Inter are facing a troubling trend this season: a significant struggle to perform when the stakes are highest. The Nerazzurri‘s form has become alarmingly inconsistent in high-profile fixtures, particularly when facing their direct rivals for the Serie A title.
In domestic competition, Inter have developed a costly habit of dropping points against elite opposition.
They suffered a painful 3-4 defeat to Juventus, a 1-3 loss against Napoli, and crucially, were beaten 0-1 by AC Milan in the Derby della Madonnina. Their only victory in these top-tier domestic clashes came against AS Roma, a narrow 1-0 success.
This ‘big match malaise’ has now infected their European campaign. Following a 1-2 loss to Atlético Madrid, Inter succumbed again last night when Liverpool visited San Siro.
The side managed by Cristian Chivu fell to a single goal—a penalty converted by Dominik Szoboszlai in the 88th minute—shattering a proud club record. Before this evening, Inter held the longest current unbeaten home run in the competition, stretching an impressive 18 games.
Defeat at San Siro. pic.twitter.com/pBIkc36iEX
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) December 9, 2025
Lack of Punch and Lost Momentum
The statistics from the Liverpool match highlight a lack of attacking aggression from the hosts. Inter managed only nine shots in total, three fewer than the visitors, and registered a paltry two shots on target throughout the 90 minutes.
Speaking to InterTV, midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan acknowledged the disparity. “We have to keep our head high, work harder. It wasn’t our best game, but let’s not forget we played against a top side,” he said.
Midfielder Piotr Zieliński echoed the disappointment: “We’re disappointed. We had a good game, but we lacked something up front to score a goal,” he told Sky Sport.
Compounding the defeat, Inter suffered two major personnel setbacks early on. Key midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu was forced off in the 11th minute, followed by defender Francesco Acerbi in the 31st minute, both suffering from suspected thigh muscle issues.
We’re forced into an early change as Zielinski replaces Calhanoglu 🔄 pic.twitter.com/ImSur6y205
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) December 9, 2025
Chivu addressed the challenges in the post-match press conference, noting how the injuries destabilised his side.
“We struggled a bit in the opening minutes, against their quality. The injuries [in the first half] didn’t help either,” he stated.
“We expected their intensity and aggression. We started slowly and then did better. We tried to keep it up, but we had less energy in the final part of the game. We had to manage our energy levels and we tried to do our best.”
Inter currently remain in the qualification zone for the Round of 16. However, if this worrying trend against strong teams persists, their position in the top eight could be jeopardised, especially with another major test looming: they are scheduled to face Arsenal on January 20, 2026.
Matchday 6 action 🍿 #UCL pic.twitter.com/iiIHCTlsjn
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 9, 2025
