Turkey Captain Shows Major Signs Of Rust On Return In AC Milan 1-1 Inter Milan Serie A Draw | OneFootball

Hakan Calhanoglu showed signs of rust on his return to action in yesterday’s derby between AC Milan and Inter Milan.

As TuttoMercatoWeb highlight, the player ratings for the match across Italian media were not at all positive towards the Turkish international.

Calhanoglu was back in the Inter starting eleven yesterday.

The 30-year-old had missed a total of six matches through injury. However, he had recovered, and came straight back into the lineup.

This could certainly have been a big boost for Inter. Hakan Calhanoglu is a key player for the Nerazzurri.

But then, there was also the risk that the former AC Milan midfielder would be off the pace against his old club.

Hakan Calhanloglu Shows Rust On Return In AC Milan Vs Inter Derby

The derby was certainly a significant match for Hakan Calhanoglu to make his return in, as a former Rossoneri player.

However, it may not have been the ideal environment for him to get straight back into the action.

FLORENCE, ITALY – DECEMBER 1: Hakan Calhanoglu of FC Internazionale in action during the Serie A match between Fiorentina and FC Internazionale at Stadio Artemio Franchi on December 1, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Milan looked to press very high. Their aim was to disrupt Inter in midfield, win the ball back, and then counterattack

When he is in good form, Calhanoglu is the player who can play through this kind of pressure.

But there was a sense that the Turk was slightly off the pace. He was the player who gave the ball away as Milan took the lead right on the stroke of halftime.

Calhanoglu also did not manage to create much with his passing beyond a couple impressive long diagonal balls.