Manuel Akanji voiced his frustration regarding Inter’s performance in their 1-0 defeat to Milan on Sunday evening, noting that the nature of this loss was distinct from their previous encounter with the Rossoneri earlier this season: “Today was different. Our performance was simply not up to par.”
Akanji reacts to Milan 1-0 Inter: ‘Performance wasn’t good enough’
The Nerazzurri faced their second Serie A defeat to Milan in the 2025-26 season, with Pervis Estupinan scoring the sole goal at San Siro.
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Despite the loss, Cristian Chivu’s team maintains a solid seven-point lead at the top of the Serie A standings with 10 matches left in the season, although there is a prevailing sense of disappointment within the squad following their defeat against their city rivals.
“They played as we anticipated they would, pressing upfront, but dropping back if unsuccessful, particularly during the first half,” Akanji stated in a post-match interview with CBS Sports. “We had numerous misplaced passes and lost duels, which allowed them to capitalize on our mistakes. Our defense was also lacking in some situations, ultimately leading to our loss.”
If Inter clinches the Scudetto this season, it will mark their second Serie A title in three years. The club has reached the Champions League final twice in the past four seasons and secured the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italia titles twice within the last five campaigns.
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Nonetheless, a recurring issue for Chivu’s squad has been their struggles against stronger teams in both the league and the Champions League this season. They have also not won against Milan in their last seven matches.
“I’ve only participated in the last two encounters—today and the earlier one this season—and they felt completely different,” Akanji noted.
MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 08: Rafael Leao of AC Milan battles for the ball with Manuel Akanji of Inter during their Serie A match at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 08, 2026. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
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“In the earlier match, we dominated, created numerous scoring chances, and even missed a penalty. We clearly had enough opportunities to win, but they capitalized on their singular chance,” Akanji remarked.
“Today was a different story. We didn’t perform well. There were numerous lost duels and balls that we should have retained but failed to do so. We made too many mistakes and lacked aggression in some duels, which ultimately led to our defeat.”
“As a team, we didn’t generate sufficient attacking opportunities. We attempted to deliver crosses, but they were ineffective. Yet, we did have chances to score.”
“Just before they scored, Mkhitaryan had a clear run at the goalkeeper but missed. In the second half, Mkhitaryan set up Dimarco for a potential goal, and we also had a few corner situations that the referee inexplicably halted. There were moments that could have led to a penalty as well.”
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“We tried to create scoring opportunities, but we simply fell short today.”
MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 08: Referee Daniele Doveri at the conclusion of the Serie A match between AC Milan and Inter after AC Milan’s 1-0 victory at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 08, 2026. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Despite the disappointment of their derby loss, Akanji aims to stay optimistic. “The next few days will be tough. Losing a derby always hurts. However, we remain seven points clear, and there’s time for us to recover. Our next match is against Atalanta at home next Saturday, which is significant, and we’ll be ready for it.”
“We need to rectify our shortcomings from today’s game, and I’m confident we can secure a victory.”