As the curtain rises on another thrilling Serie A season, the initial acts have delivered a compelling narrative of surprising triumphs and bewildering downturns. While some clubs meet, or even exceed, expectations, others find themselves grappling with a crisis that seems to stretch ominously from one season to the next. This is the tale of two contrasting starts, dominated by the unexpected rise of Juventus and the perplexing struggles of Inter Milan, all under the watchful eye of a formidable Napoli.
The Resurgence of the Old Lady: Juventus Defies the Doubters
Few predicted such a sparkling start for Juventus. Amidst whispers of missed transfer targets and stagnant squad movement, the Bianconeri were largely considered to be playing catch-up. Yet, under the guidance of coach Igor Tudor, the club has stormed out of the gates with a perfect record after three matches. Their recent victory over Inter Milan, secured with remarkable grit and the dazzling contributions of young talents like Yildiz and Adzic, served as a potent statement.
Juventus`s early form is a testament to the enduring spirit of Italy`s most decorated club. History, as it often does, reminds us never to count out the Old Lady. Despite prior doubts, this season`s opening salvos suggest that any team overlooking them in the Scudetto race does so at their peril. While Napoli continues to dazzle with the class of players like Hojlund, the sheer determination displayed by Tudor`s squad has undeniably thrust them into the unexpected role of early contenders.
Inter Milan`s Dire Straits: A Familiar Crisis Unfolds
For Inter Milan, however, the early season has been less a pleasant surprise and more a distressing continuation of past misfortunes. The defeat against Juventus, preceded by a disheartening home loss to Udinese, places them a significant six points adrift of the league leaders after just three matchdays. This isn`t merely a poor start; it`s an extension of a disastrous journey that began last spring, saw them lose the Coppa Italia (to AC Milan), the Scudetto (to Napoli), the Champions League (to PSG), and the Club World Cup (to Fluminense). The summer, it seems, offered little respite, failing to break a worrying cycle of defeats.
This unsettling sequence of results is not, as the article sagely observes, the work of a curse or a mystery. Instead, it is attributed to a litany of errors, spanning both managerial decisions and strategic missteps in the transfer market. One might even call it a masterclass in how not to rebuild a football club.
Chivu`s Conundrum: The Managerial Mismatch
At the heart of Inter`s current predicament is coach Cristian Chivu. Appointed despite his relative inexperience – with only thirteen Serie A matches under his belt prior to this high-pressure role – Chivu was tasked with rejuvenating a team that had lost its way. The critique is pointed: he attempted to transform the squad by largely retaining the same players used by his predecessor, Simone Inzaghi. The result? Performance has arguably deteriorated.
The philosophical question posed is a potent one: “How can the very same players who have played for years in one way suddenly begin to do something different, and do it well and successfully?” Chivu, it seems, has attempted to invert the famous “Gattopardo” principle – “change everything so that nothing changes” – into a more daring, yet perhaps flawed, “change nothing, not even a few players, so that everything changes.” This approach, attempting to alter the game, results, defensive solidity, and atmosphere without substantial personnel shifts, is proving to be an arduous, if not impossible, task for an inexperienced coach.
Squad Stagnation and Questionable Calls
A closer look at the team that conceded four goals against Juventus (making it six in three games) reveals much. The starting eleven featured largely the same faces that spearheaded last season`s failures. The lone new starter, Akanji, was immediately thrown into the fray, perhaps prematurely, after previous defensive struggles from Bisseck. The author even questions the club`s decision to reportedly reject a substantial offer for Bisseck, hinting at wider strategic failures.
Chivu`s in-game decisions have also raised eyebrows. Substitutions during the Juventus match appeared to contradict the club`s “expensive summer market.” Instead of deploying new, costly signings like Diouf and Sucic (who only entered in the 82nd minute) or Luis Henrique (a €25 million acquisition), Chivu opted for older, more familiar figures such as Zielinski and Darmian. The decision to substitute Lautaro, even on an off-day, and replace him with Bonny instead of the more established Esposito, further fueled the narrative of a team struggling to integrate new blood or trust its depth.
The sensation is that in the summer, Inter needed substantial changes among the starters and not just among the reserves: discontinuity with the recent past was needed to bring freshness, enthusiasm, and energy where there was and is disappointment and tension.
The core issue highlighted is a fundamental lack of courage from the club`s leadership to make significant, structural changes. Inter needed a refresh, a jolt of new energy, and a profound reflection on key positions, including the goalkeeper, Sommer. The failure to address these needs, to embrace “discontinuity,” has left Chivu attempting to push a boulder uphill with the same, seemingly exhausted, set of tools.
The Road Ahead: An Urgent Call for Change
Inter Milan finds itself at a critical juncture. The current trajectory is unsustainable, marked by defensive fragility and a perceived lack of dynamism. The path forward demands an urgent reversal of this trend. Whether this involves a radical rethinking of tactics, a more assertive integration of new talent, or a deeper introspection into the club`s overall strategic vision, one thing is clear: the status quo, however familiar, is simply not working. The season is young, but the warning signs for Inter are glaring, demanding immediate and decisive action.
