Inter Milan’s Champions League campaign ended in the round of 16, a result described as “one of the worst pieces” of Italian football history by journalist Vincenzo Credendino. The Nerazzurri were eliminated following a 1-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday, completing a 2-1 aggregate loss.
The exit comes despite Inter currently leading Serie A by 10 points over rivals AC Milan and holding a four-point advantage over defending champions Napoli. Napoli as well failed to advance from the Champions League group stage this season.
“It is a difficult time for Italian football and this shows it,” said European football expert Julien Laurens on BBC Radio 5 Live. “Today, Inter Milan put pressure on but it was not enough from them. They have been the best team in Italy for the last few years. And Napoli as well, they haven’t even come close.”
Inter’s elimination continues a concerning trend for Italian clubs in European competition. Juventus finished 13th in their Champions League group, while Atalanta finished 15th. All three Italian teams participating in the Champions League failed to progress beyond the group stage or the round of 16.
The struggles extend beyond the Champions League. Italian teams have found themselves consistently outmatched by opponents employing a more intense style of play in the play-off rounds of European competitions. “What does it say about Italian football? That something needs to be changed,” added Verri. “The level of Italian football is poor. It is a structural issue. We play very slow football.”
Claudio Ranieri, the former Leicester City manager, reportedly highlighted the difference in intensity between Italian and English training and gameplay, stating that while training volume may be comparable, the application of intensity during matches is where Italian football falls short. “People don’t train more than in Italy. They just do it with another intensity, and then they keep up that intensity during the games,” Ranieri is quoted as saying.
The situation is further complicated by the national team’s precarious position. Italy must win a play-off in March to qualify for the World Cup this summer, risking missing out on a third consecutive tournament. Italy last won the World Cup in 2006.
Inter’s last Champions League triumph came in 2010 under Jose Mourinho. Prior to that, AC Milan defeated Liverpool in the 2007 final, avenging a penalty shootout loss to the same opponent two years earlier. The club had previously won the competition in 2003, defeating Juventus in an all-Italian final. In the late 1990s, both Inter and AC Milan made significant investments in star players, with Ronaldo and Christian Vieri arriving at Inter for world-record fees, a period when Serie A was considered the pinnacle of world football.
Credendino suggested a long-term reassessment of Italian football is needed. “Inter are the best in Italy, but maybe it is time to think not about what can happen in one or two years, but about 10 or 15 years – and on that side we can see generally Italian football is not on the same level of top European leagues.”
