Bergomi explains Inter's European limit

Inter struggles in major European matches due to structural issues and squad depth. This is the analysis of Beppe Bergomi, who spoke to Sky Sport after the Nerazzurri’s defeat against Real Madrid.

According to the former captain, the team is trying to make a leap in quality but has to deal with specific characteristics. “You can see they’re trying to take a step forward, they play in a very risky way,” explained Bergomi. “Inter can’t play like Real Madrid with a low block and counterattack because they don’t have fast players, Inter has to take risks in the build-up, push many men forward and at the back remain one-on-one. That makes things difficult.”

The former defender then emphasized how the club tried to intervene in the transfer market. “In recent years, they’ve won well in Italy, reached a Champions League final, and the club thought about signing a number 10. In my opinion, Inter tried to get Nico Paz, who then stayed at Como, but a different striker, a more structured midfielder would have been useful,” he stated. According to him, some new additions to the squad would have made the team even more competitive at the continental level.

The central point of the analysis concerns the formation. “In Europe, teams always play with 3-4 attackers, or with players skilled at dribbling. Inter is an anomaly, they reach the final twice but play with a 3-5-2, how many teams in Europe play like that? Even in Italy, they’re decreasing,” he observed. The conclusion is pragmatic: “But with the squad Inter has, they have to play with the 3-5-2 because the players perform best with this formation.”