Seven goals conceded, two defeats, zero points. This is the combined record of Inter and Napoli in the first two rounds of the Champions League, a start that La Repubblica analyzes with a critical tone, identifying defensive fragility as the common denominator of the two teams that have won the most recent league titles.
The Roman newspaper points out a paradox: precisely the two teams that embody the recent excellence of Italian football have presented themselves in Europe unable to apply what it defines as “the distinctive and often winning mantra of Italian football: don’t concede.” The result is “the bitter certainty of already having to chase qualification.”
On the Nerazzurri front, Chivu interpreted the defeat against Bruges as a matter of concentration: “It’s trouble if concentration isn’t at its maximum; lapses in focus at the high level of the Champions League come at a high price.” La Repubblica, however, broadens the analysis to league numbers: 8 goals conceded in 5 matches, a figure that suggests the problem is not limited to Europe. “The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, between structural limitations and occasional mistakes,” writes the newspaper.
To confirm this phase of instability, the newspaper recalls the derby at San Siro between the two teams, described as a “crazy roulette”: five goals, three posts, and a finish in the 95th minute, decided by the last strike from Lautaro. “From the waist down, not even Inter is yet a model of reliability,” the article reads.
La Repubblica’s final diagnosis goes beyond the individual teams and touches on a broader theme: “There is a global problem of lost identity and copying others’ models has not paid off, against rivals who move at twice the speed because they are younger and hungrier.” The conclusion is clear: “Made in Italy without defense is a brand that no longer sells in Europe.”
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