Inter Milan’s Supercoppa Italiana campaign concluded in disappointment in Riyadh, as Italian media delivered a scathing critique of their penalty shootout defeat to Bologna, a match that unfolded without Hakan Calhanoglu on the field.
The semi-final against Bologna reached a dramatic climax, ultimately being decided on penalties.
However, Cristian Chivu’s team found themselves in a critical moment devoid of their regular penalty takers.
Calhanoglu, Inter’s primary penalty specialist, was on the bench, while Piotr Zielinski, who typically serves as his backup, had to exit the match shortly before the end due to a muscle injury.
The aftermath, as highlighted by La Gazzetta dello Sport, was devastating, via FCInterNews.
“The players who stepped up took poorly executed shots,” the newspaper stated.
“The adage goes that only those who are brave miss penalties, but we have witnessed much better attempts than what Inter showcased last night.”
Italian Media Criticizes Inter’s Penalty Failures as Bologna Advances to Supercoppa Final
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 26: Piotr Zielinski of FC Internazionale during warm-up before the UEFA Champions League match against RB Leipzig at Stadio San Siro on November 26, 2024. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
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Gazzetta’s analysis was tough, dissecting the shootout sequence without mercy.
The collapse began with the Italian contingent of the squad. “Ultimately, the downfall occurred at the feet of the Italian core,” the report continued.
“First, we saw Bastoni’s predictable strike, followed by Barella’s effort, which sailed high.”
The pressure then heightened on one of Inter’s standout players this season.
“Bonny compounded the errors with a weak attempt to reach Ravaglia, akin to a call made with a Saudi area code,” Gazzetta remarked, painting a vivid picture of the lack of conviction in the efforts.
Zielinski’s absence loomed over the situation.
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“Zielinski would have taken a penalty had cramps not forced him off the field.”
The paper pointed out the narrowly defined margins that separated the outcome.
Lautaro Martinez, on the other hand, did successfully convert his attempt.
“Lautaro, who had previously missed a significant penalty in Madrid, managed to score this time,” Gazzetta noted, though no Inter supporter felt any real joy from it.
Chivu later elucidated that neither Calhanoglu nor Pio Esposito were substituted solely for penalties to avoid placing them in the position of taking a shot without proper warm-up.
Although their reasoning was understandable, the final result was harsh.
Without their Turkish star, Inter’s penalty shootout lacked decisiveness, accuracy, and leadership.
Thus, their Supercoppa journey concluded with a verdict they could not evade.