Image source: football-italia.net
Inter Milan’s inability to secure victories against direct rivals was highlighted once again as Cristian Chivu’s side drew 2-2 with Napoli at San Siro, with Scott McTominay scoring twice to deny the Nerazzurri a crucial three points despite taking the lead on two occasions during the match.
Inter Milan’s Winless Streak Against Top Rivals Reaches 14 Games After Napoli Draw
The result extends Inter’s concerning record against their biggest competitors, with the Nerazzurri now without a victory in their last 14 matches against Milan, Napoli and Juventus across all competitions. During this period, Inter have recorded seven draws and seven defeats, struggling to find the winning formula when facing their most significant challengers for major honours.
Inter’s last success against one of these three rivals came on April 22, 2024, when they defeated Milan in the derby to secure their 20th Scudetto under former manager Simone Inzaghi. Since that triumph, results in direct clashes have consistently disappointed, with the team unable to reproduce their best form when the stakes are highest against top-level opposition.
The pattern proved costly last season when draws against Napoli damaged Inter’s title aspirations, and similar issues are emerging again this campaign. McTominay’s double strike prevented Inter from capitalising on their strong start against Napoli, with Hakan Calhanoglu among the goalscorers for the home side before the Scottish midfielder’s intervention changed the complexion of the encounter.
There is a growing sense that Inter are suffering from a mental block in decisive fixtures, lacking the ruthlessness required when facing their strongest competitors. This represents a problem that Chivu inherited from the final months of the Inzaghi era, and one that the current manager has yet to resolve despite the team’s general improvements in other areas of their play.
