffs. You need to stay calm and have the balance they’ve always had over the years. Now they’re trying to push higher up the pitch like other European teams, but those teams have 3-4 players in the squad who are good in one-on-one situations. The Champions drains you both mentally and physically, just look at Lautaro‘s injury: it’s a stressful competition. You have to think one game at a time, without making calculations. The captain’s absence will weigh, of course, so the team must take it one step at a time.”

Finally, Bergomi pointed to the summer transfer market as the root of the defensive problems: “In the summer Inter lost two pure markers like Acerbi and De Vrij, players who were not replaced. They brought in Stones who is more of a ball player. Defending in open space is difficult in general, let alone for those who don’t have the speed to recover. It’s not a matter of individuals.”