Inter Milan is in turmoil. Captain Lautaro Martínez (28) has made a pointed statement towards his teammates, followed by the CEO publicly targeting a player.
Inter was eliminated after losing 0-2 to Fluminense (Brazil) in the Round of 16 of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, held at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on the 1st (Korean time).
It is quite a shocking upset. Inter, a prestigious Italian club that was the runner-up in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) last season, bowed out early after losing to a Brazilian team. This was their first defeat after four games under head coach Cristian Chivu.
On that day, Inter conceded the opening goal to Germán Cano just 3 minutes into the match. Although they dominated the game with high possession, they lacked decisive finishing. Lautaro's shot hit the post, and luck was not on their side. Ultimately, Inter crumbled after conceding a late goal to Fluminense in stoppage time.
Fluminense played a better match against Inter. Fluminense showcased excellent finishing by converting 2 goals from 11 shots, with an expected goals (xG) of 1.16. In contrast, Inter had high possession but managed only 16 shots and recorded an xG of just 1.14, missing out on two big chances and failing to score even once against Fluminense's goal.
After the game, captain Lautaro made a pointed statement. In an interview with 'Sport Mediaset', he emphasized, "Although we were eliminated from the tournament today, the coach pushed us hard. There is a clear message: those who want to stay must stay, and those who do not want to should leave. We represent the club and must challenge for important goals."
This statement is interpreted as a message aimed at teammate Hakan Çalhanoğlu, as he is reported to be pushing for a transfer to Turkish club Galatasaray. Çalhanoğlu could not participate in the match against Fluminense due to injury.
Of course, he did not mention Çalhanoğlu's name publicly. Lautaro said, "It's just a general statement. It has been a long and difficult season. We finished without a title. This is an overarching message," adding, "To fight for the title, there must be eagerness. We need to become a true team again, just like when we won our second Scudetto (Serie A title). We must start over from there."
Lastly, he stated, "I won't mention anyone's name. We came here to give everything, but I saw many scenes that I personally did not like. I am the captain and the leader of this team, so I need to speak up," reiterating, "The message is clear. Anyone who wants to keep fighting for important trophies should stay, and if not, they can say goodbye."
However, Giuseppe Marotta, CEO of Inter, openly targeted Çalhanoğlu. Surprisingly, he directly mentioned Çalhanoğlu's name in the media, sowing the seeds of discord.
He said, "I think Lautaro was aiming at Çalhanoğlu. That was something said as captain. He highlighted some speculation and facts. If a player no longer wants to play for this team, it's right for them to leave."
Marotta CEO added, "So far, no player has said they want to leave. I will have a conversation with Çalhanoğlu, and we will resolve it in the best way possible. The club agrees with Lautaro's comments. Such a winning mentality will take us to greater heights," lending support to Lautaro.
"If Çalhanoğlu wants to leave, I would willingly let him go," said Marotta CEO. "Now that the transfer market is open, it's time to clearly sort out our stance. Çalhanoğlu hasn't stated any position, but we are ready to listen. If there are players who want to leave, we will gladly let them go. I plan to talk directly with Çalhanoğlu next week."
[Photo] DAZN, The Athletic social media.
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