Inter lose 3-4 against Bruges at San Siro and remain without points in the Champions League. The European path thus becomes more complicated for the Nerazzurri who, if they really dream of reaching the end, will have to do much more. Chivu has a lot to manage and will be unlikely to be able to defend Josep Martinez this time, guilty of yet another mistake that ruined the Nerazzurri's performance. He will also have to understand why the entire defense blacked out in the second half and conceded four goals at San Siro. Tresoldi is the star of the show with a hat-trick, Lautaro tries until the end but his brace isn't enough. Next time is Shaktar.
The Champions League, as we saw tonight, is very different from the championship. Inter approaches well and proactively, but Bruges are not an easy opponent and their counterattacks are lethal. In the first half the Nerazzurri also made a few too many mistakes and Leko's team took advantage of any uncertainty. First Bisseck intercepts a very poisonous conclusion inside the penalty area, then following a corner kick, Tresoldi hits the full crossbar. Bruges are serious, Inter are warned. But shortly afterwards Zielinski wastes a sensational one-on-one goal with Sommer, allowing Vetlesen to recover it with a slide.
Not only that, because he then loses the ball in the opponent's penalty area, favoring Forbs' lightning-fast counterattack. Brugge's number 9 runs all over the pitch, Calhanoglu slides and tries to stop him but doesn't touch the ball. The referee has no doubts and points to the spot. Tresoldi kicks hard and scores. A few minutes later Calhanoglu tries to make amends but his long-range bomb hits the crossbar. Inter eagerly seeks an equalizer.
In the 37th minute, again from a free kick from the Turk, Lautaro emerges and hits the ball with a header, 1-1 but from offside. In the 42nd minute, another opportunity wasted by the Argentine who chose the touch from the winger, two steps away from Sommer. But the goal is in the air and in the 44th minute Toro shows how to duet with the ball: following a backheel assist from Dimarco, the Inter captain turns around, pivoting on the ball and then shoots towards goal. Finally equal and the match actually restarts in the second half.
After a long stop to provide treatment to Mechele after a blow to the face, Lautaro Martinez misses another sensational chance. Face to face with Sommer, who is sitting, the Nerazzurri striker kicks a little too weakly and the former Inter goalkeeper saves with a miracle. In the 16th minute Dimarco also tries but the conclusion is high. Two minutes later the episode that freezes San Siro. Forbs runs into the Nerazzurri half of the pitch, inexplicably Josep Martinez comes out of the penalty area trying to anticipate the player who instead discards him and serves Tresoldi. The Bruges striker just has to put it into the net. Hands in the face for the Inter goalkeeper and disbelief also among the visiting players.
As already happened with Real Madrid, Martinez attempts unnecessary technical gestures and condemns his teammates. Inter actually fell into despair and slowed down the pace. Bruges came close to making it three with Virgili's shot which chipped the post. Chivu inserts Pio Esposito and Sucic. But the discomfort in Inter's defense is palpable. It's a Bruges siege and in the 29th minute Tresoldi collects a rebound in the area and scores the sensational hat-trick.
At this point Chivu throws Sucic and Spence into the fray. And right after a shot from Sucic was blocked, Lautaro reiterates the goal. Double for the Argentine, the last to give up. In the 87th minute he also came close to equalizing but the ball ended up in Sommer's arms. But from a badly handled ball by Spence, without closure by Akanji, Vermant seals the poker. In the long 7' of injury time, Bonny closes the gap by scoring the 3-4 with a great shot. But they are only illusions, it is the second knockout in a row in Europe for Inter.
