Bucciantini: Inter’s push for a more aggressive European style is exposing their defence

Inter’s European problem starts before the back line, Marco Bucciantini argues: Cristian Chivu’s more aggressive approach is leaving space that the midfield is not built to recover. That trade-off has made Inter more dominant in Serie A, but it is giving European opponents more chances to attack them.

Speaking on Radio Sportiva, Bucciantini said teams in Europe do not necessarily settle for a 0-0 or back off once they feel comfortable. They keep attacking, and Inter can end up chasing the match’s rhythm while trying to make their own attacking opportunities count. That intensity, he argued, is a test Italian sides rarely face across a full league season.

The Bruges match illustrated the risk. Inter conceded numerous chances as their high defensive line left space behind it, Bucciantini said. He believes the midfielders are better equipped to use the ball than to make the aggressive recoveries this setup requires.

Yet the performance was not short of attacking threat. Bucciantini said Inter had around 30 shots and enough chances to score three or four, including a possible 2-1 for Lautaro Martínez. His point is not that Inter lacked a route to victory, but that their attacking ambition came with defensive exposure—and those missed chances made the balance harder to manage.

Bucciantini sees a real choice for Chivu. Pushing Inter forward is intended to give them a more European character, but he says it has cost some of the defensive security that previously served them well in Europe. He questioned whether Inter should move away from what they already do well in pursuit of more cautious results, while also stressing that they are not currently among Europe’s top ten sides. In his view, seven defeats in eight is an unnatural run for a squad of Inter’s quality, but that does not erase the gap to the elite.

The challenge is especially clear against Borussia and Bodø. Bucciantini considers their squads inferior to Inter’s, but says the Nerazzurri still have to concede less against opponents willing to attack for 90 minutes. He also noted how the same kind of open match can feel thrilling against Bayern Munich or Barcelona and embarrassing against Bruges.

Inter’s domestic position offers a sharp contrast: they lead Serie A with 16 points from six games and are unbeaten. Their next match is away to Bologna on Saturday, 17 October. In Europe, the test is whether Chivu can keep the forward intent without leaving opponents the space to sustain their attacks.