Inter, Çalhanoğlu’s paradox: two identical errors, same minute | OneFootball

Hakan Çalhanoğlu has built an almost impeccable reputation from the penalty spot since wearing the Inter jersey. Precisely for this reason, the missed penalty yesterday drew more attention than usual: in fact, it is only his second total error since the Turkish player joined the Nerazzurri side of Milan, an event already rare in itself. But what makes the story truly curious is a web of coincidences that links the two mistakes, almost as if it were a script repeating itself a year apart.

Missed penalty just like last year against Napoli: Inter trembles, Milan dreams of the ‘previous Scudetto’

As highlighted by Giuseppe Pastore, the first mistake came last season, against Napoli. The second, this weekend, happened in the derby against Milan. Two completely different matches in terms of context, tension, and emotional value, yet tied by a series of identical details. Starting with the minute of the shot: in both cases Çalhanoğlu went to the penalty spot in the 73rd minute, the exact same moment in the second half.

The direction of the shot doesn’t change either: both against Meret and against Maignan, the midfielder chose the goalkeeper’s right side, a trajectory that usually guarantees him reliability and clean execution. Even the stadium context presents an almost unbelievable parallel: the two penalties, a year apart, were taken under the Curva Nord, the exact same section of the Nerazzurri side of San Siro. Finally, the last detail, perhaps the most surprising: both mistakes came on the 12th matchday.

And if on one hand Inter records a statistic that stands out in the surgical precision of Çalhanoğlu from the spot, on the other hand Milan fans can’t help but see in this double mistake a small sign of destiny. The last time the Turk missed a penalty at this same minute, under this same curve and on the same matchday, Napoli surged towards an unexpected Scudetto.

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.