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Carboni’s fairytale return lifts Inter
- Valentin Carboni returned from a long-term injury layoff in Internazionale's win against Urawa
- Made a decisive impact and earned praise from head coach Cristian Chivu
- Nerazzurri face a decisive, final group stage clash against CA River Plate next week
There was a double dose of celebration – and no small amount of relief – in FC Internazionale Milano’s dressing room following their nail-biting win over Urawa Red Diamonds at the FIFA Club World Cup™. First, for grinding out a hard-fought result that leaves them well placed in Group E ahead of their final clash against CA River Plate. Second, for the long-awaited comeback of young Argentinian midfielder Valentin Carboni, who marked the occasion with a goal.
“I’m happy for Valentin. I’ve known him since he was a kid; I brought him into the Primavera side [his youth team],” said coach Cristian Chivu in the post-match press conference.
“It’s been exactly eight months since his ACL injury. We’d spoken during his time away. He was very happy because he’d worked so hard to recover from such a serious setback. It was his first game back, and to see him smiling, scoring and deciding the match made me very happy.”
It was a return to remember for the 20-year-old attacking midfielder, whose last outing came on 4 October 2024, during a loan spell at Olympique de Marseille in a draw against Angers. Just days later, while training with the Argentina national team in Miami, he suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
The script could have come straight out of Hollywood: physically recovered, Valentin Carboni laid his ghosts to rest in the very country where his nightmare had begun. That bleak image from Miami, where months earlier he had lifted the Copa America with Argentina, has now been replaced by a far happier snapshot at a rain-soaked Lumen Field in the heart of Seattle. “I was a bit emotional beforehand, coming back after so long, and it felt like a weight off my shoulders,” Carboni told FIFA post-match.
For much of the match, Inter struggled to break down the defensive discipline of the tireless Japanese team, which took the lead just eleven minutes in and then worked doggedly to shut down space and frustrate the Nerazzurri.
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In the 72nd minute, Chivu turned to Carboni, bringing him on in place of Albania’s Kristjan Asllani. The young Argentinian brought much-needed composure to an Inter attack that had stalled, making his mark by driving forward, breaking lines, and threading passes through the narrow channels of Urawa’s tight marking. With Carboni on the pitch, Lautaro Martinez – who netted the Italian side’s opener with a spectacular acrobatic finish – was freed from having to drop deep to create.
“These past few months were tough for me. I want to dedicate this goal to my family and my girlfriend. It’s the result of all the effort I’ve put in,” said an emotional Carboni. “They were eight really hard months, and I didn’t just work on the physical side – I did mental work as well, because that’s just as important. I’ve had people helping me throughout, and I want to thank them.”
His return is a welcome boost for Chivu’s side. Of the starting XI that lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final in Munich on 31 May 2025, only four players remain in the line-up: Yann Sommer, Federico Dimarco, Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez.
Injuries to Hakan Calhanoglu, Denzel Dumfries, Davide Frattesi, Yann Aurel Bisseck and Piotr Zielinski opened the door for several youngsters. Alongside Carboni, both Francesco Pio Esposito (19) and Petar Sucic (21) featured during the contest, while Thomas Berenbruch (20), Alessandro Calligaris (20), Matteo Cocchi (18), Giacomo De Pieri (18), Tomas Palacios (22) and Gabriele Re Cecconi (19) completed a youthful-looking bench.
“It feels great, especially because we managed to win,” Carboni added. “I’m back now and I’m really happy I was able to come on and help the team. In the run-up to the match, we talked about how we had to win no matter what, whatever it takes. Now it’s time to start thinking about the next one.”
And what a clash it promises to be, with CA River Plate lying in wait. The Argentinian giants will be looking to continue the strong form that the South American sides have shown against top European opposition throughout the global showpiece.
"They’ll definitely bring more intensity and aggression; they’ve got some technically gifted players. It’ll be a good game, for sure,” Carboni said, before heading off to celebrate with team-mates who welcomed him back like a brother.
