The Inter midfielder has not yet missed a penalty since he wore the Nerazzurri and this time his conversion earned Salzburg a 2-1 in the Champions League: “We want to remain first in the league too”
Two celebrations, beautiful and complementary, tell the story of the relationship that Hakan Calhanoglu has with Inter and with the Nerazzurri fans at the Giuseppe Meazza. After the penalty that defined the 2-1 against Salzburg on the third day of the Champions League, the Turkish midfielder showed two simple and instinctive gestures towards the fans present at San Siro: the two open arms towards the supporters who love him and a heart drawn with fingers always for the same recipients. The second doesn’t need many interpretations, because it doesactically summarizes the gratitude that the director wants to show to those who sacrifice their voice and energy every time to support Inter. And then the first spontaneous gesture of open arms: satisfied with the masterpiece in front of him, ready to enjoy the scene and feed on the passion of the fans, to absorb every single moment.
The thread
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Today, for Calhanoglu, was the litmus test, the one that certifies the success of an operation. And there, from the spot, there is never a slip from the Turkish director who, with the kick that wrong-footed goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, decided the match against Salzburg: nine penalties kicked in an Inter shirt, nine goals. And to think that the first Nerazzurri kick in his clothes was in his first derby after the “change of sides” of the Naviglio, in November 2021, when he celebrated with his hands to his ears, enraging his former AC Milan fans: then Napoli, Juventus twice, Bologna , Fiorentina, Milan again, Turin and Salzburg. After an insignificant mistake in June in the Euro 2024 qualifiers with his Turkey, Calhanoglu hasn’t made a mistake since a Bayer Leverkusen-Leipzig match in the Bundesliga in November 2016. Seven years ago. There are few certainties in life, one of these is Hakan’s infallibility from eleven metres.
The words
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At the end of the match, Calhanoglu was deservedly awarded man of the match by UEFA: “We deserved the victory – he explained – because when we want, we react immediately. We must play with the right mentality, even if playing every three days is not easy. We knew it would be difficult: Salzburg is a young team, which plays well and with enthusiasm. We knew this from the friendly match played against them. Winning was important because now we are first: now we will play two away from home and it won’t be easy”. In his words, however, there are no explicit stings for his former teammate who will return to the Meazza on Sunday: “I don’t want to comment on Lukaku. Everyone makes their own choices, we have to concentrate on our work, because we are first in the table and we want to stay there.” And if someone were to kick from eleven metres, Simone Inzaghi would know who to turn to…
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