Inter's Revival Pilgrimage to Pisa After Three Decades

MILAN, SATURDAY – Inter Milan will visit the Arena Garibaldi, home of Pisa, for the first time since the two Serie A clubs last met there on March 3, 1991. Pisa is not a big team, but they have always been able to make life very difficult for players from big clubs throughout the 90 minutes of play. This weekend, Inter, who on paper have the upper hand over Pisa, will face a big test to penetrate Pisa's strong defense and quell the home team's counterattacks.

This week 13 Serie A match is crucial for Inter, as they look to return to winning ways after two consecutive empty-handed defeats. In week 12 of Serie A, Inter battered the defense of city rivals AC Milan, but conceded a decisive goal. In their next match at home to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, an injury-time goal hurt the Nerazzurri in a 2-1 victory.

These two disappointing results underscore a common thread: Inter often loses focus when facing teams with solid defenses. Counterattacks have become a concern that Chivu needs to address by establishing a more dynamic transition. In the four defeats in Serie A this season—against Udinese, Juventus, Napoli, and AC Milan—Inter has consistently conceded goals that they should have been able to avoid if their defensive focus had not waned and had been slightly more pragmatic.

Let's look at the match against Napoli. Scott McTominay and Frank Anguissa's goals were both due to negligence on the part of Inter's defenders. Anguissa even scored Napoli's third goal with a very long dribble. Christian Pulisic's goal in the Derby della Madonnina was also the result of a late response to clear a risk after the ball was parried by goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Playing well isn't enough. We need points, and we have to understand the different moments in the game.

This weekend, on Sunday (30/11/2025) starting at 21:00 WIB, Inter will face an opponent that relies on defensive play and counterattacks. This is not an easy match as Pisa has established its playing character by avoiding defeat in the last six matches. In fact, the team coached by Alberto Gillardino was able to score two goals against AC Milan, Torino, and Sassuolo, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Remarkably, Pisa has always managed to take the lead with a goal advantage before being equalized by their opponents. Pisa also plays aggressively at the beginning of the match to score as quickly as possible, then defends tightly.

The character of the Pisa game has not changed compared to 34 years ago when Inter last visited the Garibaldi Arena. Inter, strengthened by legendary players such as Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthäus, Jürgen Klinsmann, and legendary defender Giuseppe Bergomi, found it difficult to secure a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Nicola Berti.

The defensive and counter-attacking game pattern will pose a challenge for Inter. Gillardino is certain to implement the 3-5-2 formation that has proven effective for Pisa. The three central defenders, Antonio Caracciolo, Raul Albiol, and Arturo Calabresi, will serve as a barrier to withstand the onslaught of Inter's attacking line led by Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez, and Hakan Chalanoglu.

This season, Inter has consistently performed well, showcasing attractive gameplay. However, good performance alone is not sufficient to secure victories. Sometimes, playing pragmatically for the sake of winning is not a grave sin.

"Playing well is not enough. We need points, and we must understand the different moments in the match," emphasized Chivu after Inter lost at home to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League match last Thursday.

"We showed determination and tenacity and played very well, apart from the fact that we conceded the first goal when we were a little distracted," continued the former Inter defender who won the Treble.

The concentration and sharpness in reading the momentum during the match are often what cause Inter to fail to secure victories. Two consecutive defeats against AC Milan and Atletico Madrid also risk disturbing the players' confidence if they do not return to the winning path soon.

"Mentality is very important. We must learn how to deal with certain things and do certain things. What we are doing right now is clearly not enough. We need to be pragmatic, without changing our identity, while also striving to make luck on our side," emphasized Chivu.

In the match against Pisa, Chivu wants his players to demonstrate a game more oriented towards victory, even if it slightly diminishes the aesthetic of their play. The primary target is to secure three points as they are currently in fourth place with 24 points, equal to Bologna in fifth place, both having played 12 matches. Meanwhile, Como in sixth place has also accumulated 24 points but has played 13 matches.

"We have an identity and we want to maintain it, but we need to do something more, to be more pragmatic, to be sharper in front of the goal, to be more careful in certain actions, to show greater determination not to get caught in tackles and to win more tackles. That is what we are trying to do moving forward, but we can see that what we are currently doing is not enough," emphasized Chivu.

Inter desperately needs a win as the top-flight of Serie A is incredibly tight. AS Roma currently leads with 27 points, followed by AC Milan and Napoli in second and third place, each with 25 points. In Week 13, Milan will face struggling Lazio, with a potential victory. Meanwhile, Roma host Napoli in what is a crucial match this week. Inter has the opportunity to capitalize on this Week 13 match to return to winning ways and build a solid foundation for the Scudetto.