Soccer
Piotr Zielinski has urged Inter to improve their level in the Champions League after their domestic double in 2025-26.
In Cristian Chivu’s first season in charge, he led the club to titles in both Serie A – finishing 11 points clear of Napoli – and the Coppa Italia, beating Lazio 2-0 in the final.
However, they faltered in the Champions League as they were shocked by Bodo/Glimt in the knockout-round play-offs.
Inter had won their first four matches in the league phase without conceding but ended a run of three straight losses to beat Borussia Dortmund in their final game of the first stage.
That meant they finished 10th in the league table but were then beaten 5-2 on aggregate by Bodo/Glimt.
The season before, they had reached the final but suffered a record 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, Zielinski wants the focus to be on a major improvement in the Champions League to go alongside more success domestically.
“Our ambitions are high; we want to repeat our success in Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and add a little something extra in the Champions League,” Zielinski told reporters at Inter’s pre-season camp in Germany.
“We have a great team, and we must do better in Europe than last season. We have a team that ought to be challenging on every front, so we’ll see where we end up.
— Inter (@Inter) July 17, 2026
“The Champions League was below our usual level last season, and we certainly need to improve.
“I won’t hide it; we all know what it means to win the Serie A title. We’ll do everything to win the Scudetto, Coppa Italia, and give our best in the Champions League too.”
Inter are the favourites to win Serie A for the second season running after adding a 21st title to their trophy cabinet last term.
They have not won the Scudetto in back-to-back seasons since winning five straight between 2006-07 and 2009-10.
Asked how Chivu was inspiring his squad to better last season’s achievements, Zielinski added: “He urged us to find new motivation, ambition and hunger for this new season, and to leave the past behind us.
“We’ve got to focus on what could come and prepare for this new campaign.”
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