Fluminense Take Advantage of Inter Milan's Rough Transition

CHARLOTTE, MONDAY — Inter Milan, under the new head coach Christian Chivu, is utilizing the same player material and formation. However, its tactical approach is markedly different from that of the previous coach, Simone Inzaghi. Fluminense successfully capitalized on Inter's awkwardness in adapting to this change.

Brazilian club Fluminense created a miracle in the round of 16 of the 2025 Club World Cup. Despite being significantly outmatched in squad quality, they managed to defeat Inter with a 2-0 victory at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, on Tuesday (1/7/2025) early morning WIB.

So remarkable was the victory that legendary defender Thiago Silva knelt and raised both hands to the sky after the final whistle. Silva has won many prestigious trophies throughout his career, but he remained emotional as the result defied expectations on paper.

"I am very proud of my team. This match was very difficult because our opponent was Inter, who just played in the Champions League final last month. However, we are Fluminense, who came to defeat a great team," said Silva, who played while managing a thigh injury throughout the match.

The Fluminense squad celebrated as if they had already won the tournament. They formed a circle in the middle of the field, surrounding the club's flag. Silva and his teammates prayed together for the beautiful result, then embraced each other and jumped around joyfully.

Fluminense managed to surprise Inter at the beginning and end of the match. The team coached by Renato Gaucho was already ahead in the 3rd minute through a goal by striker German Cano. Substitute player Hercules ended Inter's resistance with a goal in injury time (90+2).

Fluminense also continues the positive trend of Brazilian clubs since the beginning of the tournament. There are two representatives from Brazil in the upcoming quarter-finals, namely Fluminense and Palmeiras. Fluminense will face the winner of the match between Manchester City and Al Hilal.

Silva is correct, Inter is a finalist in the Champions League. However, they do not show the same impressive performance as last season under Inzaghi's leadership. Inter's play in Charlotte felt slow, monotonous, and lacking in creativity.

Chivu relies on the same player material, such as forwards Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram. Only three starting players were different from the previous match compared to the Champions League final. They also continue to use the 3-5-2 formation that Inzaghi has always relied on.

The difference is that Chivu has changed the tactical approach on the field. This approach seems to have not been well demonstrated by Martinez and his teammates. It is understandable, as Chivu has not even been a month since being appointed as the new coach of "The Big Snake." Inter appears to be a team that is still in the process of adapting.

In that match, Inter relied more on positional play. The distance between players was quite far. The aim was to create larger spaces in the opponent's defense, allowing for greater dominance in ball possession. A similar tactic is often employed by manager Josep Guardiola at Manchester City.

The characteristics of Inter during the Inzaghi era have also diminished. There are not many quick short passing combinations among players, off-the-ball movements from all sides, and rapid counterattacks. Martinez, who usually often retrieves the ball up to the midfield, now spends more time waiting at the last line.

The squad's struggle was evident in the first 70 minutes of the match. They managed to dominate possession up to 65 percent but could only produce seven shots. Fluminense recorded nine shots with less possession. Inter lacked variation in their attacks.

Inter's performance improved slightly in the last 20 minutes. Fluminense defended deeper with an extra low block. Chivu also changed the formation to 4-4-2. The coach instructed the players to deliver more crosses into the penalty area.

The change presents several opportunities for Inter. However, they are currently experiencing a stroke of bad luck. Martinez had two golden opportunities within a minute at the end of the match. The first shot was thwarted by the opposing goalkeeper, Fabio, and the second hit the goalpost.

"We do not give up until the end. We changed formations and tried everything. However, today it just did not seem to be our day. Of course, we did not expect Fluminense to perform so well with their organized low block. It was difficult to find a solution to that," said Chivu.

Chivu's task will become increasingly challenging as he embarks on the new season. Instead of being able to heal the wounds of defeat in the Champions League final, Inter has instead sunk deeper with a surprise loss to Fluminense. Moreover, Inter's performance appears far from convincing under the regime of the new coach. (AP/REUTERS)