Bologna Coach Thiago Motta Was Close To Inter Milan As Simone Inzaghi In The Spring

Bologna coach Thiago Motta had been close to joining Inter Milan as a replacement for Simone Inzaghi in the spring.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, via FCInterNews, who note ahead of this afternoon’s Serie A clash that Motta had been one of the main candidates to replace Inzaghi before the current Nerazzurri coach steadied the ship.

Inter coach Inzaghi now looks virtually more secure in his position than he ever has.

By all indications, the 47-year-old former Lazio coach wants to stay at the Nerazzurri for a long time.

And the club seem to feel the way. Inter handed Inzaghi a new contract, a reward for the way in which he and the team ended last season.

However, this situation is a big turnaround from the way that things looked in the spring.

Before Inter went on a blazing run to claim third place in the Serie A table, win the Coppa Italia, and reach the Champions League final at the end of last season, the team’s form had been absolutely abysmal.

Inter went on a shocking run in which they took just one point from fifteen.

Losses against Spezia, Juventus, Fiorentina, and Monza, and a draw against Salernitana left the Nerazzurri outside of the top four of the Serie A table.

It seemed as though something had to change. Reports suggested that Inter were considering sacking Inzaghi before the end of the season, to salvage things.

And in any event, even if the coach had stayed on until the summer, a change would then look likely.

Bologna Coach Thiago Motta Was One Of Inter Milan’s Main Candidates To Replace Inzaghi

Inter considered a number of possible candidates to take Inzaghi’s place.

And one of the main ones was Bologna coach Motta.

There were a few reasons for this.

One is simply the fact that Motta had the Rossoblu in excellent form since taking over last season. They had produced a statement win over Inter at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in February.

And that is something that has continued at the start of this season.

The Emilian team currently sit an impressive eighth place in the Serie A table. They have relied on a strong defensive start to the campaign, as well as a clear-defined possession-based style.

The Corriere della Sera note that that possession style was a key reason why Inter were interested in Motta.

The 41-year-old had caught a lot of eyes with how he got Bologna playing a very proactive, fluid style.

This is the kind of style that top European teams tend to expect their coaches to play.

And while Inzaghi can certainly get Inter playing a possession-based style, there have been persistent doubts about whether his Nerazzurri team are too defensive. These were particularly vociferous during that dreadful run of form during the spring.

Lastly, there is the fact that Motta knows Inter.

The former Italian international won the European Treble with the Nerazzurri during the 2009-10 season. Therefore, he would hardly need to make a cultural adjustment.

In the end, Inzaghi decisively took back the reins.

But had he not been able to do so, Motta could be sitting on the other bench this evening.