Italian journalist Michele Criscitiello believes that whether or not Simone Inzaghi wins the Scudetto or the Coppa Italia, his first season as Inter coach has already been a successful one.
Writing in his column for Italian news outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, Criscitiello gave the view that the Nerazzurri coach has already surpassed the expectations laid out for him at the start of the campaign.
Inzaghi inherited a team which had managed to win the Serie A title last time around, but he had to cope with a summer of upheaval and major departures from that Scudetto-winning squad.
The coach has managed to put his stamp on the team and guided them to the Champions League round of sixteen as well as the Coppa Italia final, and has them in the Scudetto race with two matches to go.
The Nerazzurri could well finish the season having one both, one, or neither of the Coppa Italia and Serie A, but for Criscitiello it has already been a positive season regardless.
“Inter are divided in two,” Criscitiello suggests. “Their heads on the Italian Cup and hearts on the Scudetto.”
“It will be a week of passion,” he adds. “In a few days everything will decided.”
He argues that “However it goes, Simone Inzaghi has done even more than what he was asked to do. He made some mistakes, sure, but let’s not forget what he found when he opened the gate at the Pinetina.”
“Footballers without salaries, a fund ready to liquidate the Chinese ownership, Marotta having to sell their best okayers to make money and a budget transfer window,” he elaborates. “Inzaghi has done well in the circumstances.”
