Inter left Rome with a 2-2 draw and another recovery, but Piotr Zielinski’s assessment reached beyond the point earned at the Olimpico. One of the more experienced figures in the squad, the midfielder identified the opening stages as the area demanding immediate attention: “We have to concentrate more and improve our approach.”
It is becoming an early-season theme for Inter. Across six Serie A and Champions League fixtures, they have scored 16 times but conceded 10. The attacking return fits the standards of a side that finished last season with 119 goals in all competitions; the defensive record, however, has repeatedly placed the team in the position of having to chase the game.
Inter have taken the lead only against Monza and Cagliari. In every other match they have fallen behind before responding, with the exception of the meeting with Real Madrid. The comeback in Rome therefore continued a pattern rather than providing a clean break from it.
The cost of slow starts
Seven of Inter’s 10 goals conceded have arrived before half-time. Six came within the first 30 minutes, while Manu Koné’s second goal for Roma was scored in the 37th minute. Zielinski’s words after the match reflected those numbers: Inter have too often allowed opponents to settle into an advantage before their own quality brings them back into contention.
The goals also point to a succession of correctable episodes rather than one single structural explanation. Against Monza, Manuel Akanji lost his marking of Varela. Napoli benefited from a collective defensive lapse for Rasmus Hojlund’s goal, before Nicolò Barella made an error in possession that led to Matteo Politano scoring.
At the Bernabéu, goalkeeper Josep Martinez was involved in the sequence before Federico Valverde scored, while Curtis Jones played a part in Kylian Mbappé’s goal alongside Yann Bisseck. Martinez was again at fault against Udinese for Jurgen Ekkelenkamp’s strike, and further defensive inattention appeared later in that match, including Benjamin Pavard’s failure to track Gueye for the late 5-3 goal.
Roma’s Koné added another example to the list. Inter have had the scoring power to repair much of the damage, but the opening phase of matches has become a concern that cannot be solved solely by another comeback. For a side with ambitions on both domestic and European fronts, greater care in possession and sharper individual defending must now accompany the goals.
