Di Canio: Inter ‘best equipped’ to win the Champions League, but ‘it’s difficult for Italian teams’ | OneFootball

Paolo Di Canio believes that Inter are the closest of the Italian sides to winning the Champions League, but also feels that it is difficult for any Italian side to go the distance, and has explained where things went wrong for Cristian Chivu and his players against Atletico Madrid.

Inter are fourth in the Champions League standings with 12 points from their opening five matches in the competition this season.

They had won four in a row, but slipped to their first European defeat of the campaign with a 2-1 loss against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano on Wednesday evening.

Di Canio: ‘Inter are the best equipped in the Champions League, but too many things didn’t work in Madrid’

MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 26: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of Internazionale, looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadio Metropolitano on November 26, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The Atletico defeat was Inter’s second loss in a row, and while the Nerazzurri are not playing terribly on the pitch, concerns have been raised regarding their record in big matches under Chivu, following losses against Juventus, Milan, Napoli and Atletico this season.

Despite that record, Di Canio believes that they are the closest of the Italian sides to winning the Champions League.

“I see Inter, Napoli and Milan in the top three places, but let’s see which order,” Di Canio said when asked for his early Serie A predictions in an interview with La Repubblica.

He continued: “I think it’s difficult for Italian teams in the Champions League, we’re lightyears away from the other top European clubs. Inter are the best equipped, but too many things didn’t work in Madrid.”

MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 26: Alessandro Bastoni of Internazionale reacts after his side conceded a goal, scored by Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid (not pictured) during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadio Metropolitano on November 26, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Di Canio went on to list some of the issues that Chivu needs to address.

“Luck, or bad luck, doesn’t exist. Chivu has to get those sorts of excuses out of his players’ minds. If you hit the post, it’s because you didn’t shoot well enough.”

And what does he feel that this current Nerazzurri side are missing?

“Hunger and that wickedness. Calhanoglu loses the ball and doesn’t recover. They need a Maldini, a Vialli on the pitch. Lautaro coming off shaking his head isn’t a good sign. Bonny looks to be in better shape than Thuuram. Chivu needs to have the courage to talk about changing the hierarchies.”