Inter Milan Coach Simone Inzaghi Sends Message To Arrigo Sacchi With Dominant Display Vs Benfica

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi sent a message to Arrigo Sacchi with his team’s impressive display against Benfica yesterday evening.

This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who suggest that the Nerazzurri’s dominance in the Champions League group stage match was a perfect way to brush off some criticism from the former AC Milan coach.

A prominent subplot in the buildup to yesterday’s match was the persistent criticism that Inter and particularly Inzaghi have received from former Rossoneri coach Sacchi.

Sacchi has not denied that Inzaghi is a good coach, or that he has led Inter to success.

However, the former Milan and Italy boss suggests that their are flaws to the Nerazzurri’s style of play under the 47-year-old.

The essence of Sacchi’s criticism concerns what he sees as a lack of proactive tactics from Inzaghi.

The former coach became iconic for the high-pressing, attack-oriented style of play that he implemented at Milan.

And in his post-coaching days, Sacchi has become a vocal pundit. He frequently criticizes what he sees as overly defensive football.

Inter & Inzaghi Send Sacchi A Message With Win Vs Benfica

Yesterday, Sacchi argued that Inter can lack courage and attacking intent under Inzaghi.

But then in the evening, the Nerazzurri almost seemed to directly respond to this notion in the second half against Benfica.

In the first half, Inter had not quite gotten out of second or third gear.

But after halftime, the Nerazzurri blew Benfica away.

The 1-0 scoreline does not really do justice to the degree of Inter’s dominance. The Nerazzurri missed several good chances to score two or three more goals.

And these chances came about due to very aggressive and proactive play by Inzaghi’s team.

Inter looked to control possession of the ball.

And when the Nerazzurri won the ball back it was often high up the pitch, rather than in their own half to launch a long counterattack.

It was the kind of performance that, at least theoretically, Sacchi should admire. Now the question is whether or not displays like yesterday’s will finally win the ex-Milan coach over to Inzaghi’s cause.