Akanji Lays Bare Inter's Derby Woes: 'We Weren't Good Enough, Simple as That'

Picture this: another Derby della Madonnina in the books, and Inter are left licking their wounds after a 1-0 gut-punch from Milan at the San Siro. Pervis Estupinan's strike was the dagger, but it was Manuel Akanji who delivered the real postmortem knife-twist in his chat with CBS Sports, as Peter Young reported for Football Italia.

The Swiss defender didn't mince words. This wasn't some fluke – it was a proper off-day for the Nerazzurri.

Derby Déjà Vu, But Worlds Apart

Inter sit pretty with a seven-point lead atop Serie A, just 10 games from potentially clinching back-to-back titles in three years under Cristian Chivu. They've got Champions League finals in the bag recently, plus Coppa Italia and Supercoppa gongs. But against the big boys? That's where the wheels wobble.

This marks their second loss to Milan this season, and they haven't beaten the Rossoneri in seven straight clashes. Akanji, who's only featured in the last pair, reckons today's was chalk and cheese compared to the earlier reversal.

"The first one? We bossed it," he said. Loads of chances, a missed pen, but Milan nicked it on the counter. This time? Nah. Milan pressed early, then parked the bus – exactly as predicted. Inter coughed up possession like it was going out of fashion, lost duels left and right, and switched off defensively.

It's like watching your mate try to park a transit van after a few pints – all good intentions, zero execution.

Mistakes Piling Up Like Derby Regrets

Akanji pinpointed the rot: sloppy passes, easy turnovers, and a lack of bite in the tackles. Up top, it was barren. Crosses sailed harmlessly into the stands, and gilt-edged chances went begging.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan – Mkhi to his pals – sprinted clear pre-Estupinan's goal but fluffed it. Later, he teed up Federico Dimarco for what could've been the leveller. Corners? Ref Daniele Doveri killed the buzz early. Penalties? Maybe, but who knows.

"We created bits, but it wasn't enough," Akanji admitted. "Too many errors, not aggressive enough." Brutal self-assessment from a bloke who's seen it all at the back.

Fans might point fingers at Rafael Leao's duels or Milan's grit, but Akanji's keeping it in-house. No excuses, just a derby hangover that'll sting till Saturday.

Bouncing Back: Atalanta Awaits

The mood in the camp? Grim. "Next few days won't be fun," Akanji sighed. Derbies hit different – pure emotion, zero mercy.

But silver lining: that lead's intact, and Atalanta loom at home next. A 'big game', sure, but Inter's pedigree screams recovery. "We'll fix what went wrong and go again," he vowed. Confidence? Still sky-high.

Chivu's lads have form for these slumps. Remember their CL heroics? This could be the rocket fuel needed. Milan fans gloating? Enjoy it while it lasts – Scudetto's still Inter's to lose.

In the end, it's football: one minute you're top dogs, next you're derby doormats. Akanji's honesty is the tonic. Now, let's see if they swig it down.

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