Inter players Lautaro Martinez, Nicolo Barella, and Hakan Calhanoglu were not up to the task in the Nerazzurri’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid yesterday evening.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Libero, who argue that the trio let the team down with their mediocre displays as the Nerazzurri lost 2-0 to settle for the runners-up spot in their group.
Expectations were high going into Inter’s trip to the Bernabeu, with Simone Inzaghi’s having the chance to cap off their excellent recent form by overtaking Real in top spot in the group with a win.
Instead, the Nerazzurri fell to a 2-0 defeat in which they looked a bit naive at times, bringing the team back down to earth somewhat.
Three of the team’s key players this season had been Martinez, Barella, and Calhanoglu, and all three will have been expected to have been key men against the Merengues.
Instead, all three produced displays that were far from their best as Martinez and Calhanoglu were anything but decisive in the final third and Barella got himself sent off rashly after an ineffective contribution to the midfield battle.
On last night’s evidence, all three key young players must bring their games up to justify their reputations and help Inter achieve their goals for the season.
