Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi is hoping that the injury that forced Nicolo Barella off in the team’s 2-1 win over Udinese won’t be serious enough to cause him to miss much time.
Speaking to Italian news outlet DAZN after the match, the coach explained that he had received reassurances from the team’s medical staff and expressed hope that the problem won’t be serious, and gave his reaction to the match.
Barella’s enforced substitution during the second half will be the major dark spot on an evening where the Nerazzurri otherwise did what they had come to do.
Two first-half goals were enough to see the team take all three points, even though the closing stages of the match were made nervier by Udinese getting a goal back in the second half.
The team will be worried about the condition of Barella and hoping that the 25-year-old is able to make a speedy recovery with more important matches on the horizon.
“It looks like a bad bruise,” Inzaghi said of the midfielder’s condition. “I hope it’s nothing serious, he’s a very important player for us and he had a great game.”
“The medical staff have reassured us but we’re crossing our fingers because he’s important for us,” the coach added.
Regarding the match, Inzaghi characterized his team’s display as a “Great performance, with character and personality, against the team with the best form in April besides us.”
“They came up against an Inter who wanted to win and deserved it at a very difficult away ground,” he added, “and also thanks to out fans who almost made us feel as if it was the San Siro pushing us on at the end.”
“At 2-0 we up we conceded Pussetto’s goal which made us drop back a bit,” he said, “but we stayed in the game and risked almost nothing.”
“I think it’s the 50th game since the beginning of the season,” the coach said, “but we played well, we wanted to win.”
“There are three matches to go plus the Coppa Italia final,” he said, “we played seven matches in 22 days but the team is in good condition and we believe right until the end.”
Asked whether playing after rivals AC Milan makes a difference he responded, “No, because we’re used to it. There have been televisions for many years, next time we play first.”
“We must be used to it,” he added, “I personally was focused on my own match and the players have shown that they are as well.”
“We must always stay focused and think one match at a time,” he added, “keeping in mind that on Friday we have a very important match against Empoli in front of our fans.”
On responding after Wednesday’s tough 2-1 loss to Bologna, Inzaghi said that “We talked as a team, we needed to have a top match.”
“We talked about Udinese, a physical and technical team in excellent form,” he went on. “We had to play a real Inter match, knowing that we can’t give up, there are nine points left to play for and anything’s possible.”
“I can only say that after winning the Supercoppa, we’re in the running in the league and in the Coppa Italia,” the coach said when asked if the team are in a “Pazza Inter” moment.
“We want to try to win something else,” he added, “we know we have strong opponents but I think the fans enjoy seeing this team play.”
“Sometimes we haven’t won,” he added. “but I think that given the summer prospects, the fans have enjoyed it.”
“And if being ‘Pazza’ means making the round of sixteen in the Champions League and the final of the Coppa Italia, I hope it’s always ‘Pazza,'” he joked.
