Former Inter defender Antonio Paganin says the Nerazzurri must raise their intensity in the Champions League after their defeat to Club Brugge, warning that the team looked superficial in Europe.

Speaking on TMW Radio, Paganin assessed Inter’s setback and said the Brugge match exposed a difference between their European approach and the force they show in Serie A. He noted that the Belgian side caused problems whenever it broke forward, leaving Inter with a recurring risk of conceding.

Paganin acknowledged Inter’s positive display in Madrid but argued that the team still struggles to impose itself at the European level. Cristian Chivu had previously highlighted courage and character after that match, a contrast to Paganin’s concern about the Nerazzurri’s performance against Brugge.

Paganin questions Inter’s European identity

In his assessment, the issue went beyond individual mistakes. Paganin said Inter appeared less sharp than the dominant side seen in the league, and suggested the previous European campaign indicated that the team had lost some of its European identity.

He also warned that failing to reach the Champions League’s second phase would carry a serious cost, both on the pitch and financially. The record he cited was seven defeats in Inter’s last eight Champions League matches.

Paganin’s concern is that the standards required in Europe differ from those Inter encounter domestically. He argued that European opponents punish errors immediately, while the Nerazzurri’s ability to recover from difficult positions in Italy may have contributed, perhaps unconsciously, to a less demanding approach abroad.

That diagnosis puts the emphasis on intensity and game management, rather than attributing the setback solely to individual errors. Inter’s defensive trade-off under Chivu has also been discussed in the context of how the team can maintain its balance.

Paganin’s view on Martinez and the goalkeeper role

Paganin also addressed Josep Martinez, suggesting that the comparison with Yann Sommer may have led the goalkeeper to overdo things against Brugge as he tried to show that the decision to select him was right. He stressed that the relationship between a player and coach, as well as the goalkeeper’s state of mind, mattered when considering whether Martinez should be rested.

Drawing on Inter’s history with Julio Cesar and Samir Handanovic, Paganin said the position demands personality. He left the wider European question with the coaching staff: they must establish why Inter’s approach has changed and how the team can recover its sharper edge.