Icardi ire as Inter unravels
MILAN, Italy — Inter Milan captain Mauro Icardi was dismayed by his team’s secondhalf collapse in a 5-4 defeat to Fiorentina on Saturday that dented the Nerazzurri’s hopes of Europa League soccer.
“If you ask me, with the squad we have we deserve to be playing the Europa League because our chances of Champions League football ended with the defeats to Sampdoria and Crotone,” Argentine striker Icardi told Mediaset Premium.
“We’ ll see. We have five games left. Until May 28, we have to give every last drop and be as clinical as possible.”
Yet, after another haphazard performance, Inter’s hopes of a top-five finish in Serie A and entry to Europe’s second-tier event look slim.
It will be seven points adrift of the Europa League qualification places if fifth-placed Lazio, which is two points behind fourth-place Atalanta, beats Palermo on Sunday.
Inter traveled to Artemio Franchi Stadium desperate for its first win in five league matches.
The visitor responded to Matias Vecino’s 23rd-minute opener with goals from Ivan Perisic and Icardi by the 34 th minute.
However, Stefano Pioli’s men collapsed in the space of 17 second-half minutes, conceding a penalty as well as three goals before launching a futile, last-gasp revival after Khouma Babacar hit the second of a late brace in the 79th minute.
Inter’s third defeat in a fivegame winless run leaves it languishing in seventh place less than a year after its takeover by Chinese retail giant Suning Group.
Inter this week hosts thirdplace Napoli, which is battling with Roma for second spot, and Pioli told Sky Sports: “There’s no justification for our performance. We had an unexplainable blackout.
“It seems that in this period we just don’t know how to respond to certain difficulties. This is a big handicap, because soccer is full of challenges.
“We have to try to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
Minutes into the second half, Federico Bernardeschi’s woeful chipped spot-kick was parried by Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.
Italy midfielder Bernardeschi was replaced with Josip Ilicic just before the hour, sparking a Viola revival.
Davide Astori beat Handanovic with a powerful header from a corner before Vecino’s second goal give Fiorentina a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute.
Inter ultimately succumbed to a third loss in five matches that has left Pioli, who replaced the fired Frank De Boer in November, facing the sack at the end of the season.