Inter Milan still struggle in big matches despite top spot

Draw against Napoli highlights continued difficulty in direct clashes with Italy’s top teams

Even after failing to beat Napoli, Inter Milan’s record in direct confrontations remains a point of concern. The last victory against a top rival came on the day of the club’s second Scudetto star, during the derby against AC Milan on April 24.

According to Il Giornale, the draw with Napoli is more than just a missed opportunity:

“Not winning 14 consecutive matches (including cups) against Italy’s three strongest teams — Juventus, AC Milan, and Napoli, all Scudetto winners since 2001 — can no longer be a coincidence.”

Chivu leads the table but big-match struggles persist

Focusing solely on the league, Inter Milan have played 10 direct clashes between last season and this one:

Under Inzaghi: 4 draws, 2 losses

Under Chivu: 3 losses, 1 draw

In total, 5 points out of 30.

Chivu takes some consolation from the standings:

“We are ahead of the teams that have beaten us,” the coach notes.

If Inter Milan continue winning the “other” matches, the team could theoretically finish top even without victories in the remaining big matches against Juventus (February 15) and AC Milan (March 8).

Had they beaten Napoli and AC Milan, the gap would have been +7 on Napoli and +5 on AC Milan, turning the league table into momentum rather than just consolation.

Lautaro Martinez and big-match drought

Another statistic mirrors Inter Milan’s struggles: Lautaro Martinez has yet to score in these 10 direct clashes, despite always starting.

“Martinez’s scoring drought in league big matches extends even to the final four matches of the second-star season,” the newspaper adds.

The relationship between the leader’s drought and the team’s performance is evident: Lautaro continues to score in “other” matches — already 14 this season, 10 in the league, where he is top scorer, just like his team leads the standings.

Inter Milan attack vs defence in key moments

The narrative is clear: Inter Milan’s league leadership relies heavily on consistent results against lower-ranked teams, while struggles in direct clashes remain a concern. 

Balancing performance in big matches will be key if the Nerazzurri aim to transform their current lead into a championship-winning campaign.

Source: Fcinter1908