Inter Milan Veteran Fullback Opens Up On Mental Difficulties Vs Monterrey: “Never Easy To Recover” | OneFootball

Matteo Darmian was in the starting line-up as Inter Milan shared the spoils with CF Monterrey in their opening FIFA Club World Cup match.

Speaking to Sportitalia via FCInterNews, the veteran defender admitted it won’t be easy to banish ghosts from the past.

What was supposed to be a historic season turned into a nightmare.

Indeed, Inter went from a genuine treble quest to a first and only trophyless season under Simone Inzaghi.

Furthermore, a 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final added insult to injury.

Setting an unwanted feat in Europe’s grandest fixture was a heavy blow for the 20-time Italian champions.

However, the healing process has begun under the new boss, Cristian Chivu.

Monterrey held the Nerazzurri to a 1-1 draw despite being under siege for most of the game.

Though it wasn’t a perfect start, Inter showed grit and determination in their Group E opener.

Matteo Darmian Pleased with Inter Milan Performance vs Monterrey

MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 30: Matteo Darmian of FC Internazionale looks on during the warm up prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Udinese at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 30, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Sergio Ramos fired Monterrey in front midway through the first half.

Yet, Inter replied through Lautaro Martinez on the stroke of halftime but couldn’t complete the turnaround.

“We tried to follow the coach’s instructions, and before their goal in the first half, we didn’t really give much away,” Darmian said.

“We went behind on a set piece, and it’s never easy to come back from that.

“However, we managed to equalize and in the second half we tried to move the ball better, and created a few chances.

“But we couldn’t find the winning goal. We need to keep working; starting tomorrow, we’ll focus on the next match.”

Meanwhile, he talked a bit about the new Inter manager.

“Chivu has been trying to make us understand what he wants; it’s not that different from what we’re used to.

“We’re working hard, and it’s normal not to be at our sharpest.

“It’s the end of the season, but we know we can do better and we’ll try to show that in the next game.”

Finally, he discussed Inter’s new tactical approach.

“We used zonal marking on set pieces, and there’s definitely work to do. We know how important set pieces have been for us too.

“Whether it’s man-marking or zonal, we need to stay alert. There will be time to improve on that.”