Inter fans are discussing whether their goalkeeper Samir Handanovic was at fault for Liverpool’s two goals last night, but former Nerazzurri star Gianluca Pagliuca defends him.
Fans are criticising Handanovic on social media following Inter’s 2-0 loss against Liverpool last night. Many see the 37-year-old’s presumed lack of reactivity as an issue for the Serie A champions. Several Inter fans suggest that he was too slow when Firmino scored the opener in the second half and didn’t even move when Mohamed Salah doubled the Reds’ lead.
Spoiler alert.
La palla è entrata.
Basta #handanovic basta! @Inter chiediamo pietà 🙏 https://t.co/WS1DmKBxLu— I M Sim🖤💙 🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@_Sim_Al_Bar) February 17, 2022
#Handanovic poteva fare ben poco"
Il tiro di Salah a momenti manco arriva in porta.pic.twitter.com/hN9vXvtvo5— ℙ ¡ ℕ ● (@5to1_) February 17, 2022
It’s not the first time that Handanovic is accused of not being reactive enough, conceding goals that other goalkeepers would avoid.
However, former Inter star Gianluca Pagliuca defended Handanovic in an interview with Notizie.com, saying that the Nerazzurri captain is “not responsible for Liverpool’s goals.
“Maybe, they just want to blame somebody for the defeat,” the former Italy goalkeeper added.
Inter will sign André Onana as a free agent from Ajax in the summer. The Cameroon international underwent his medicals with the Serie A champions in January. However, Handanovic is expected to remain at Inter one more season, extending his expiring contract at San Siro.
L'ex portiere dell'#Inter difende #Handanovic dalle accuse dopo la sconfitta in Champion's League#InterLiverpool #HandanovicOut
— Notizie.com (@com_notizie) February 17, 2022
That was the last scenario I imagined for them to concede. Inter have to be one of the top 3 sides in Europe when it comes to physicality and headerers (Is that a word?!) of the ball. They have all those players tall as a tree and yet concede a goal on a corner from Firmino of all people.
I’d be extremely disappointed if I was an Inter fan.
@Milan Fan: absolutely agree, yet De Vrij isn’t himself lately, gets bullied by every attacked, and Bastoni comes after an injury, only Skriniar who is up to the task at the moment.
@Hunter
They have Vidal, Perisic, Dumfries and Dzeko plus those three defenders. These guys are some of the best when it comes to winning headers, while even Martinez can hold his own aerially. That’s most of the team.
That’s 8 heading expert giants plus the goalkeeper (so 9 out of 11 players) in the box to defend a corner and yet Firmino wins the header and scores. It’s just utterly unacceptable.
Handanovic could’ve done better on the first goal. He did not even try to reach the ball.