Antonio Paganini, former Inter footballer, expressed his criticism of the team during a live interview on TMW Radio, focusing in particular on the unexpected defeat against Club Brugge in the Champions League. According to Paganini, the team presents a "superficiality" that goes beyond individual errors, a problem that has made itself felt especially in European competitions. “I had the impression of a somewhat superficial team,” he said, underlining that the management of the championship is not the same as the European one.
The player highlighted how Brugge, despite not being a powerhouse, were able to create difficulties on the pitch, especially when they turned the field of play. “When they turned the pitch over, the alarm about conceding a goal was always there,” he added, pointing out that this feeling had never manifested itself when watching Inter matches in the past. Paganini also commented on the impact of the last year's European journey, which, according to him, has shown that the Nerazzurri have lost part of their European identity. “Now it will be up to the technical staff to understand why,” he concluded, warning that exit from the Champions League group stage would represent both a technical and economic drama.
Regarding the management of the team, Paganini suggested that coach Chivu may need a shift on the bench to better evaluate the dynamic between players and coach. “The relationship between the player and the coach is very important there to understand if his state of mind is altered,” he explained, recalling the importance of strong personalities such as those of Julio Cesar and Handanovic. He also noted that Inter appear to have neglected the goal market, relying on different roles for their players.
Paganini then compared Inter's performance in Europe with that in the league, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining a high pace during European travel. “In the Champions League you have to change gear and if you are superficial you can go down,” he said, citing defeats against Bodo Glimt and Club Brugge as examples of this lack of adaptation. He concluded by stating that, although Italian teams are competitive, international competitions require a different approach and greater awareness of playing conditions.
With the Champions League now over, Inter will have to review their strategy both on the pitch and in personnel management, to avoid repeating the mistakes that led to the defeat against Brugge. The next phase for the team will be to analyze the weak points highlighted by Paganini and to reconsider the tactical and market choices to return to competing at European level.