Legendary former AC Milan manager Arrigo Sacchi believes that Inter coach Simone Inzaghi must play an attacking, proactive style of football if he is to succeed in the Champions League going forward.
Writing in his column in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Sacchi gave his thoughts on the Nerazzurri’s progression to the knockout rounds of Europe’s top competition.
Inter are in the Champions League round of sixteen for the first time in a decade thanks to a 2-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk at the San Siro on Wednesday.
Sacchi gave his appraisal of the match, in which he felt that while the Nerazzurri were deserved winners, they also showed faults and vulnerabilities which they must address as they go forward in the competition.
The former coach believes that the most important thing for Inzaghi to keep in mind as he approaches potential matchups with the best teams in Europe is to keep on the front foot and play a pressing style with a high tempo.
“Inter won against a tough Shakhtar in the second half thanks to Dzeko being unleashed,” he writes. “During the first half the Nerazzurri came close to scoring a few time, but they lacked determination in their finishing.”
“Inzaghi’s team suffered from the possession of De Zerbi’s men, as well as the technical ability and speed of the likes of Dodo and Fernando,” he adds. “The Nerazzurri’s pressing didn’t always have the correct intensity and timing, which is a shame, because this would have helped to launch more counterattacks, which remain the strong point of this team.”
“After going 2-0 up,” he goes on, “Inter saved energy by becoming defensively more compact, and then De Zerbi’s men hit the post and created some excellent chances.”
“To Inzaghi, I congratulate you because Inter are growing, but remember that in the Champions League you almost always win by playing total and offensive football,” he concluded.
