Inter's Bizarre Substitution Reveals a Frustrating Truth: From Manchester City to Atlético Madrid, What Are They Missing to Reach the Next Level?

For months, Inter Milan had been riding high, delivering impressive performances that had fans often lamenting, "The team is so dominant, being a fan no longer involves those heart-pounding moments." However, on this fateful night, Inter kept its supporters' hearts racing throughout the match, only to succumb to Atlético Madrid in a penalty shootout, exiting the competition in a melancholic fashion. In this dream-shattering match, it was evident that Inter gave their all and played well in phases, but fell short of making history and breaking through to a higher echelon. They lacked the crucial element needed to break deadlocks in tight, high-stakes, evenly matched contests: the ability to capitalize on opportunities.

In the second half, during the critical phase when both teams were reaching their physical limits, Lautaro Martinez transformed into a top playmaker, creating multiple clear-cut chances. Any one of these, if converted, would have been a classic moment etched in fans' memories. Yet, Marcus Thuram and Nicolò Barella squandered these golden opportunities. In extra time, despite Inter’s lack of confidence in a penalty shootout, they still had chances to clinch the game, but Thuram and Lautaro failed to seize them. It echoed the days of Antonio Conte when Inter lost the Europa League final to Sevilla, or last season's Champions League match against Manchester City. The Nerazzurri could go toe-to-toe with their opponents, play well in phases, create real opportunities, and even loosen the ceiling named “potential,” but they were just short of breaking through it.

What were they missing? Was it the absence of substitutes like Memphis Depay or Phil Foden, who could come off the bench and decide the match? Was it lacking a goalkeeper like Jan Oblak, who could demoralize penalty takers at the 12-yard mark? Or was it the realization that in a penalty shootout, Inter only had one Hakan Çalhanoğlu but several players who made their fans nervous, like the notoriously poor penalty taker Lautaro Martinez, or even worse, Alexis Sanchez?

These questions can be summarized with one word: ceiling. This sense that Inter has reached their limit yet still falls short is not evident in domestic matches against teams like Napoli, Atalanta, or Bologna. However, those who have followed Inter's European journey over the past few years are all too familiar with it. The storyline was similar against teams like Real Madrid: both sides had chances, but Inter failed to convert theirs, while their opponents did, leading to a disappointing defeat for the Nerazzurri. Fourteen years ago, Inter’s journey to lifting the Champions League trophy involved both teams having opportunities, but Inter seized theirs while their opponents did not, writing the highest chapter in the club’s history. This is the difference between big occasions and routine league matches. If you have a better ability to capitalize on opportunities and the confidence not to fear a penalty shootout, then reaching the ceiling is no longer a pipe dream.

The controversial moment of this match was the substitution in extra time: it was clear that Çalhanoğlu was struggling with a leg injury, requiring pain relief to continue playing and receiving a yellow card for a tackle from behind. Yet the coach's last substitution was to bring on Davy Klaassen, who had not played in a long time, replacing Henrikh Mkhitaryan. This was a forced move. Inter could not substitute Çalhanoğlu because they needed him for the penalty shootout. As Italian media put it, before the penalty shootout began, Inter, as the psychological underdogs, could only lament, “We have too few Çalhanoğlus and too many Lautaros.”

Using Klaassen as a special measure for the penalty shootout was not a masterstroke. Klaassen had been out of action for too long, had too few touches after coming on, and was expected to take a penalty without finding his rhythm—this is a cardinal sin in competitive scenarios. Special substitutions before a penalty shootout put immense pressure on the player and historically, in events like the World Cup, European Championship, and Champions League, they have been more often unsuccessful than successful. Klaassen was not a penalty specialist either; despite a decent record in the Champions League and Europa League (4 out of 5 penalties converted in regular play), he had not taken a penalty in an official match since October 2020. Inter’s adjustment was a forced choice among limited options.

Inter's frustration was palpable: they could create opportunities but failed to convert them; they could drag the match into a penalty shootout, but their lack of prowess from the spot was a fatal flaw. They could hold their own in top-level European clashes but lacked the killer instinct to write history. All these factors collectively hinder Inter from reaching a higher ceiling.

Painful defeats are not rare in Inter's history. This team has brought its die-hard fans as much agony as joy. Without even delving into the infamous May 5th disaster during the Moratti era, the Zhang Jindong era has also seen Inter suffer heartbreaking losses in two European finals. Finding ways to improve amidst pain is a survival attitude long ingrained in Inter. Those so-called fans who cannot endure this pain need not be persuaded to stay.

In the past ten months, Inter has clashed with European giants Manchester City and Atlético Madrid, showcasing their inability to break through their ceiling. However, the team’s roster has undergone significant changes over this period, proving that sinking into despair after failure is never Inter's way. So, to those who wish to leave, fare thee well. To those who choose to stay, let’s look forward together.