Fabio Capello slammed Inter Milan after a ‘lukewarm’ performance in Sunday’s Serie A showdown against AC Milan.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia via FCInter1908, Capello delivered his verdict on Inter’s display in the latest Derby della Madonnina edition.
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AC Milan claimed a potentially futile 1-0 win last night, with Pervis Estupinan deciding a hard-fought contest at San Siro.
Despite being knocked down from a nine-game winning away league run, Inter remain firmly in control of their title fate.
Indeed, the Nerazzurri are still seven points clear of the second-placed Rossoneri, with only ten games left to play.
However, Cristian Chivu lost another Serie A derby, with Milan pulling off their first league double over Inter since 2010/11.
Moreover, deprived of the services of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, Inter generated a measly xG of only 0.53.
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Furthermore, star midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu was also unavailable for selection due to a muscle injury.
Fabio Capello Slams Inter Milan Performance in Serie A Derby
“I would have given the team two days off,” Capello said. “When you play, you expend a lot of energy, but victories recharge you. Inter had a ten-point lead.
“The win is important for Milan because it puts them clear of Como, Roma, and Juve in the race for fourth place. The most important thing for Allegri is this, not thinking about the Scudetto, even though you never know.
“Milan have almost achieved their objective of qualifying for the Champions League, and now I would have said that they can enjoy themselves and maybe even cause problems for Inter.
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“I saw an Inter side that lacked grit, aggression and nastiness – a lukewarm Inter. I don’t know what it depended on, but they didn’t play the derby like Inter. Milan, on the other hand, showed great concentration, and the scoreline would have been bigger if Leão had been more clinical.
“You can clearly see Calhanoglu’s absence at Inter. The ball moved slowly in midfield. Zielinski tends to carry the ball a lot, and Chivu has plenty of work to do with this team.”
Fabio Capello Heaps Praise on Inter Milan Star Lautaro Martinez
Commenting on Lautaro’s absence, Capello said: “That’s a key point for Inter. Lautaro is a true captain – he runs, fights, scores goals. He’s an example for everyone. Inter have missed Lautaro a lot.
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“Even if they’ve still managed results, they’ve lacked the competitive anger he always transmits. It’s too important to have a player who can wake everyone else up when others are just going through the motions.
“A coach can shout, but you need a leader on the pitch, and that’s what Inter are currently missing.
“Inter still have a good advantage, but the issue is psychological. They’ve always had moments of great football and moments without rhythm. Recently, they’ve been playing slowly, which allows opponents to create problems.
“They need to rediscover the right positions for the players, recover Calhanoglu and Lautaro, and play with more humility, helping each other – something I haven’t seen in the last few matches.”
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Despite Chivu’s unenviable record in high-profile fixtures, Capello believes he is the right man for Inter.
“Chivu gave Inter a clear style of play and the belief that they could win and be competitive both in the Champions League and in the league. In the league he has succeeded; in the Champions League, he may have made some mistakes against Bodo, with too many changes and too much rotation.
“I hope that the fear and hesitation Inter showed when they played the Champions League final against PSG hasn’t returned – that sense of reverence, of not feeling like the strong team they had been before. Chivu brought them back from that and did very well; we all praised him for it.
“Now I don’t know what’s happening, whether he himself has become a bit confused with the midfield changes. The danger is that the team may no longer have the same calmness and belief.”
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