Former Lazio and West Ham United striker Paolo Di Canio feels that Inter coach Simone Inzaghi made a mistake by withdrawing Hakan Calhanoglu from the second half of the Nerazzurri’s derby loss to AC Milan.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, Di Canio gave the view that the coach should have taken a risk by leaving Calhanoglu in the match despite being on a yellow card, and paid for the decision with the loss.
Calhanoglu had been having a solid display once again against his old side in the derby, but the 27-year-old had picked up a booking and Inzaghi decided not to risk leaving him on to potentially pick up another in a heated derby atmosphere.
Once the Turkish midfielder was taken off, the Nerazzurri seemed to lose some of their composure and control of the match, and Di Canio feels that this was no coincidence.
He feels that the right thing to do would have been to continue to trust Calhanoglu even with the yellow card.
“In a match of this importance, I would have run the risk because winning would have taken them to seven points clear, possibly ten,” he said.
“Maybe Perisic could have been replaced if he risked getting injured,” he went on, “but taking Calhanoglu off because he was booked I don’t agree with, I would have kept him in even if there were some nerves.”
