Italian journalist Andrea Di Caro believes that Inter were the architects of their own demise in yesterday’s derby loss to AC Milan.

Writing in his column in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Di Caro emphasized that the Nerazzurri had looked in control but threw the match in the closing stages of the match.

Inter were the more proactive side for much of the match, and had more and better chances as a result of their efforts compared to their rivals.

However, after an impressive first half and then looking to have picked up where they left off in the second, they gradually allowed the Rossoneri a route back into the match over the course of the second half.

For Di Caro, the story of the match was that in spite of their impressive performance for much of the match, the Nerazzurri inflicted the defeat on themselves.

“Inter shot themselves in the foot,” he writes, “let down by their inability to kill the game off in the first half, by the lack of a cynical edge in the second, by Inzaghi’s choices on substitutions, and by Handanovic’s tired dive on the goal for 2-1.”

“Sorry to say it, but the difference in his reaction times compared to Maignan was on full display,” he goes on of the Nerazzurri captain.

He adds that “Inter, who have been a real machine recently, combining compactness with a light and beautiful game, seemed to stop playing after 65 minutes yesterday, they dropped off and lost their concreteness.”

“In three minutes they found themselves looking very fragile and after Giroud’s second goal they didn’t register a shot on target,” he continues.

“In the last five matches,” he writes, “Inter have won three in the last seconds (against Juve in the Supercoppa, Empoli in the Coppa Italia, and Venezia in the league), drew with Atalanta, and lost to Milan.”

He asks whether these are “Signs of being worn down? Simple tiredness? Inzaghi will have to analyze it. Inter must not get anxious on feel the pressure, on the eve of a cycle that could be decisive for all competitions – the Coppa Italia against Roma, Napoli in the league, Liverpool in the Champions League.”

“This is not the time to get scared,” he emphasizes, “but to remember who they are and to sew the frustration from not having taken advantage a huge opportunity in the derby.”

“They could have seen off Milan and the league,” Di Caro concludes. “But they did not. They must understand why and rediscover their cynicism and edge. Yesterday’s seemed like an Inter loss of old.”