Hakan Çalhanoğlu at Inter (2024/25): Tactical Analysis of a Regista at His Peak
Hakan Çalhanoğlu has once again established himself as a vital pillar of Simone Inzaghi’s Inter side, evolving from an attacking midfielder into one of Europe’s top deep-lying playmakers. His 2024/25 season was a showcase of tactical intelligence, technical quality, and strategic maturity. Below is a breakdown of his contributions based on statistical data and tactical context.
- 📍 Role and Adaptation in Inzaghi’s System
- Çalhanoğlu operated as a deep-lying playmaker (“regista”), dropping between the center-backs to initiate build-up play following Brozović’s departure.
- He often occupied the left half-space in attack but routinely dropped deep to dictate rhythm and connect phases of play.
Impact on the team:
- He led Inter in total touches and passes with over 1,155 passes completed in Serie A.
- Nearly 1,600 touches, 21 successful long balls, and 127 passes into the final third highlight his influence over ball circulation and tempo.
- 🔧 Technical Quality and Offensive Contribution
- Scored 5 Serie A goals and 4 Champions League goals, often from set-pieces or long-range efforts.
- Provided 4 assists with an expected assists (xA) value of 4.57, ranking him in the top 2% in Serie A.
- Averaged 2.2 key passes per game, with a total of 30 key passes during the league campaign.
- A set-piece specialist, he scored 7 penalties and created 19 chances from dead-ball situations.
Summary: Exceptional passing range, accurate shooting, and game-breaking delivery from set pieces define his offensive skill set.
Federico Valverde: Real Madrid’s Uruguayan Machine in Midfield
- 🛡️ Defensive Contribution and Off-the-Ball Work
- Averaged 4.2 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, with 25 interceptions and 70 chances created, underlining his box-to-box influence.
- He led Inter in interceptions, playing a key role in orchestrating pressing triggers and breaking up opposition attacks.
Defensive profile: Combines positional intelligence, anticipation, and work rate with his playmaking duties.
- 📉 Form, Consistency & Physical Challenges
- Started the season strongly but saw a dip in form in early 2025:
- Performance rating dropped from 6.33 to 5.12 in late-season matches.
- Duels won: fell from 57% to 32%,
- Chances created: declined from 1.9 to 0.5 per match,
- Recoveries: dropped from 5.7 to 2.1 per 90.
- Struggled with muscle issues (groin in October, calf in January), yet remained a crucial figure for Inzaghi.
- 🏆 Champions League & Overall Impact
- Against Manchester City, Çalhanoğlu delivered a masterclass:
- 68 touches, 40 passes completed, 14 recoveries, and 9 duels won.
- He played a key role in Inter securing their second star and domestic dominance.
- Named Serie A Midfielder of the Season (2023/24):
- 13 goals, 3 assists, 100% penalty conversion rate.
- Ranked among Europe’s top 5 deep-lying playmakers:
- Over 1,900 passes and 5.8 xA in the league.
- 🎯 Overall Tactical Assessment
| Area | Strengths | Areas to Improve |
|---|---|---|
| Build-up play | High volume passer, vision, long switches, set-piece delivery | – |
| Final third play | Accurate shooting, penalty conversion, long-range threat | Slight dip in goal output post-injury |
| Defensive work | Interceptions, recoveries, pressing coordination | Performance dip due to physical issues |
| Resilience/Leadership | Strategic presence, role adaptation, tactical intelligence | Needs better injury management |
Conclusion
Hakan Çalhanoğlu has become the tactical heartbeat of Inter’s midfield. With elite passing, set-piece mastery, and a strong defensive contribution, he plays a central role in both ball progression and team balance. Despite some physical setbacks in the latter part of the season, he remains one of Europe’s best in his role.
By: Xhulio Zeneli
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / NurPhoto