Inter suffered a 3-1 defeat against Milan in the Milan derby on November 1, 2026, conceding two goals within the opening 10 minutes at the San Siro. Perhaps for this reason it immediately looked a bit too superficial, wrong in attitude and confused in movement.
Cristian Chivu Points to Complacency After Milan Derby Defeat
Chivu admitted after the final whistle that his side failed to match their opponents’ intensity. “We got the approach wrong. We need to rediscover a bit of hunger and nastiness when certain things are taken for granted,” Chivu said, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The manager added that the reigning champions occasionally catch themselves reflecting on past achievements rather than fighting in the present. Against Fiorentina, despite deserving the victory, Inter had overturned a 0-1 deficit only in stoppage time; at Venezia they had advanced thanks to two own goals; then a derby like this arrived and the Nerazzurri imperfections of this period emerged with all their evidence.
Psychological Factors Behind the Champion’s Brain
Addressing the sudden drop in intensity, sports psychologist Aldo Grauso explained that elite squads frequently encounter focus lapses during demanding fixture schedules. "When you win often, the brain gets used to success: every new victory gives less gratification than before, and motivation needs increasingly strong stimuli to switch on," Grauso observed, as quoted by Gazzetta dello Sport.
El Inter de Cristian Chivu pic.twitter.com/PF5YuJi7Uv https://t.co/tzYBbaj0Ni
Tactical Missteps and Roster Differences on the Pitch
Corriere dello Sport reported that Chivu altered his tactical setup for the fixture, deploying Marcus Thuram as a lone central forward supported by new midfield shapes involving Diouf and Sucic. From the dressing room they said that Bonny and Esposito were not feeling well, but in the final stages they both entered, perhaps they were not in pieces, and anyway there was always the young Lavelli. The tactical adjustment left Thuram isolated for the opening twenty minutes while Milan midfielders capitalized on the confusion. Alessandro Bastoni provided Inter’s lone goal with a header, but a precise free kick from Moreira sealed the 3-1 scoreline for the Rossoneri.
Appiano Gentile Training and Upcoming Champions League Trip to Rotterdam
Calciomercato reported that the Inter squad returned to training at Appiano Gentile from 11:00 AM ahead of their flight to Rotterdam for an upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture against Feyenoord at De Kuip stadium, where Chivu’s press conference is scheduled from 18:45. For Tuesday evening’s away match, the manager is oriented to confirm English full-back Djed Spence on the right flank from the start. Chivu faces mandatory defensive reshuffling with Alessandro Bastoni suspended alongside injured defenders John Stones and Pavard, leaving Bisseck, Akanji, and Carlos Augusto in line for selection. In attack alongside Thuram, Pio Esposito returns, having not scored for almost two months.
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