Inter's Derby della Madonnina defeat: Did Cristian Chivu's tactical changes make things worse?

AC Milan won 3-1 against the city rivals on Saturday at San Siro in a statement victory

Nov 1, 2026 at 10:41 am ET • 3 min read

April 22, 2024: The last time Inter beat their city rivals, AC Milan, in the Derby della Madonnina. More than two years have passed since that night, when victory over the Rossoneri also secured the Serie A title for the Nerazzurri. A memorable occasion, no doubt, but the wait for another Derby win has gone on for far too long. Eight matches in a row without winning, with three different AC Milan coaches. The side coached by Cristian Chivu had the chance to end the dreams of their rivals early into the new season, it turned out to be the opposite. However, if you've watched the recent Inter games since the start of the 2026-2027 campaign, this defeat was predictable. Here's why. 

Even if we don't look at the last Derbies, there were some early signals in the opening game of the current campaign. Inter have conceded 13 goals so far, the most conceded among the top five teams in the league, and most of them came in the opening 45 minutes, forcing the team to make multiple comebacks later into the matches. The big issue is that it might work against smaller teams, but when you face AC Milan or Real Madrid outside the domestic league, things are different. Against the city rivals they conceded two goals in the opening ten minutes, with the goals scored by American striker Christian Pulisic and Adrien Rabiot. Inter had a chance to get back into the game in the first half following Alessandro Bastoni's goal. However, rather than finding an equalizer, the Nerazzurri saw Diego Moreira's free kick restore AC Milan's two-goal advantage.

There is a recurring issue of their approach, mentally and tactically. And in both cases, the head coach Chivu has some responsibilities. Players are aware of that, as Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella outlined it after the match on Saturday, but the same Italian player was the face of the Serie A champions in the opening 45 minutes. Moreira's free-kick goal came as a direct consequence of Inter's own mistakes. The Nerazzurri had given possession away twice in less than 30 seconds, exposing a worrying lack of concentration and the right mentality in such a crucial moment of the game, when Inter were pushing to score the second goal. 

If the approach to the games is not helping, injuries are also having a part in the rotations of Chivu. With Inter captain Lautaro Martinez still injured alongside midfielder Curtis Jones and defender John Stones, other players such as strikers Francesco Pio Esposito and Yann Bonny were not fully fit, Chivu said after the game. He said he had to completely change the tactical approach, playing with only one striker supported by two attacking midfielders. Chivu opted to play with Thuram as the only fit striker available in the roster, and moved Andy Diouf and Petar Sucic ahead of the midfield line, with Djed Spence and Carlos Augusto playing on the wings. He also benched the 2025-2026 MVP of the season Federico Dimarco, who only came in later on the pitch, a reflection of a poor form and disappointing start to the season of the Italian winger. 

For sure, the tactical ideas implemented by Chivu didn't work, or at least didn't fix the defensive issues of this team. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that Inter's problems on the pitch may be a reflection of deeper issues behind the scenes, with their performances and approach to games making that difficult to ignore. Fortunately for the Nerazzurri, they are still close to the top of the Serie A table and have time to regroup, address their problems and turn things around before it is too late. Next week they will host Como at San Siro, another key test for Chivu and his team before November's international break.