From Champions League dreams to a real nightmare: from a devastating defeat in the final, both in terms of the result and how it came about, to a public collision between the team captain, the leader of the dressing room and one of the most important players. It is no wonder that Interfans are worried: they are awakened from a dream to only notice a nightmare, and that is not something that happens every day.
At the moment Lautaro Martinez secretly accuses Hakan Calhanoglu of being not fully dedicated to the club's project. The Argentinian said: “The coach gave us a real push, even though we have now beaten out of the competition. Our message is clear: who does not want to stay; who should not leave. We represent an important club and we have to strive for important goals. I speak in general. It is a tiring season and we end up with empty hands.
“To stay at the top and to continue fighting for titles, we need desire, we have to be a real team like we were in the season of the second scudetto. I am not a name for names. We are here to give everything, but I have seen many things that I didn't like. As a captain and leader of the group I have to speak.
“Words hit me hard”
The problem is, Lautaro said this when Calhanoglu was not with the team. So it was clearly referred to his teammate. The Turkish midfielder then placed a statement: “Unfortunately, during training in the US, I sustained an injury in a completely different area. Diagnosis: muscle tear. This injury made it impossible for me to play in this tournament.
“Nothing else, nothing more. Even though I am currently injured, I picked up the phone immediately after the game to call a few teammates and lift their minds, because that is what you do when you care about your team. What surprised me were the words that followed. Words that hit me hard.
“I never betray this club. I never said that I am unhappy at Inter. I have had the honor of wearing the Captain's bracelet for my country, and I have learned that leadership means that you are with your team, do not show fingers if it is easier.”
We chose these words, but the statement was actually longer. In short, they argue. But the real question is: why didn't they just call each other and picked out privately? Instead, they gave a sad, harmful image of the dressing room. In general you can solve a problem such as this by selling one of the players involved. Let's see what happens.
Was tension always there?
Is this poisonous atmosphere the result of that humiliating defeat against PSG? Or was the defeat itself a symptom of deeper problems brewed under the surface?
And then there is the departure of former coach Simone Inzaghi, who left the club only a few days after the final. That certainly did not help. Nerazzurri fans had wanted to see unity, players who stood shoulder to shoulder. But the reality is very different: Inzaghi has disappeared, and now two of the greatest leaders of the team, Lautaro and Calhanoglu are fighting, in the press and on social media.
How did they come here? And can they come back? (Yes, those are really the texts of an Isaac Gracie number, but the question remains.)
Cristian Chivu is perhaps a talented coach, or at least he seems to be, but he needs time: time to get to know the team, time to rebuild a group that clearly falls apart. What is happening at Inter is not entirely clear, or maybe, as fans hope, everything that had to happen has already happened, and now it's time to start over and rebuild the ruins.
Inzaghi project ends poorly
The Inzaghi project is over. Unfortunately for the Nerazzurri it yielded fewer results than hoped, and the worst of everything ended badly. But moments like these, as painful as they are, can be turning points: an opportunity to draw a line under the past and start again.
But first Beppe Marotta, Piero Ausilio and Chivu have to find out if the bleeding has really stopped, or whether there is even more damage to determine before they can continue.
The future of Inter is at stake. And the future is already there. At the moment it looks frightening.