Inter Coach Simone Inzaghi: “I’ve Always Reassured Lautaro Martinez That He’d Get Back To Scoring”

Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi believes that the goal drought of Lautaro Martinez was never a worry, and that the Argentine was always likely to get back on the scoresheet.

Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, the coach emphasized that he has always spoken with Martinez and reassured him that he continues to have faith in the 24-year-old despite a patch of bad form.

Inzaghi will know as well as anyone how strikers can experience good and bad moments of form in their careers, having himself played as a striker for well over a decade at the highest level.

Martinez had been in a prolonged slump in form recently, scoring only once in over two months, from the penalty spot against Juventus in the Supercoppa Italiana.

However, the 24-year-old announced his return to scoring in emphatic fashion with his hat-trick against Salernitana on Friday, and his coach never doubted that this turnaround would come.

“It’s nice to see Lautaro returned to scoring,” Inzaghi said, “I know how much a forward can be bothered by being without a goal.”

“We had talked and I told him to rest assured because a striker only has to worry if he fails to create chances,” he added. “I’m also happy for Dzeko, I was hoping Correa and Caicedo would also score since Sanchez had scored recently.”

The coach explained that “All five are fine, and tomorrow I’ll choose the two who are best off.”

He said of this evening’s Champions League clash with Liverpool that “We played well against Salernitana, but against the Reds we will need to do even better.”

“They are the best team in Europe,” he said, “we have to come back from the result in the first leg which is harsh, and we won’t have our stadium behind us, but we’ll try to play our game in the best way.”

The coach concluded that “Against a team like this we will need pace, aggression, and determination, and for the little episodes to go our way.”