Mkhitaryan: ‘Inter must finish games sooner, we had numerous chances’
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 19: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of FC Internazionale challenges Nikola Moro of Bologna FC for the ball during the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal fixture between Bologna FC 1909 and FC Internazionale at King Saud University Stadium on December 19, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images) Henrikh Mkhitaryan acknowledges that Inter ‘could not capitalize on our chances’ and thus Bologna rightfully earned a place in the Supercoppa Italiana Final. ‘We need to focus on closing games earlier.’ The Nerazzurri started strong in Riyadh, taking the lead in the first 73 seconds through a Marcus Thuram volley. RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 19: Marcus Thuram of Internazionale celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal match between Bologna FC 1909 and FC Internazionale at King Saud University Stadium on December 19, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) However, Riccardo Orsolini equalized from the penalty spot after Yann Bisseck awkwardly misjudged his header and handled the ball in the area. According to Supercoppa regulations, there is no extra time, so with the score tied at 1-1, they moved directly to a penalty shoot-out, where Alessandro Bastoni and Ange-Yoan Bonny had their attempts saved, and Nicolò Barella shot over the bar. Mkhitaryan reflects on Inter’s mistakes RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 19: Marcus Thuram of FC Internazionale celebrates following his team’s first goal during the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal match between Bologna FC 1909 and FC Internazionale at King Saud University Stadium on December 19, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images) “We ought to have wrapped up the match earlier given the scoring chances we created,” Mkhitaryan emphasized on Sport Mediaset. “Reaching penalties is a different story. We couldn’t make our chances count, similar to what happened against Atletico Madrid. It’s frustrating; we need to focus on finishing our games sooner, as we consistently generate numerous opportunities.” While Federico Ravaglia made several crucial saves, it’s also noteworthy that Bastoni and Stefan de Vrij missed clear headers on corners when the score was 1-1. Inter has now gone 18 months without securing any silverware, after having led the EA Sports FC Supercup Final 2-0 against AC Milan last season, only to suffer a 3-2 defeat. RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 19: Josep Martinez of Internazionale fails to save a penalty kick taken by Riccardo Orsolini of Bologna FC 1909, who scores his team’s first goal during the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal match between Bologna FC 1909 and FC Internazionale at King Saud University Stadium on December 19, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) “This is football; it’s 11 versus 11, not 11 against 0,” remarked Mkhitaryan. “Bologna earned their place here after clinching the Coppa Italia last season, and we failed to overcome them within 90 minutes. There are no justifications; we need to buckle down and continue our efforts. “This disappointment stings, but we also recognize what needs to be done moving forward. We’ll intensify our efforts to reach our objectives.” Despite suffering four defeats in Serie A this season, Inter remains at the summit of the table, having overtaken Napoli and AC Milan last week. The Supercoppa Italiana Final will feature Napoli and Bologna in Riyadh on Monday, scheduled to kick off at 19.00 GMT. Despite the Final Four format, it will be a classic Supercoppa match between the Serie A champions and the Coppa Italia victors.
Published: 2025-12-19 22:26:00
source: football-italia.net
