Inter Milan’s Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has addressed his recent penalty miss and discussed his future in an interview with TV8.5. The playmaker, who recently experienced his first penalty miss in Serie A while wearing the Nerazzurri shirt, showed no signs of wavering confidence.
“I don’t run away from my responsibilities,” Calhanoglu stated firmly. “If I miss another penalty, I’ll take the next one too. Some might think I have an ego. It’s not about that; I trust myself.”
When asked about a potential return to Turkey, Calhanoglu was cautious in his response. “I had the opportunity to return to Turkey when I was at Milan, but it didn’t materialize due to the presidential elections at Galatasaray. Currently, I’m an Inter player with a contract until 2027. I don’t know what will happen in the future, and it would be wrong for me to say anything. I don’t want to give false hope to anyone.”
Reflecting on Inter’s recent 4-4 draw with Juventus, Calhanoglu revealed his prescient warning to teammates. “Before the match, I told my teammates to be careful with Yildiz, not to give him room to breathe. He came off the bench and scored two goals, earning a point for his team. I had warned them…”
The midfielder also touched on Inter’s Champions League aspirations following last season’s final defeat. “Losing the Champions League was a difficult moment for us. The following year, we became Italian champions, winning the second star. Now we’re doing well, and the upcoming matches will be crucial. The Champions League format is very different this season, and I hope we can have another chance. I’m happy that Arda Guler won it with Real Madrid.”
Calhanoglu expressed agreement with those who complain about the congested fixture schedule. “We don’t have a moment’s rest because we play a match every 2-3 days. Now there’s the international break, but when we return to our clubs, we won’t stop. This calendar also leads to injuries. At home, I don’t follow football at all; I don’t watch matches because I don’t have time. I train, play, and recover. So when I have free time, I dedicate it to my children.”
