Inter Milan’s missed opportunities: from title hopes to regrets

A draw with Lazio ends Inter Mila’s Serie A title dream—now the focus shifts to the Champions League

Inter Milan’s harsh self-reflection: from confidence to overreach

There’s disappointment in the Inter Milan camp after drawing against Lazio—two dropped points that could have put them in pole position to fight for back-to-back Serie A titles in the final game against Como. 

But it’s not just about one match. As La Gazzetta dello Sport via Fcinter1908.it pointed out, the real issue may have been an excess of ambition turned into overconfidence.

Inter Milan believed in their superiority, but perhaps tried to chase too many goals—Serie A, Champions League, Coppa Italia, and Supercoppa—all at once. 

Italy isn't France, where a super team like PSG can dominate. It’s more like England or Spain—balanced and punishing if you spread yourself too thin.

Costly presumption

On the pitch, this overconfidence translated into wasted points. Inter Milan often thought matches were won before the final whistle. 

The team lost its “cannibal” version of last season—rock-solid in defense, ruthless in controlling matches. One year ago, they had 15 more points at this stage.

Late-game woes and individual errors

Focus faded in key moments. Inter Milan dropped points against Genoa, Milan, Juventus, Napoli, Parma, Bologna, and Lazio—often squandering leads in the final 30 minutes. 

They lost 15 points and recovered only 8 late in games—a negative balance. 

It wasn’t just tactical; individual mistakes, not only from Bisseck, also cost them dearly.

The February collapse

After reaching the Champions League quarter-finals, Inter Milan should’ve managed February better. 

Instead, they misjudged preparations, energy management, and squad rotation. They drew with Milan, lost to Fiorentina and Juventus, struggled past Genoa, and nearly blew it against Napoli. 

Then came another exhausting stretch: three matches in ten days.

Substitutions & squad depth: Inzaghi's dilemma

Simone Inzaghi has matured, but he's not free of blame. He was once criticized for avoiding rotation, now he’s questioned for rotating too much—or at the wrong times. Against Lazio, could De Vrij have made the difference? Allegri used to bring in Barzagli to lock things down. Inzaghi didn’t always find the right balance.

The squad is large, but quantity hasn’t always meant quality. 

Players like De Vrij, Frattesi, Pavard, Darmian (in defense), Zielinski, Carlos Augusto, and Zalewski offer true value. 

But others like Asllani (as playmaker), and strikers Taremi, Arnautovic, and Correa haven’t been up to standard. 

When key starters like Dumfries, Calhanoglu, Lautaro, or Thuram are missing, the overall quality drops too steeply.

Transfer window regrets

In January, Inter Milan signed Sucic (for the future) and Zalewski. But they clearly needed another striker—even on loan. 

Yes, finances were stabilizing, and revenue is rising thanks to the Champions League, Club World Cup, and increased ticket sales. But that winter cost-cutting might turn out to be a missed opportunity.

Injury troubles

The injury list should’ve prompted action too. Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Thuram, Dumfries, Dimarco, Pavard, Barella, and even Lautaro have all needed time off. 

The iron man has been Bastoni—55 appearances in 57 matches. Monaco will be number 59. Add the U.S. tour, and he’ll reach 62 games.