Inter’s assistant coach Farris suggests busy fixture list affected Parma outcome

Massimiliano Farris, the assistant coach of Inter, has suggested that a congested fixture schedule played a significant role in their 2-2 stalemate against Parma on Saturday, a result that has opened the door for their competitors in the Serie A title chase.

Farris stepped in for the suspended Simone Inzaghi, who was sent off in the previous match, and pointed to a demanding period, which included a 1-1 draw with arch-rivals AC Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-finals on Wednesday, as a contributing factor to the outcome.

“We’ve just come off a series of intense matches against physical teams, and we understand the mental energy required for the derby,” Farris remarked during a press conference.

“It’s been a challenging stretch for us, and unfortunately, we lacked the mental and physical stamina to keep our opponents at bay this time.”

Inter took an early lead through Matteo Darmian in the 15th minute, and Marcus Thuram extended the advantage just before halftime. However, Parma rallied in the second half, with goals from Adrian Bernabe and Jacob Ondrejka, keeping the title race wide open.

Inter currently lead the league with 68 points, sitting four points clear of second-placed Napoli, who have the chance to reduce the deficit to one point when they take on Bologna on Monday.

Inter’s schedule doesn’t ease up as they prepare to face Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.

“This isn’t the first time something like this has happened, and it’s not unexpected. It really comes down to our mental and physical fortitude. While we didn’t want to drop points, sometimes these things occur. It’s not a crisis; we’ve been through tougher times,” Farris noted.

“Now, we turn our focus to Bayern Munich, aiming to give our all in this upcoming match. The final stretch will be important, and we want to approach it with confidence,” he concluded.