Tag: inter milan

Calcio City Guides: Milan

So you’ve made it this far, you’ve decided you’re going to Milan to watch football. That’s great, you’ve made a fantastic choice. Not only are there two Serie A teams based there, the stadium they share is the most iconic in World football. There’s plenty of other options too, if you want to squeeze as much out of the trip as you can. Flights are cheap from London to Milan and there’s plenty of them available. So here’s the ultimate football fans guide to hanging out in Milan.

Getting Around

Couldn’t be easier in Milan. Depending on your airport there’s a few ways into town. From Malpensa just get on the train that goes from each terminal. They terminate at Centrale, but go through Porta Garibaldi too which is another of the main stations. Tickets are available at the kiosks in the terminal and the station, the machines change languages to make it easier. The train takes around 45 minutes and costs roughly €15.

If you’ve come in to Bergamo then you’re best bet is to take one of the coaches to Milan Centrale. For €10 you get 45-60 minutes sat on an air conditioned coach straight into the centre of Milan. You can also take a bus to Bergamo station, then an hour long train to Milan if you prefer but the coaches are easy enough. You can either pre-purchase tickets in the terminal or buy from the guys at each bus stop.

Taxis are available at both airports but cost around €150 each way to Milan, so I wouldn’t waste my time with them. There is a third airport, Linate, which is a bit like London City. Congratulations if you’ve landed here, you’re rich and flew BA. It’s on the main Metro network in Milan so very easy to the city centre from there.

Trams are clean, tidy and on time… mostly.

Speaking of the Metro, Milan has a really easy to use Metro system. It has 5 lines that all cross over with each other and connect to the vast Tram network too. You can buy an adult three day ticket for around €15 so getting around is so easy and so cheap. Just be a bit careful if visiting before the end of October, there’s major work being done to the tram lines so they’re running slightly odd routes at the moment.

The Metro is clean, well lit and efficient, used by everybody in Milan, it’s a safe and cheap way to get around the city.

Eating and Drinking

So the first thing to highlight is that Milan is really not a “party city” like places such as Prague, Budapest etc. but you can still have a pretty decent night out here. I would head to Isola where there’s a much younger vibe and the bars will be lively and loud. In the summer you can drink just about anywhere that has outside seating and have a nice chilled evening.

Speaking of chilled, in the evening before your meal, get to Navigli. The canal area is served by the M2 at Porta Genova station, and the canals are lined with bars and locals enjoying an aperativo before their dinner. Later at night this becomes a busy and very “cool” area.

Navigli is very chilled in the daytime, and comes alive at night.

Nightlife-wise, head down to Piazza Duomo after dinner. There’s some good clubs and bars in the vicinity of the Duomo, but be expected to pay a little more. More to the point, in the Piazza there will be crowds of people hanging out after a few beers, enjoying the night time views of the Duomo listening to street musicians, very nice vibes.

For food, you can’t really go wrong, this is Italy after all. However, one place we ALWAYS stop by in Milan is Piz! on Via Torino. The pizza place is a short walk from the Duomo and you should get a free glass of Prosecco while you wait as well as a limoncello to finish. The pizza menu consists of two pizzas and one “surprise” pizza. They won’t tell you what it is before it’s served, but you can tell them what you don’t want it to contain!

It’s ridiculously cheap for its quality and location, a plain margherita pizza will set you back around €9 – and it’s massive. Bring your football stickers, downstairs the walls are covered with them.

Piz!

The best advice on eating in Milan is to look a bit further than the end of your nose. If you like Italian food you can’t go wrong in Italy! Avoid eating in any of the major squares and Piazzas, if they have pictures of the food outside the restaurant it’s a red flag. If they have someone stood outside trying to get you in, it’s a red flag. Turn down the side streets, find the little family run place, it’ll be incredible.

It might seem an odd recommendation but if you like Indian there’s a great place near the San Siro which is smashing after a few beers at the football. Take the number 16 tram from the stadium to Via Dolci Via Ricciarelli and you’ll see it in front of you, Namaste Indian Restaurant. It says on Google it’s open until 10:30pm but I think that’s last entry because I’ve been in there after a 9pm kick off before! I know, you should be eating Italian food in Italy but it’s really convenient post match, open late and to be honest, is fantastic food.

Breakfasts are easy enough, again, look for any small family run cafe (there’s millions) and set yourself up with a Cappuccino and a pastry of some sort to experience an Italian breakfast like a true local. I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than €10 for this breakfast in Milan.

Football

So if you’re going to Milan to watch football, you’re probably going to the San Siro to see either Inter or AC. But there’s a million other options that are so convenient. Before we go into that, here’s some advice on doing a San Siro tour. Firstly, definitely do it, it’s well worth it. But secondly, be aware that you can’t do it the day of or the day before a match. The day after I think it’s open, but you won’t be able to get in there on match day or the day before.

So to the other teams, you want a full on Calcio weekender? Can’t go wrong in Milan. Starting in the city of Milan itself, as well as Inter and AC, you have several Serie C teams. Alcione Milan, Inter U23 and Giana Erminio all call Milan home. Well, Giana actually play in Gorgonzola (yes the cheese place), but it’s on the Milan metro at the very end of M2 line.

AS Giani Erminio

Slightly further afield in Serie C you have Lecco (1 hour train) with spectacular views over Lake Como and the mountains from the stadium. In Serie B you have Monza (20 minutes train) and Mantova (1 hour train) all local to Milan and then, of course, in Serie A you also have Como (45 minutes train) up the road. You also have Atalanta playing in Bergamo which is accessed by around 45 minutes from Milan. Interested in Jamie Vardy? Cremonese play in Cremona around an hour’s train from Milan.

You can also end up in Switzerland watching football, I’ve done it before, the train to Chiasso takes around 1 hour from Milan and from there you can either watch Chiasso or SC Balerna if you want to squeeze two countries into your trip.

If you want my recommendation, the trip to Switzerland is good, but be aware of train times, an evening kick off rather than night game is as late as you want to be there. I’ve been to Como and Lecco to watch matches. Both are on different shores of Lake Como and both spectacular. However, you’ll probably struggle for Como tickets and the price of food and drink there isn’t smashing. Lecco offers the same beautiful backdrop while being a more affordable alternative. The town is still really nice and you can have a sunset beer by the lake before walking up to the ground. They also have lively ultras so the atmosphere will be more what you’re looking for.

Lecco

Other than that, Bergamo is beautiful too, but I’d recommend giving that and Atalanta their own trip rather than squeezing it into a Milan trip. I went to Gorgonzola to see Giani Erminia, the stadium is small and quaint, the town quiet but it’s worth a little trip out if you’re a fan of cheese.

Day Trips

We’ve sort of already covered it above with the football but if you’ve had your fill of Milan (and in truth you can see what you need to in two days) then head out of town for a day. Como and Lecco are again going to be two of the more popular choices, given the lake and the beauty of it. However, if you can find your way to Bellagio in between the two you’ll have uncovered a hidden gem. It’s not the easiest accessed place, which is how it remains so uniquely Italian, but it’s accessible the easiest by boat from Como or Varenna.

If walking up hills is more your thing, you need to hit Bergamo. The city is split into the upper city and lower city. And you’ll see why when you’re there. There is a funicular train that goes up to the upper city and that’s where the best food and drink and sights are. It’s a much more chilled and cheaper version of Milan and is a great place to spend the day with less people surrounding you. The train here is around 45 minutes from Milan and costs €6.

What to do in Milan

When you’re actually in Milan if you’re looking for a bit of culture or something to do other than football and drinking, then your next best bet is shopping. Milan is the fashion capital of the World and you’ll find every single designers flagship store here. Head to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Piazza Duomo to marvel at clothes you can’t afford. The Ferrari store is cool if you like large F1 cars hanging from a ceiling.

Ferrari store Milano

Around here as well you’ll find more reasonably priced designers behind the Duomo and down Via Torino is your normal high street brands. My daughter tells me that something called Kiko Milano is around half the price in Milan that it is in the UK so if you have girls, stop off and get a gift!

Other than shopping, history is everywhere in Italy and Milan is no different. Firstly, in the Duomo, a spectacular old cathedral the interior is absolutely magnificent. But as well as going inside, you can go on top of it. The Duomo rooftop gives great views of the Piazza below and most of Milan, take the lift though, it’s worth the extra few euros!

Duomo rooftop

Brera is the neighbourhood to go to if you like things a little trendier than historic. Great food options here as well as nice buildings for a walk around. You can get here on the M2 to Moscova station. Isola as mentioned above is a cooler neighbourhood nearby, think East London. the Bosco Verticale buildings that split the neighbourhoods are worth a quick photo.

If religious artwork is your thing, The Last Supper fresco by Leonardo Da Vinci is at the Santa Maria Della Grazie church near Sant Agostino station. You want to see this, you need to book early. Tickets are released on a monthly basis and go immediately. So much so that after 8 trips to Milan, I’ve still never seen it. Tickets then get gradually re-released so just keep an eye on the website. There’s a number of other Da Vinci themed things to do here too, like his private vineyards.

If you take Via Dante from the Piazza Duomo and walk around ten minutes (plenty of watering holes to break this up) then you’ll end up by the largest Inter Store, but more importantly there’s a big castle and large open air park at the top there. Perfect for a romantic stroll and some Instagrammable pics if you’re combining the football with a trip for the other half!

See if you can spot the flamingos kept in a private garden in the “posh end” of Milan too. Head to Palastro on the Metro and walk to Via Cappuccini, they’re just sat there grazing in a garden there. Quite bizarre.

That’s really it, like I’ve mentioned before, Milan isn’t a party city, nor is it a particularly busy city for tourist attractions. Milan is there to self indulge. The food and drink is great, the shopping is wonderful and the football is the heartbeat. It’s a city I’ve been to many times and each time I come back much more refreshed than when I went, which isn’t true of a lot of city breaks.

Take some time for yourself, do a bit of shopping, a bit of sight seeing, then eat some great food and sip on a cold beer and watch the world go by. All before taking in a match at the San Siro.

3rd Oct 2025
The Derby D’Italia: Serie A’s great advert

In October 2024 I walked out of the San Siro after Inter had surrendered a 4-2 lead against Juventus to draw the Derby D’Italia. What had I just witnessed? The match was insane, two of the top teams in a top 5 league going hammer and tongs to win a game of football. And so early in the season. A stark contrast from the recent Premier League “big matches” we’ve seen, cagey 0-0 draws or scrappy 1-0 wins. The best league in the World doesn’t always deliver where its headline matches are concerned.

As I settled down after that match, I settled my mind on the opinion that this was just a great game. A one-off spectacular. We wouldn’t see it again would we?

Going into this first international break of the season as an Inter fan I was dreading the derby. Inter were too unpredictable, too fragile, they were playing a Juve team who seemed to start with a steely determination. The only thought in my head was meek defeat. A 2-0 or 3-0 had already been accepted in my head and the mood at Inter Club London – where I took in the game – was not much different.

And so it was in the 14th minute of the game when Lloyd Kelly – much maligned in his short Juve career – expertly steered home a half volley into the bottom of Sommer’s goal. Here we go again, Inter just aren’t up to it this season, is Chivu the wrong choice? But the fickleness of football fans – myself included – was exposed when Inter fought back into the game. Inter were looking for redemption and they found it through a man looking for his own redemption story in an Inter shirt. Hakan Calhanoglu had left the club in the summer. “Injured” throughout the Club World Cup in the summer while his agent touted him around Turkey looking for a return, he was the subject of Lautaro’s ire after defeat to Fluminense. He responded with his own angry statement, Milan fans said “I told you so” and he was to leave.

But after Galatasaray couldn’t agree a fee since signing Osimhen, Calha was going to have to stay put. Cue a statement professing his desire to work hard for Inter, some staged photos with Lautaro and he was integrated back into the squad. To his credit, there was no Isak or Wissa behaviour, he showed a willingness to play at Inter – now he was stuck here.

And so to the 30th minute on Saturday evening, he swept home decisively on his left foot, Di Gregorio probably could’ve done better but Hakan was back. Inter fans were in delirium and the summer antics were forgotten. This was suddenly a contest.

For a few minutes anyway. Kenan Yildiz is in my FantaCalcio team and he justified his selection with yet another outrageous goal. Smashing home into the bottom corner from around 25-30 yards out. Again, there’s a question mark over the goalkeeping, but wouldn’t that just be a bit of bitterness? Let’s take nothing away from a World Class strike from the young Turk, surely now on the radar of Europe’s top clubs.

When the half time whistle went, the fans at Inter Club London were breathless, but optimistic. “We’re playing well, it just needs to be better in both boxes” was the prevailing opinion. With the beers restocked for the second half, Inter drew first blood, the man on a mission Hakan Calhanoglu went and bettered his first strike with a stunning chest and volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Absolute pandemonium in the Inter Club. Not one mention of summer transfer sagas. I guess it goes to show, if you show up and do your job, most transgressions can be forgiven. Maybe when the dust settles there’ll be a conversation to be had, but at that moment, he was a god amongst men.

With Juve reeling, Inter stepped on the accelerator. A dominant spell had resulted in a goal, and they weren’t done. They could smell blood. Like the biscione that adorned their badge during the late 80s they bit back at Juve again.

Marcus Thuram rose highest from a corner and nodded into the net. Let me tell you, if Thuram’s own celebration was muted, the supporters at Inter Club London were not. This was the closest I’ve ever seen to a match atmosphere in a pub. Legs and arms were flying everywhere. Inter led their most bitter rival 3-2, there was only 15 minutes to play. Surely the most improbable of victories was beckoning. Surely?

Expectation is the enemy of joy isn’t it. It took 6 minutes for Marcus Thuram’s younger brother to equalise for Juve. A silly foul given away by Bastoni, an unmarked player in the box and Inter had handed the momentum back to their arch rivals. “Merda” cries all over the pub. What was an expectation of victory became the hope of a draw. Fingernails were being chewed to the bone. Hair being pulled out. Eyes covered.

As we entered stoppage time you can’t help but think, “well a draw isn’t so bad actually”. Sure it’s annoying to blow a 3-2 lead but a point away to Juventus, it’s alright. That is until teenager Adzic announced himself to Italy and the world with a remarkable strike from some 30-35 yards out. What on Earth he was doing shooting remains a mystery, the easy ball was out to the right to build a move. But for some reason the young lad, with next to no backlift, decided to send a powerful effort towards Yann Sommer’s goal. There’s a few questions for Inter stopper to answer given he gets a big hand to the ball, but again, you should just be applauding the spectacular strike. I’ve never been in a room as full as the one I was in Saturday night that was completely stoney silent. Not a sound. A single “Merda” broke the silence eventually.

There’s all kinds of analysis that can be done after a game like that. You can look again at both sides mentality, Worlds apart, you can study the decisions made in the Inter Milan defence. I’ll leave that to the football experts, I deal in emotion. Once I’d picked myself up from the floor, downed three more pints and then thought about the match I had one overriding thought. What a game.

It has everything. Redemption for Calha, world class strikes, brothers in opposing sides, two fairly novice managers battling with big clubs, end to end football, young players announcing themselves in the best way possible and one man’s march towards a definite future Ballon D’Or. This was the advert Serie A needed. Derided by some as a “has been league”, this game showcased the exact opposite. It was exciting, it swung both ways, the lead changed hands and it was the younger stars on the pitch who shone the brightest.

I haven’t seen a La Liga or Premier League that exciting in years. The next day I watched Man City easily despatch their city rivals United in a no contest. A week before I barely stayed awake as Liverpool edged past Arsenal 1-0. I know there’s more money at stake in England, it makes those games much tighter. I know they’re probably better “tactical battles”. But I’m not after that, I’m looking to be excited. I’m after Pazza Inter. And they’re back.

16th Sep 2025
Matchday One: What did we learn?

Matchday one is over, and frankly I’m exhausted. Around 11pm last night Torino were put out of their misery by the referee and Inter went top of Serie A thanks to their 5-0 win. The first games back on Saturday night feel like a million years ago already. So, what have we learned so far?

Don’t sleep on the promoted teams

As Milan learned to their cost on Saturday evening, you can’t just rock up and expect to beat the newly promoted sides. Baschirotto scored a lovely header and despite the Milan equaliser, goal of the weekend went to Cremonese’s Bonazzoli with that athletic finish. Cremonese beating Milan 2-1 at the San Siro was definitely story of the weekend, but another promoted side caused problems for their opponents too.

Pisa took a shock lead in Bergamo and although Atalanta were well on top in the second half, they couldn’t get the job done. Scamacca scored their equaliser in the 51st minute and it seemed as if they’d go on to win comfortably, but it wasn’t to be. Pisa dug in and held on for a valuable point.

Sassuolo offered up the least resistance out of the new boys. Ok, they were up against a very good Napoli, but there wasn’t the same level of stubborn determinism that Pisa and Cremonese showed.

Inter are BACK

One swallow doesn’t make a summer but this was a statement win from Inter. There didn’t seem to be any Champions League hangover for them, Chivu kept the 3-5-2 but implemented a much more aggressive pressing style in there. The amount of times Inter won the ball back high up to create chances was madness, Lautaro scored from pressing the keeper and Bonny’s debut goal came from Torino messing about too much with the ball.

ThuLa are back with a bang

Torino were poor but Inter were very good. Sucic had a game to remember, dominating the midfield and creating as many chances as he prevented Torino from having.

Inter need to reduce the average age still, especially in defence, if this aggressive pressing style is to work, but it was a great start. Only downside, the late subs saw them change the shape to this 4-3-2-1 and it allowed Torino to get a foothold on this game, Inter seemed a bit confused by their roles in it. If Chivu eventually wants to switch to this, it should be done gradually and carefully.

Roma have the new Batistuta

Or at least that’s what the Roma Argentina fan club declared about Evan Ferguson. Gazzetta picked it up and sensationally ran with the comparison. However, Ferguson didn’t even score on his Serie A debut.

It was a confident performance, providing both chances and good link and hold up play, but he didn’t score. And he probably should have in at least one scenario.

I think he’ll work out and I’ve said as much before, it was a confident debut, but maybe we all need to calm down a bit… Wesley got the goal that would beat Bologna, on his debut and Roma started with a fairly comfortable win.

Ferguson celebrates, but not his goal

Ominous Como

Nico Paz will probably be back at Real Madrid next year and based on his performance Sunday alone it’ll be well deserved. A truly magnificent free kick goal put the gloss on a comfortable win over Lazio after he had already provided the assist for Tavos Douvikas.

Lazio’s one bright moment was a goal disallowed for offside that didn’t really require the VAR intervention it got.

Jonathan David dream debut

Strikers at Juve over recent years haven’t always had it their own way so the Canadian will have been pleased to start with a goal. Dusan Vlahovic went from maligned sideline player to important addition as he completed the scoring.

Both goals were assisted by probably future Real Madrid star Kenan Yildiz. Sorry for putting that out into the universe Juve fans, but they always come knocking for any remotely creative player. Yildiz was once again magnificent, a bright spark in what might be a potential glum season for Juventus fans. Parma offered very little resistance here so the big tests are still to come for Juve.

The only downside was a late red card for Cambiaso.

And breathe…

So there we have it, week one done and sewn up. Three days to go until it begins again when Cremonese take on Sassuolo Friday evening.

26th Aug 2025
Great Rivalries Explained: Derby D’Italia

There are only a few countries in the World that can rival the Italian passion for the beautiful game, and fewer that can match the passion that comes from her derbies. So when the two most successful teams in Italy come head to head for bragging rights, shit goes down…

Juventus and Inter Milan isn’t a city rivalry like the Derby della Madonina, or the Derby della Capitale. The Derby D’Italia, as the name suggests, is a battle for Italy. Not a city. So what led to this being a game that would have Gianluigi Buffon say, “There are matches you play with pride, and then there’s Inter — you play those with your blood.”

Both sides hold contrasting identities. Juventus, based in Turin, owned by the powerful Agnelli family (think Fiat) and linked traditionally with the business elites. And while Inter and their hedge fund manager owners are more lately considered business elites – historically the Milanese team was considered more cosmopolitan than business like.

Inter’s foundation in 1907 after a split from AC Milan over the issue of foreign players led to Inter being considered a team of artists, poets and generally anti-establishment. This, therefore is a battle of contrasting styles, different cities and a battle for supremacy on the pitch – and off it.

The best players in the World have played the Derby D’Italia

Think Liverpool v Manchester United.

And when you add up the trophy count, it’s easy to see why this rivalry was allowed to blossom. Constantly competing at the top for honours, Juventus have 36 titles (officially, but we’ll come back to that). Inter hold 20, but have the upper hand with 3 European Cups (Champions League) to Juve’s 2. Overall, the two teams hold 113 crowns, with Juve edging Inter 67-46.

Titles ignited this rivalry into pure hatred during the 2006 season when Calciopoli exploded. Juventus (more specifically Luciano Moggi) were accused of manipulating referee appointments to favour certain clubs during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Juventus would be relegated to Serie B and stripped of the 2006 title which was then handed to Inter who originally finished as runners up.

It was Inter’s first title since 1989 and often referred to by Juventus fans as the cardboard title (scudetto di cartone) but as Marco Materazzi put it, “We took what they stole from us”. Inter were implicated in Calciopoli but never charged with anything which led to calls of hypocrisy from Juventus fans. There were calls of a witch hunt against Juventus, however, Inter fans point to one game in 1998 which they feel proves their point.

With four games remaining in the season, Inter travelled to the Stadio delle Alpi for a showdown with league leaders Juventus, who sat one point ahead of them. Inter, without a scudetto in nearly a decade were loaded with stars including Ronaldo, Djorkaeff, Simeone and Zanetti. Juventus included in their squad Del Piero, Zidane, Davids and Deschamps. None of these players would be the star of the day, step forward referee Piero Ceccarini.

Juventus took the lead in the first half with a really well taken goal by Del Piero (what else did you expect), before Inter piled on the pressure, with Ronaldo going close on several occasions. The game then settled into a rather scrappy second half, before the flashpoint.

Iuliano was judged to have not fouled Ronaldo

It all happened in 15 seconds really. Ronaldo entered the Juventus box and was blocked off from taking on a shot by Mark Iuliano. The Inter players looked round at the referee, expecting a whistle that never came. Cue pandemonium. Inter players reacted as you might expect, chasing the referee and waving their arms, while Davids brought the ball away and up the pitch. He passed to Zidane who beat two defenders and rolled the ball into Alessandro Del Piero. Taribo West came in from behind and pushed him in the back, Del Piero went down and Ceccarini blew for a spot kick.

Few debate that West had fouled Del Piero, but Inter were incensed, seeing no difference between the foul on him and the challenge on Ronaldo less than a minute earlier. Inter lost their heads, surrounding the referee, shoving him, the Inter manager Simonini was sent off.

The controversy didn’t stop there though, Del Piero actually missed the penalty. Inter, buoyed, went on the attack and had a goal ruled out for a Zamorano foul on the keeper. Juve celebrated, Inter fumed.

Inter lose their heads.

Pagliuca ended up in a scrap with Juventus fans and three days later in the Italian Parliament, Domenico Gramazio of the far-right National Alliance party had to be held back as he tried to confront footballer-turned-politician Massimo Mauro, who had won the title with Juventus in the 1980s before joining the Democratic Party.

Inter fans refer to the game as the mother of Calciopoli and the season became known as the great robbery. The damage was done though, the Derby D’Italia which was once a great sporting spectacle was now an all out war. And it wouldn’t get any prettier.

There’s much debate in Italy about the role of Ultras and that isn’t going away, but one thing you can usually guarantee is that they’ll light up an atmosphere, especially in a derby. It isn’t always in a positive way, however, and there have been numerous examples of this Derby boiling over off the pitch.

One of the more famous examples comes from 2018 when Inter’s Curva Nord caused national outrage with a banner mocking the Heysel disaster from 1985. I won’t put here what the banner said, it’s reprehensible, you can Google it yourself if you want. Needless to say, it didn’t go down well and retribution was swift.

Historically in Italy, especially around derbies, Ultras groups agree to pacts of non-aggression. Instead, hoping to protect the streets of their city from becoming a warzone and ensuring no innocent fans are swept up in the trouble. There is no such pact between the Juventus and Inter ultras. In fact, quite the opposite, they maintain a “guerra aperta” or “open warfare”.

Perhaps Zlatan Ibrahimovic captured this the best, when he signed for Inter from Juventus in 2006, “When I signed for Inter, I knew I wasn’t just changing clubs — I was switching sides in a war.”

Hopefully, I’ve managed to tread the area around some of the Derby’s thornier issues without upsetting too many people and if you’re still here we can debate some of the greatest matches.

Yildiz rescues Juventus in 2024

I actually went to one last year, I was at the San Siro as Inter blew a 4-2 lead to draw the game 4-4 thanks to an inspired Kenan Yildiz who took it upon himself to rescue his side. In 2022, however, Inter did win a match 4-2, with goals in extra time from Ivan Perisic, one penalty and one absolute thunderbolt securing the Coppa Italia crown for Inter.

In 1961, the biggest win in this fixture happened. In what was supposed to a title deciding fixture, crowds flocked to the Stadio Comunale in Turin to see the Bianconeri (hopefully) crowned champions. The game was clearly oversubscribed, with Juventus fans sat on the Inter bench and covering the running track, inches from the pitch.

After 30 minutes, the referee called time on the game, the conditions were ridiculous. According the rules, Juventus (responsible for crowd control) should have forfeit the game 0-2 as the responsible party for the abandonment. Juventus appealed the decision to the CAF (Football Arbitration Court) which happened to have as its president… the Juventus president.

The 1961 clash between Juventus and Inter

The 0-2 defeat was therefore subsequently overturned, and a replay ordered. A furious Inter Milan were deducted their (then) 2 points for the “win” and told to replay the game. This dropped them back below Juventus. Inter were furious and protested the decision, sending a youth team instead of their first team, subsequently losing 9-1. Juventus won that title and a pure hatred was born.

The Derby D’Italia is Italy’s El Clasico. It’s the two most successful teams fighting it out for supremacy. It’s bragging rights until the next time. Since Calciopoli, the bitterness and hatred between the two sides has intensified and despite the league position, the games are always intense. Inter hate Juventus. And Juventus hate Inter more. As Claudio Marchisio put it, “We’re not just playing Inter — we’re defending who we are.”

The fixture shows off the best and the worst of Italian football, and if you get the opportunity to go, you should. You just might enjoy yourself.

15th Jul 2025
The best ever kits from Serie A!!!

New kits are being “dropped” every day at the moment by the sides who’ll make up Serie A this season. There’s the new home kit, the away kit, the third kit, the special celebration third kit, the European away kit and the goalkeeper kit and at over €100 a time, it’s clear why teams do this.

And yet, what is wrong with them all? There’s very few I look at and think, “My word, take my money please”. As an Interista I’m very disappointed by this seasons crayon drawing away kit and the bizarre home stripes. Annoyingly, Milan’s away kit is a thing of beauty too.

But there was a time when Serie A kits were true works of art that were reminiscent of the renaissance artists of yesteryear. There’s a reason you’re more likely to see a classic retro effort in the Curva than the latest “effort”.

So what’s the best Italian kit of all time? I’ve made my choices, they’re below. Let me know what you think…

Inter Milan – 1989/90

I was always starting with Inter wasn’t I? This effort from the late 80s is a true masterpiece and puts the last few efforts to real shame. Inter finished third this season, but consistently win best kit compilations with this effort. Clean, simple and worn by the famous German trio of Brehme, Klinsmann and Matthaus it’s a lovely way to start…

Juventus – 1995/96

My word, this is a pure classic! They should’ve stopped designing Juventus kits here and just used this one consistently. And not just because they won the European Cup for the first time in 11 years. The Kappa creation, with the thinner stripes than we see today was complimented by the Sony sponsorship. Everything about this shirt works, give me this every season please!

Genoa – 1991/92

Genoa barely avoided relegation in 1992, but they should have been awarded an extra 5 points for this shirt alone. They did, however, reach the UEFA Cup Semi Final, narrowly avoiding an all Italian final by missing out to eventual winners Ajax. Torino knocked out Real Madrid, but that achievement means nothing when Genoa were rocking this simple classic.

Milan – 1988/89

Gullit. Van Basten. Rijkaard. Do you need any more than this? Ok fine, simple thin stripes, white shorts, total football – oh and a European Cup win. Just enjoy the kit.

Fiorentina – 1998/99

This might be my favourite shirt of all time. Not just in Italy. You don’t see many purple shirts in football but this just works. The Nintendo sponsorship is pure classic and the fact that it’s synonymous with Batigol just completes it. Great kit – 12/10

Perugia – 1999/00

Ok stick with me here. The dragon detailing on this kit is a fine addition. But let’s be honest, this is a slightly more English looking design than you’d get in Italy, almost reminds me of Charlton Athletic in these times. But Nakata running around in this shirt bring back fond memories. The kit makes it for that alone.

Roma – 2000/01

Any Scudetto kit is special for the team who won it, but this is a really smart kit. The classic collar, the orange trim, the Scudetto season, Francesco Totti and the start of the skin tight shirt era all made by Kappa. Pure. Italian. Gold.

Napoli – 1986/87

Diego Maradona won Napoli’s first Scudetto in this kit. I’m not saying anything else because that’s enough reason why this kit is great nostalgia. The Mars kit might be the more well known, but come on, look at that kit.

Torino – 1948/49

One of the greatest tragedies in Italian sport, the end of Grande Torino. It’s something to read about separately, this is a kit post. And that great team was characterised by this absolutely clean classic shirt. One colour, no sponsor, Scudetto on the chest, white colour. Perfection.

Lazio – 1999/00

Sven. Inzaghi. Salas. Scudetto. Lazio won the league with this kit, they also won the UEFA Super Cup and reached the Champions League Quarter Finals. Some utterly fantastic players wore this kit and the basic design along with classic Cirio sponsor make this an all time Serie A classic.

Honourable Mentions

So there were some efforts that were fantastic but didn’t quite make it. Rounds of applause to Parma in 1999, Sampdoria in 1992, Bologna in 1997 and any 90s effort from Bari please.

What do you think then? Are these the greatest kits of all time in Italy or have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments or comment on the X thread @EnglishCalcio.

11th Jul 2025
Calcio Weekender: CWC25 in Seattle

Back to chronicling some travel again on today’s blog and judging by its popularity last time out I’m calling it as being “Back by popular demand”.

And yes, I went over to everyone’s favourite football tournament, the FIFA Club World Cup. Now, I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I’m so open minded I was willing to give it a go, and when my pal Francesco suggested we fly over to experience it and watch Inter take on River Plate – I thought, “why the hell not”.

The first thing to say is, I’m not a millionaire, far from it! In fact I’m not even rich, I do ok in my job but high rent and cost of living means I generally live month to month. So how were we going to plan this properly? Tickets weren’t an issue (as is well publicised) and with our Inter Club Memberships we easily purchased tickets in the “Inter end” for the game, for around €120.

But how to get to America? Seattle is as far away from London as it can possibly be so this wasn’t going to be cheap. BA were after £1600 for return flights, Virgin wanted more and the American airlines seemed to want me to fly exclusively with BA. I tried looking at connecting options if I could get into New York with Fly Norse for cheap but to no avail.

Suddenly, Icelandair revealed itself to me. I’d heard rumours before that they were cheap due to some variation on long haul taxes in the Viking island. A quick check on their website confirmed it. Around a £1000 saving on the previous cheapest option. It seemed mad to me, £650? Really? to get to Seattle and back?

Now there’s a few caveats here, that was the base fare and didn’t include my seat or luggage. There’s a generous free hand luggage allowance of a small wheeled suitcase and a backpack. The thing you pay £50 to bring on Ryanair. I didn’t need to book a seat either, as you can get one allocated for free, but for ease I decided to pay for a window.

Icelandair Economy was more than spacious for someone of 6′ plus!

So all in I think it was around £700 to fly. I didn’t get fed, you have to buy food, but that’s fairly reasonably priced. But there’s something I haven’t told you! In a bid to boost tourism, Icelandair offers up to 7 nights stopover in Iceland for no additional airfare. So whatever you pay for you flight, you can connect in up to a weeks time for nothing extra.

Francesco had already decided he was going to head over there on Friday night and give himself a few days to explore. It was a little trickier for me. Work commitments, a wedding and the Mrs being furious I was going away for a week without her meant I joined him on the Monday.

My layover was only 16 hours in Reykjavik and it was a bloody expensive 16 hours. Frustratingly for me, we were flying to Keflavik and not the central Reykjavik airport. There was an Icelandic Premier League game kicking off at 6pm that was right next to that airport, but Keflavik was around a 45 minute transfer away. Alas, I didn’t make it to the Icelandic match, but I did catch the second half in a bar while waiting for Francesco to return from an excursion.

It’s a shame I didn’t manage to make it, the game finished 7-1 and I wouldn’t have spent £45 on three pints… Never mind though, that wasn’t the game I was coming for. Francesco and I got a bit drunk and headed back to the hotel where blackout blinds were most welcome. It was around 2am when we got back there and the sun was still shining like it was 8pm in England. A truly bizarre experience!

Next morning we headed over to the airport for about 8am, our flight was at 10:30 and we didn’t want to take any chances. As it turns out, the process in Keflavik couldn’t have been smoother. We breezed through security, straight through passport control to be stamped out and headed straight for a coffee (pint).

Boarding was on time and quick and I must say I was hugely impressed with Icelandair. The plane was bright and spacious, we had huge TV screens for entertainment, the food and drink was well priced and the temperature was just right. I’m not sure what it is most airlines do, but pretty much every other plane I’ve been on has been too hot or too cold, but Icelandair got it just right.

After take off, I tucked into a cup of noodles, very tasty and 4 beers in between chatting with Francesco, reading a book, watching Twisters (don’t bother) and napping. It’s that weird thing flying to America where the travel time and time difference mean you essentially land the same time you leave. And we did just that. Arriving into Seattle roughly 30 minutes after take off. In reality, our day had moved on 7 hours, but in Seattle we were only 30 minutes further on in our day!

A great sunny approach into Seattle over the bay

To stave off jetlag we enjoyed a nice long queue at the US border (sort it out Trump) and then an even longer queue for the bus to the car rental service. Each queue was around 40 minutes and moved the day along nicely. At the car rental area, we were greeted with our first taste of good ol’ fashioned USA when we were presented with a monster of a pick up truck!

It wasn’t exactly what we were used to, but you know what they say – when in Rome…

Getting into the spirit with this monster…

After checking in at our Motel on the outskirts of Seattle, we drove into town to check out the Inter team hotel, see what was going down. It turned out to be great timing, we arrived there about 6pm just in time for some kind of player curfew as we met Davide Frattesi. He was good enough to pose for pictures with us and some other fans before heading into the hotel. Sebastiano Esposito also stopped for a photo but didn’t seem best pleased to be doing so!

After dinner, we walked back past the hotel towards the car with some more perfect timing and stumbled across bona fide Inter and Argentina legend Javier Zanetti. He was a gentleman who stopped for photos and long chats with all the Inter fans – much to the annoyance of his wife who was waiting to go back into the hotel.

An Inter legend with Javier Zanetti…

Wednesday was match day and the day began with another stop at the hotel – Francesco’s obsession – and we once again arrived just as the players returned from training. This time there was no mood for photos, Thuram, Bisseck and Frattesi all strolled straight into the hotel, while I’ve never seen Zielinski move so quick as when some kids wanted an autograph. Maybe Inter should employ some to follow him around the San Siro pitch?

The game kicked off at 6pm local time and we decided around midday that it was time for a beer and headed to the oldest pub in Seattle called Central Bar. On the way there, we once again tripped over an Inter legend when we saw Maicon out for a stroll.

Central Bar is your typical American pub, it looks a little like what an American thinks a British pub should look like. But the bar staff and the locals were welcoming and keen to learn about “soccer” from us and some River fans.

This leads me in nicely to dropping a little praise for River fans. They’re mental. They outnumbered Inter fans there by 20 to 1 and they were all over the city and constantly decked out in their River shirts. They also have this weird thing where when one group sees another group, they immediately start singing and jumping up and down. They had clearly come to party and were in bouyant mood on match day.

The teams about to (slowly) enter the pitch…

After a short pub crawl towards the stadium (Lumen Field is so central in Seattle it’s crazy), we arrived at a designated meeting point for the Inter fans. Some of the clubs from America had organised a get together at The Gantry pub just outside of the stadium.

Flags were prominent with Inter Club DC, Miami and Ohio present with Francesco and I repping London. It was great to see the fans come together like this and it was definitely a different experience to the San Siro being among American fans. Some of them are children of Italian immigrants, some of them are Italians who live and work in the States and others just liked Inter because they were in Milan on their honeymoon when Inter played.

We shared some beers (maybe too many) and sang songs, we bantered with River fans and appeared on various Argentinian TV stations who wanted to speak to us. It was a great way to pass a couple of hours pre match.

Around an hour before kick off, Francesco and I decided to head into the stadium. Now, let me tell you, Americans may not have the right kind of football, but their stadiums for this sport are nothing short of amazing. Lumen Field is a spectacular stadium, with the Inter fans housed in a large open air section behind one goal. Behind the stand was a plaza like area with food and drink stalls and general mingling.

Our seats were amazing, right down behind the goal and we got a great view of the spectacular River fans behind the other goal enjoying their day. The noise that came from them was incredible, I can only imagine the scenes if they’d scored.

As it stands, they didn’t. Inter actually played well, probably for the only time in the tournament. They had a nervy opening few minutes but quickly settled and were largely the better side. A few scuffed chances and the score could’ve been a lot better than 0-0 at half time.

Pio Esposito – the younger brother – was an absolute handful throughout and probably played his way into Chivu’s thinking for next season. His goal was therefore thoroughly well deserved. Good play by the also impressive Petar Susic played him in and he turned well before firing low into the net. The celebrations of his team mates tell you this was a popular goal.

The second followed from Bastoni who rode a couple of attempted assualts from the Argentinians before smashing low under the keeper and into the net. What followed was all a bit unsavoury if not desperately funny as Dumfries and Acuna clashed and followed it on after the full time whistle.

Heading back into Seattle post match

Inter had won, they’d played well and deserved it, I’m not sure if we’ll say that a lot based on the fall out that followed. More importantly though, it was literally a 5 minute walk from the ground the a dive bar where we enjoyed a few beers in the evening before heading back to the Motel.

The next couple of days were quite chilled. We drove North near to Canada to the Northern Cascades National Park which was breathtakingly beautiful, exploring small town America on the way. We did all the tourist bits in Seattle too, the Space Needle and the boat tour round the harbour and I’ve got to say I really enjoyed the city.

Looking towards Canada in the Northern Cascades National Park

Now don’t get me wrong, there’s not really enough going on in Seattle to warrant a flight around the World just to see it, but it’s clean and spacious, it isn’t as busy and bustling as some of the other US cities. It doesn’t really represent what we all hear about “Trump’s America” either, it all seemed a bit… woke, I guess. Everyone was friendly, there was Pride flags hanging everywhere as it was Pride month, the food was all Mexican, Vietnamese, Thai – people from all cultures were mixing.

Seattle from the boat tour around the bay

Well worth adding to any trip you’ve got planned in the States.

As for the Club World Cup? Well, I had kept an open mind. I’m glad I did. Even though I only did one game I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle. Where else can we see Europe’s finest take on South America’s finest in something meaningful? I do a lot of international tournaments following England and the group stages are always the best part. Everyone from around the World is still there, everyone’s happy because the proper serious stuff hasn’t kicked off yet.

Seattle certainly had these vibes. After the games River fans and Inter fans were swapping shirts, swapping scarves, swapping flags, sharing a drink together and laughing together. There’s no doubt that FIFA’s new flagship tournament has some work to do – but I enjoyed myself in this first iteration.

Returning back to the UK from Seattle

4th Jul 2025
Legends of Calcio: Ronaldo

There are all sorts of quotes from opponents, team mates, managers and pundits that are quoted in this blog, but to be honest, the biggest compliment from me is that Il Fenomeno was the man who made me fall in love with Calcio – and especially the Nerazzurri. Although I clearly hide my bias towards Inter well usually, I won’t in this blog.

Those Sunday afternoons spent glued to Channel 4 in the UK watching James Richardson sit outside a café with the Gazzetta describing the articles to us would spawn a lifelong obsession with the beautiful game in Italy. It would be years before I finally took a trip to the San Siro, Ronaldo long gone, but his shirt still for sale in the club shop and in the stalls around the stadium tells the true story of his impact on Inter.

The reigning FIFA Player of the Year arrived in Milano in 1997 after one season at Barcelona. A paltry €28m paid to secure his services was a world record fee at the time – those days are long gone from Italian football. He hit the ground running in Italy, hitting 34 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions, although he would only play another 52 in the next four years before departing for Real Madrid.

Ronaldo signs for Inter

His team mates, opponents and managers alike were in awe of the phenomenon. Zanetti remarked that he was “from another planet” and Lippi said “you didn’t coach Ronaldo; you just gave him the ball”. The fact he was referred to by Maldini as the “toughest player I ever faced” and Cannavaro described facing him “a nightmare – he was unstoppable” should tell you all you need to know.

That first season was capped by a UEFA Cup win (Europa League) with a 3-0 victory against fellow Serie A side Lazio, in which Ronaldo delivered a spectacular solo goal, showcasing his natural pace, power and composure to leave a Lazio defence spinning. However, it would be another cup final against Lazio that would come to define the man.

He’d already suffered a serious rupture of the tendons in his right knee in a Serie A match against Lecce in November 1999. Surgery and a significant recovery period had the star man sitting on the sidelines watching his team mates compete for the rest of the season. As Ivan Cordoba remarked at the time, “Watching someone so talented suffer like that was painful for all of us”.

“He fought so hard to return, and that injury broke all of us”.

Christian Vieri

However, on April 12^th 2000, Ronaldo was back on the bench in the Coppa Italia final against Lazio. His return highly anticipated by a team that had drifted somewhat without him. However, just 6 minutes after his introduction a sudden movement caused his kneecap to rupture, Ronaldo collapsed to the floor and was in visible agony, clutching his knee.

Ronaldo leaves the pitch in agony. Again.

The impact wasn’t just on the player himself, but his team mates too. Goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca said, “It was devastating. Seeing Ronaldo, knowing how much he worked to come back was unbearable”. With strike partner Christian Vieri adding, “He fought so hard to return, and that injury broke all of us”.

Ronaldo headed to Paris for surgery under famed physician Dr Gerard Saillant spending over a year in rehabilitation, rebuilding his strength and mobility. As Javier Zanetti would say after his return, “even when it looked impossible, he never gave up”. And at one point it looked impossible. There was some doubt whether Ronaldo would even walk again, let alone play football.

One of many celebrations in an Inter shirt for Ronaldo.

Fortunately for Il Fenomeno, he had a strong group around him, including team mate Roberto Baggio who has suffered similar knee issues over his career. “I spoke with Ronaldo often. I told him recovery is a mental battle as much as a physical one”. Over a year later it seemed Ronaldo had won the mental and physical battles.

Looking understandably tentative on the pitch initially, Ronaldo was back on the pitch in September 2001 against Brescia. He would only appear 16 times that season, scoring 7 goals, but he had showed the World his resilience. Hector Cuper, Nerazzurri coach that season, said of Ronaldo, “He showed the World that after everything he went through, he was still Ronaldo – still Il Fenomeno”.

The pace and explosiveness that made him the World’s youngest Ballon D’Or winner in 1998 aged 21 were affected. But his football brain, his finishing and his faith in himself have never been diminished.

Ronaldo with his 1998 Ballon D’Or

Youri Djorkaeff once said that “Even in training, he’d do things we couldn’t even imagine” and Luigi Simoni commented that “he made the impossible seen ordinary”. Recovering from that injury against Lazio probably tops any feat he ever managed on the pitch. His legacy is still felt today, with strikers such as Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic attributing his influence to their game.

In 2002 Real Madrid and the galacticos came calling and Ronaldo was gone from Italy after 59 goals in 99 appearances in Milan. It wasn’t forever, however, and Ronaldo would return to Calcio, and Milan in 2007. This time in red and black and for a mere €7.5m and would stay for an injury plagues year and a half. He managed 9 goals in 20 appearances for Milan, forging a strong partnership with Kaka and Clarence Seedorf.

He once commented that one of the most bittersweet moments of his career was scoring for Milan against the Nerazzurri in the Derby della Madonnina in the 2007/08 season. During a match against Livorno, Ronaldo once again ruptured his patellar tendon in his left knee and the season was over – with it his time in Italy.

Ronaldo in a Milan shirt, being congratulated on ANOTHER goal.

One of the few players to score for both sides in the Derby della Madonnina, he also managed to score for both sides in El Clasico. The only footballer in history to do both. Perhaps why he’s known the world over as Il Fenomeno.

2nd Jul 2025
Banter Milan FC – Are the banter years back for Inter?

Firstly, straight off the bat, let me make it absolutely clear that “banter era” is a phrase used in modern football that I abhor. For an over 30s man like me, it represents everything I don’t like about modern day football. But it seems strikingly appropriate to describe Inter at the moment.

It seemed for a while that the banter era was over at Inter. Conte came in to the club in 2019 and promptly turned their fortunes around, coming runner up in the 2020 Europa League final and then winning a Scudetto a year later. A couple of Coppa Italia and Supercoppa triumphs followed under Simone Inzaghi and they finally added their second star in 2024 as well as competing in two Champions League finals.

But that second Champions League final was where it all seemed to come undone for Inter. An ageing and already exhausted squad was stuttering in the Serie A race with Napoli and were unceremoniously dumped out of the Coppa Italia by city rivals Milan in an embarrassing 3-0 defeat.

A complete collapse against Lazio in the league followed and meant that Napoli had to slip up at home in their final league game. They didn’t, became champions and Inter were second. But no worries, they had a Champions League final to compete in barely a week later.

Inzaghi picked up another medal, but not the one he wanted

Everything began to unravel in the wake of the Scudetto disappointment when Gazzetta broke the news that Simone Inzaghi had been approached by Saudi club Al-Hilal. Surely this wouldn’t be seriously entertained? Yep. News broke that his wife and representatives were in Saudi Arabia in the build up to the final. An eye watering €30m per year on offer should he decide to make the move.

A distracted Inter were shocking in the final, slapped 5-0 by a remarkably good PSG side and that was that. No trophies this season. Immediately the fingers began pointing, and most of them landed squarely at Inzaghi’s feet. He was too distracted, he’d already planned to leave, apparently he’d already began tapping up players to join him… We’ll never know the truth but in the wake of the embarrassment and abuse, Inzaghi decided Arabia and a shitload of money was a better bet.

Inter were left licking their wounds, but had designs set on Cesc Fabregas. The young Como coach is impressing and it wasn’t his first link to an outside job. However, he plumped for staying by the lake and building something with Como, another embarrassing pursuit for Inter. That forced the clubs hand and at the last minute before travelling to America they landed on former defender Christian Chivu.

Chivu is learning on the job, and needs to do so quickly

Their former youth team coach had managed 13 games in Serie A with Parma at the end of last season and while a popular person, his appointment has received a mixed bag of reviews.

Still, a trip to America and a chance to put the shambles of the start of 2025 behind them and prove everyone wrong. The start of the trip was only the start of the issues, Hakan Calhanoglu was a target for Galatasaray and his agent promptly flew to Istanbul to try and get a deal going. Oddly enough, Hakan was then injured and would miss every Inter match during the tournament.

Their first game, a 1-1 draw with CF Monterrey was typical of Inter in the second half of the season. Dominant on the ball, creating chances but a combination of poor defending and profligacy meant they had to come from behind to rescue the point.

Worse was to come, in a victory over Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds, Inter were 1-0 down thanks to poor defending (again) and chasing a game they never really had the creativity to do. Leave it to Lautaro to pull something from nowhere from a set piece (as he did in match 1) and then Carboni to break the hearts of the tired Japanese side.

Matchday 3 was a significant improvement. A comfortable 2-0 win over River Plate that in truth, could’ve been more. Maybe Inter had clicked, maybe they were back? Don’t get carried away.

They went into last night’s perfectly winnable game against the only team with an older defence than them (probably in the World) and laboured from the start. 1-0 down thanks to some poor defending by De Vrij and Darmian and questionable goalkeeping from Sommer, they never truly looked like having the creativity or ideas to break down Fluminense.

A second goal on the break for Fluminense capped a well deserved victory for them and a thoroughly well deserved defeat for Inter.

Lautaro not holding back…

But at least the season was now over, a chance to rest before next year and come back fighting to move on. You wish. Inter were straight into the playground, with Lautaro calling on anyone who didn’t want to stay and fight for Inter to “just leave”. Lautaro, however, was positively diplomatic when compared with Marotta who bluntly put it as, “he means Calha”.

That’s that then.

Calha’s wife put out a message on Instagram (now deleted) that was akin to something your mum’s friend puts on Facebook mid-divorce. Something to do with trust and loyalty or whatever.

Hakan responded with his own statement on his Instagram page today ending with, “History always remembers those who stood tall, not those who shouted the loudest”. All it was missing was a black and white picture of Tommy Shelby holding a shotgun and it would’ve been perfect.

In amongst all this, there was some good news! Ange-Yoan Bonny arrived in Milan for his medical ahead of a €25m deal from Parma. The 21 year old is part of the club’s strategy to lower the average age of the squad and add some much needed depth. Nico Paz, Giovanni Leoni are two others who are linked heavily with Inter this summer. They might want to sort out what’s happening inside the club first though.

One thing’s for sure, this soap opera at Inter isn’t finished yet.

Pazza Inter!

1st Jul 2025
Group Stage Review: Juventus and Inter Qualify

The blog took a short break this week as I took a little holiday, but we’re back at the end of the Group Stage of the Club World Cup. In fact, that’s where my holiday was, Seattle to catch the Inter v River Plate match – but more on that later.

The game against River Plate signalled the end of Inter’s group stage matches, while Juventus completed their run in Group G against Man City. So how did the Italians fare? What does the press think? And what’s next for both? Well the Calcio Blog has it covered.

Inter Milan

Inter came into the back of the tournament off the back of a disappointing season where a potential Quadruple resulted in zero trophies, culminating in that 5-0 schellacking in Munich against PSG.

They didn’t exactly bounce into the tournament full of beans, with the loss of Simone Inzaghi and the failed pursuit of Fabregas. But the announcement of club legend Christian Chivu as manager lifted spirits somewhat in the approach to the tournament.

Their first match against CF Monterrey was a chance to put all that behind them and get on the pitch and show everyone that Inter still had it. And it got off to a terrible start, going 1-0 down to a Sergio Ramos header. Unmarked and definitely saveable for Sommer, it appeared the weak underbelly of Inter hadn’t gone anywhere.

Sergio Ramos’ free header opener against Inter Milan.

But they steeled themselves, and ultimately dominated the game, equalising through a well worked Asllani free kick that led to Lautaro slotting in at the back post. Inter showed high energy in the game, the press would have been pleasing for Inter fans and their mental toughness and resilience to fight back from 1-0 down also pleasing.

Chivu said before the game of their recovery from Munich, “sometimes you have to eat a bit of shit… accept that you have to do it” and they did so in both of their first matches. They fell behind against the run of play to Urawa Red Diamonds who then sat in as deep as they possibly could and demanded Inter break them down.

Something, they struggled to do for most of a first half which they dominated and the second appeared to be petering out to nowhere despite a dominance that saw Inter enjoy nearly 90% possession. They were out of the competition until their captain stepped up.

Lautaro scored a fairly spectacular bicycle kick to drag them back into the game before Valentin Carboni sealed the win in stoppage time. There wouldn’t have been many more popular scorers than Carboni, a young prodigious talent who suffered a terrible ACL injury at the start of last season.

In fact possible the only more popular scorer than Carboni would’ve been one of the Esposito brothers. Sebastian had been starting games in the absence of Marcus Thuram but in the final group game with River Plate, younger brother Pio was in from the start and caused all kinds of issues for the South Americans.

Pio was only 19 at the time of the game and the younger brother is somehow much taller and stronger than Sebastian. Pio bullied an Argentinian back line famous for their resilience and strength themselves.

Inter were too strong for River, in what should’ve been their toughest test of the Group Stage, they dominated River and Pio’s opening goal assisted by new signing Petar Sucic. One of the criticisms of Inter last season was the age of their squad, and the need to bring that down.

Lautaro congratulates Pio Esposito after his opener against River Plate.

Sucic was the first step made this summer towards that, the Esposito brothers introduction to the team is a chance for them to stake their claim with the departure of Correa and Arnautovic (although Bonny appears to be coming in from Parma). Bastoni put the gloss on this win before the game ended in fairly ugly scenes as Dumfries and Acuna continued their dispute from the 2022 World Cup.

So what are we to make of Inter’s matches in Group E? Chivu was quick to praise his new team’s mentality and the Italian media celebrated Chivu’s “relaxed yet strategic” approach and their higher intensity.

Young talent has certainly been stepping up, Pio Esposito’s goal was well taken and rounded off a stellar performance from him against River Plater, while Valentin Carboni’s winner in match 2 was pleasing for everyone involved at Inter.

AS.com noted that Inter have made positive steps in rotation, with Thuram and Frattesi recovering from injuries and the club’s pursuit of Parma’s Bonny and Nico Paz from Como. Chivu is consciously building depth, aware of the fatigue that comes with a congested season and these games have seen deep rotation.

A scouting report from Goal.com noted Inter’s shift to a “great” level from “very good”, proving they can hold their own on a global stage.

Next up, Inter will face Fluminense on Monday evening. They’ll need to maintain a deep and compact shape, the Brazilian side are quick in the transition and high in energy. Inter’s early rotation has balanced the energy of the Squad well and with Thuram and Frattesi now fit, it’ll be interesting to see what Chivu does up front.

Inter stumbled into the tournament off the back off an embarrassing end to the season, losing their manager and a swiftly handled replacement, but they’re bouncing into the Round of 16 thanks to improving performances and a solid win over River Plate. They’ll fancy their chances against Fluminense and setting up a Quarter Final tie against either Man City or their old manager at Al-Hilal.

Bigger tests are to come for Inter, but Juventus have already faced one of the tournament favourites in their group…

Juventus

If you follow the X account, you’ll know that it’s no secret I’m an Inter fan, but I’m probably equally as big a Kenan Yildiz fan. In the Juventus opener he dazzled. Granted Al Ain weren’t going to represent the biggest challenge, but Yildiz bagged in the opener which set him on his way to being currently tied for top scorer.

Kolo Muani celebrates with Conceicao after scoring against Al Ain.

Conceicao and Kolo Muani both netted twice in what was a routine win for Juventus. In the second match, Juventus faced Wydad Casablanca, and recorded a second routine win. This was the game that Kenan Yildiz used to announced himself to the World bagging a hat trick. Well, ok, he only got two apparently, with the first going down as an own goal, but a virtuoso performance sealed a 4-1 with outgoing striker Dusan Vlahovic also on the scoresheet.

Yildiz scored a screamer against Wydad Casablanca.

Analysts rightly were falling over themselves to laud the attacking verve and their technical proficiency in these opening two matches, but the big test was to follow in game three.

Early tournament favourites Manchester City were next but Juventus were confident heading into the match after two proficient wins.

However, a humbling was to follow, with City rolling 5 past Juventus. Doku opened the scoring after 9 minutes, but Koopmeiners equalised almost immediately. However, a Kalulu own goal followed by Haaland, Foden and Savinho strikes meant that it was game over by the time Vlahovic netted a consolation.

Punditry scorn followed, with Juve’s defensive frailties being exposed too easily by City. Prominent pundit Giuseppe Rossi commented on the lack of midfield depth and called for urgent reinforcements if Juventus are going to compete at the top level.

One recurring critique was a lack of defensive compactness and their midfield control, which failed to withstand high-intensity pressing. While their were undoubtedly moments of brilliance in Juventus’ group stage matches – even the City one – journalists noted the “midfield being overrun, defensive lines stretched”.

Igor Tudor was happy to take responsibility for the City result, saying his decision to rotate had backfired. Tudor still wants the team to progress, however, stating “Juve always plays to win, we are not at the Club World Cup just to participate”.

Tudor wasn’t happy against City, but took the blame himself.

Errors under pressure cost Juve in the City game, the own goal by Kalulu and the Ederson error underline recurring lapses in concentration. The attempted high pressure press against City was an admirable tactic, City have been vulnerable in the Premier League this season, but Rodri and Reijnders exposed the breaks in the lines.

It isn’t all doom and gloom though, Vlahovic looked to be on the way out of the team he and Koopmeiners showed sparks in the City game and the consolation at the end showed a resilience and goal threat under great pressure.

It doesn’t get much easier either, Real Madrid await on Tuesday evening…

Juventus’ Club World Cup journey has shown both potential and vulnerability. They can craft intricate play and score—but under elite pressure and demanding conditions, their defensive frailty and tactical inexperience at this level emerge starkly. With Tudor at the helm, the tone is optimistic—yet results now hinge on whether tactical lessons are swiftly converted into tighter, sharper performances.

29th Jun 2025
Chivu’s Inter: What did we learn in game one?

The Club World Cup has provided a lot of talking points in the build up to the tournament. And a few more now the tournament is underway. Chief among them is, who does this actually benefit? From forklift drivers conceding ten goals to completely empty stadiums and matches played in blistering heat with exhausted players, the tournament is prompting discussions.

But there may be one man, or one club who can benefit greatly from these glorified exhibitions. Christian Chivu walked into Inter Milan this month hot on the heels of Simone Inzaghi’s swift exit after the Champions League Final humiliation. The UCL final was the latest in a line of Inter collapses as they went from quadruple to trophyless in a matter of weeks.

A tired looking team and pundits questioning pretty much everything about the team. Its age, its rigid formation, the full backs… In any other season, the players would be on holiday now and Chivu and his superiors would be guessing who was going where, what was happening with transfers, who would be able to step up from the younger groups. Instead, they have at least three games to check it out.

Sebastiano Esposito and Asllani starting last night, with de Lima and Sucic off the bench, was a nod to Chivu taking the opportunity to check out a few players. I would expect to see a much less experienced line up for the game against Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds too.

Christian Chivu checks out what his players can offer

Chivu started off with the tried and trusted 3-5-2 that Inzaghi so fervently developed. At its best, Inzaghi’s Inter bewildered opponents with positional interchanges, overloads and energy. At its worst, the shape was too predictable, lacked defensive width and left an ageing squad struggling for their life in midfield.

However, what we saw last night was a little different. In the incredible Californian heat the first half saw an energetic press, quick one touch football and resulted in a lovely move that saw Lautaro equalise at the end of the first half.

Lautaro tries again

Asllani’s clipped ball over the top marked his improvement from a player who appeared more than a little lost in the closing months of last season. The Inter fan base will take a bit more convincing if he stays at the club, and he just might with Calhanoglu flirting with a move to Turkey.

The same problems that Inter struggled with last season began to show through at the end of the game and their predictability shone through. Lautaro’s offside goal was another lovely move and if the one touch football persists, Inter will get it right – they always manage to.

There’s a lack of real creativity in Inter’s midfield. Mkhitaryan is 36 years old and looks every day of it in the burning Pasadena sun. Barella is nowhere near the player he was a year ago, but is it any wonder? The Italian has been almost ever present for club and country for around 3 seasons now. He looks like he needs a long summer break.

Barella, in need of a break, toils in the sun

With a team with the highest average age in Serie A pace is always going to be a problem and with no Dumfries or Thuram in the line up it becomes stark that Inter will struggle in transitions. The final issue is the sheer profligacy in front of goal. Despite the aforementioned problems they face, Inter were by far the better team in this game and should’ve scored three or four goals quite easily.

That they didn’t harps back to games that ultimately cost them the Scudetto last season. Milan away in March being the most obvious example. The midfield problems they face is mostly nitpicking, they still created a lot, but they do need to get better at putting that ball in the back of the net.

The good news for Chivu is, he’s got a couple more games at least to make a full assessment of his squad and to begin to impress ideas upon them before the window opens and the squad takes a well earned break.

Xabi Alonso might take notes.

18th Jun 2025