Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu feels that while losing to Man City in the Champions League hurt, it hasn’t stopped the Nerazzurri.
Speaking whilst at the Gran Gala del Calcio, via FCInterNews, the Turkish international reflected on the team’s progress and the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League at the last hurdle.
Inter marked the climax of last season with a memorable run to the Champions League final.
Having dispatched Barcelona in the group stage, the Nerazzurri knocked out the likes of Porto, Benfica, and city rivals AC Milan to get all the way to the final of Europe’s top club competition.
Against Premier League juggernaut Manchester City, Inter were widely regarded as underdogs.
Pep Guardiola’s side were considered the favourites to win.
And City did win, the first time that they got their hands on the trophy. They completed an historic European Treble.
But it was far from a one-sided match.
Far from it, Inter went toe-to-toe with a City team that many regard as the best in European football.
And the Nerazzurri even had chances to at least equalize and force extra time late on.
These have naturally given the team a lot to look back on and lament.
But so far at the start of the season, Inter have not been suffering a Champions League hangover that’s held them back.
On the contrary, the Nerazzurri have emerged as a seemingly hungrier, more coherent team.
Hakan Calhanoglu: Defeat Vs Man City Painful, But Inter On The Right Path
Calhanoglu joined Inter on a free transfer from city rivals AC Milan in 2021.
He said that “It’s been two incredible years for me here.”
“Losing [the Champions League final] in Istanbul hurt,” the midfielder continued.
“But we’re on the right path. We want to keep going in this direction.”
