Inter have given themselves a timely confidence boost after a difficult week. The 3-0 victory at Feyenoord in the Champions League, secured on November 3, answered serious questions raised by the 3-1 derby defeat to Milan days earlier. Yann Bisseck, Pio Esposito and Piotr Zielinski were the scorers, with Esposito ending a near two-month goal drought and Jorrel Spence delivering one of his most encouraging performances since arriving from the Premier League. The result moved Inter into the playoff places in the Champions League and kept them second in Serie A on 25 points, one behind Lazio.

The win matters beyond the scoreline. Nicolo Barella and Federico Dimarco, two players who had drawn criticism in recent weeks, responded well in Rotterdam, giving coach Cristian Chivu cause for optimism heading into a congested schedule. The absence of Alessandro Bastoni through suspension and the continued unavailability of Lautaro Martinez, Curtis Jones and John Stones had made selection difficult, but the squad depth held up.

Off the pitch, president Giuseppe Marotta moved to close down speculation about a return for Mauro Icardi and indicated the club's position on the contract situations of Calhanoglu and Dimarco. Both renewals remain unresolved. Inter host Como in Serie A on November 8 at the Giuseppe Meazza, a game they will approach with renewed momentum after the performance in the Netherlands.