“The “Rossoneri” have not been defeated in six principled face-to-face duels in a row.”, — write: football.ua
The “Rossoneri” have not been defeated in six principled face-to-face duels in a row.
Inter Milan, Getty Images November 23, 2025, 11:49 p.m
Christian Kivu’s side are still in the process of rebuilding after a multi-year spell under Simone Inzaghi, while the Rossoneri have become accustomed to a regime of rotating head coaches every season. And even several times within one campaign. And this time for Massimiliano Allegri, it was the first Milan derby since returning to work with Milan, so he had no right to make a mistake, just like the coach behind the bridge.
Teams eventually started playing to their greatest strengths right away. Inter controlled the ball a lot and immediately created a chance for Thuram with Dimarco’s pass from the left wing in the fourth minute, but then Menghan made his first save of the match. There will be many of them in the future. As well as the Nerazzurri’s attempts to play with the second floor, because for some reason Allegri’s team was significantly inferior in this component.
As a result, Inter created its best moments in the first half of the game: a cross, someone closes with a head, or throws it to a partner, as was the case with Lautaro’s killer blow from a pass by the same Thuram, but Menghan reacted flawlessly here as well. And I also remembered Acherbi hitting the post, also with a header, at the end of a corner kick from the left side of the attack. So there were certain problems with the standards in Milan.
Allegri’s team instead relied on quick attacks and were thus given opportunities for Salemakers and Bartezaghi’s shots before the break on either side of the penalty area, which, however, lacked accuracy. And the sharpest among the nominal guests’ chances to score was, probably, a twisted shot from a distance from Pulisic already at the break. As a result, no one scored in the opening 45 minutes.
And already in the second half of the game, Inter started with another warm-up for Meignan in the form of a curled shot by Thuram from the left flank of the free-kick, but Milan was more specific, and in the 54th minute Sommer did not very well parry a long-range low kick from Salemakers from the right edge of the fast attack, which Pulisic immediately took advantage of to finish.
It is certain that such a course of events did not suit the Kivu team, because they believed that they were in control of the situation on the football field. However, Inter created its next moment rather with the help of the VAR referees’ surprisingly attentive attention to the episode in the 71st minute, when Pavlovich did not have time to block another cross by Tyuram from the right wing of the penalty area and stepped on the opponent’s foot due to inertia. The penalty decision of the Milan players, of course, outraged, but Menyan remained calm and simply mentally destroyed Calhanoglu, who, as ordered, punched into the left bottom corner, which the goalkeeper opened for him on purpose.
The Turk was then replaced almost immediately, and Inter again went to look for happiness at someone else’s goal. “Snakes” constantly loaded the ball to someone else’s free kick from the flanks, but the only moment close to dangerous was a failed attempt to complete one of these crosses from Akanji, and long-range shots by Diouf and Bonny, which did not become frankness for the impeccable Meignan.
Inter — Milan 0:1
Goal: Pulishych, 54
In the 74th minute, Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter) missed a penalty (goalkeeper).
Inter: Sommer — Akanji, Acherbi (Esposito, 85), Bastoni — Augusto, Barella (Diuf, 85), Calhanoglu (Zelinski, 76), Suchic, Dimarco — L. Martinez (Bonnie, 65), Tyuram.
Milan: Mengian – Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic – Salemakers, Fofana (Ricci, 78), Modric, Rabiot, Barthezaghi – Pulisic (Nkunku, 78), Leau (Loftus-Cheek, 86).
Warning: Calhanoglu — Leau, Pavlovich.