Former Inter forward Antonio Cassano has launched a scathing attack on the Nerazzurri and Italian football in general.
Whilst Antonio Conte’s side are six points clear with a game in hand in Serie A and on course for a first Scudetto since 2010, they were knocked out of Europe in December after finishing bottom of their group in the Champions League.
Speaking to fellow former Inter striker Christian Vieri on his Twitch stream yesterday, Cassano was critical of Inter’s performance in continental competition, having twice gone out of the Champions League at the Group Stage in consecutive seasons.
“I hear people say that building from the back brings more risks than rewards and I mention names, such as [former Palermo and Udinese coach Francesco] Guidolin, who with all due respect, is gone now,” Cassano claimed.
“Let’s talk about 2021. They are playing long balls to the striker and looking for knock-downs. Today, Conte’s Inter are the strongest team in Italy, the results clearly show that. But in the Champions League, over two years, they have suffered sensational humiliations.
“This time it was not Barcelona or Bayern Munich that finished ahead of them, but Borussia Moenchengladbach, seventh in the Bundesliga and giving them lessons in football. They also drew 0-0 twice against Shakhtar Donetsk. In Europe, the Italians are taking a beating.”
Former Roma and Real Madrid forward Cassano also criticised Inter’s Champions League success under Jose Mourinho in 2010, suggesting that it was not reflective of success of Italian teams in Europe and was achieved in a negative manner.
“I have to say, Inter are my team that I support and they won the Champions League 11 years ago, but it was done without playing football,” Cassano added.
The Italian international joined Inter from AC Milan in 2012 and scored 15 goals in 39 appearances for the Nerazzurri in his single season at the club, before moving on to Parma.