Legendary former Nerazzurri captain Beppe Bergomi believed that Inter Milan had a tense mood at the start of their Serie A clash with Lecce.

Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, via FCInter1908, the former defender also praised defender Yann Bisseck for exceeding his initial expectations.

Inter’s surprise defeat against Bologna in the Coppa Italia round of sixteen didn’t exactly halt their momentum in its tracks.

But there was a sense that it had pierced an aura of invincibility.

A winning run in Serie A that had included victories against the likes of Napoli and Lazio had seen the Nerazzurri build up a four-point advantage in the league table.

And Inter are also alive and well in the Champions League. They will face Atletico Madrid in the competition starting in February..

But in the Coppa Italia, Inter will not go any further in a competition that they have won in each of the past two seasons.

The Nerazzurri crashed out of the competition. Moreover, they did so after taking the lead in extra time of the match.

Bergomi: Inter Tense Vs Lecce After Defeat Vs Bologna

The fact that the match against Bologna had gone to extra time made it all the more difficult for Inter to stomach.

The Nerazzurri played out an exhausting slugfest of a match, only to exit the Coppa at the first time of asking.

This could have planted one or two seeds of doubt in Simone Inzaghi’s players.

So a win over Lecce in the league was vital for the Nerazzurri to reassert themselves.

But three points was hardly an inevitability in Saturday’s match. Lecce have certainly proven themselves to be a formidable side in Serie A this season, even against the bigger teams.

Bergomi said that “After the loss against Bologna in the Coppa Italia, there was bit of tension on the pitch.”

“In a match where they had done well to break the deadlock, they had to suffer.”

“They had done well, but were frustrated,” Bergomi said.

And the former defender also praised Bisseck. “He’s making me rethink my initial view,” he said of the German.

“I didn’t think he’d step into his role with such personality so soon,” he added.