Inter coach Simone Inzaghi feels that things aren’t going to get any easier for the team now that they add the Coppa Italia to their list of fixtures before the end of the season, but that this has to be a positive thing.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset after the Nerazzurri’s 1-0 win over Juventus in the Coppa Italia, via FcInterNews, the 47-year-old expressed the hope that there can even be eleven matches to come if his team are able to reach the final of the Champions League.
Inter have had a packed schedule since the return from the international break at the start of this month, with the team playing two legs of knockout ties in both the Champions League and the Coppa Italia in addition to their league commitments.
Progression from each of those two ties means that the Nerazzurri will face both a two-legged Champions League semifinal tie against AC Milan as well as the Coppa Italia final against either Fiorentina or Cremonese next month.
Of the win over Juventus, Inzaghi said that “It was a brilliant match, we played the way we had to and were intense right until the end.”
“We deserved to reach the final over the two legs, we’re very happy because we wanted to go back to Rome, and we will be.”
“We have ten matches to go from now until the end of the season,” the 47-year-old observed, before suggesting that “We hope there’ll be one more as well.”
“Let’s enjoy this evening, the guys did very well because playing in these matches is never easy.”
Of his team’s performance, Inzaghi said that “We never gave up a meter against a high-quality team and always stayed united.”
“We defended deeper as a cohesive unit, but we also stepped up and pressed them at times, and then the players who came off the bench also gave me a great response,” the coach added.
When it was pointed out that Francesco Acerbi gives a lot to this Inter team, Inzaghi replied “Absolutely, yes.”
“With a little effort, the club directors and the club gave me what I wanted.”
“He’s a player I know well, he has great qualities on and off the pitch.”
“He’s giving us a huge hand, as are the rest of his teammates in making these deep runs in the cup competitions.”
Regarding the ability of Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella to shift the balance for Inter, Inzaghi said that “They’re extremely high-level players with a lot of great physical and technical qualities.”
“But it would be simplistic to talk about just these players, right now apart from Skriniar I have the entire squad fit and available,” the coach continued.
“For four months I was without Lukaku and Brozovic, and we know how important they are for us.”
As for his greetings with Juventus coach Max Allegri at the end of the match, Inzaghi said that “I think he congratulated me on the semifinals.”
“There’s great respect between he and I, we’ve spoken for many years,” he added.