Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi is very pleased with his team’s performance against Atletico Madrid, and happy for Marko Arnautovic.

The Nerazzurri boss spoke to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset, via FCInterNews, after his team secured a narrow 1-0 first leg victory via an Arnautovic goal in the Champions League.

Inter did not win by the most emphatic of margins against Atletico.

But the 1-0 victory certainly feels like the least that the Nerazzurri deserved on the night.

Inter created more and better chances than the La Liga side.

And there were a few that the team perhaps should have done better with.

That was the case with captain Lautaro Martinez, who missed a couple of very good opportunities.

And it was certainly the case for Arnautovic. The veteran former West Ham United and Stoke City striker came on as a second half substitute, and fluffed his lines on a couple of glaring occasions.

But eventually Arnautovic got it right. The Austrian buried the rebound from a Martinez effort to give Inter an advantage going into the second leg in three weeks’ time.

Inzaghi Happy With Performance Vs Atletico, For Arnautovic

“This match leaves us feeling positively after the guys put in an extraordinary performance against top opposition,” Inzaghi said after the final whistle.

“We regret having only managed to win it 1-0 after the chances we had,” he continued.

“Because it will be an intense match in Madrid.”

Inter coach Inzaghi said that “I’m happy for Arnautovic.”

“He’s doing very well in training,” the coach added of the striker. “He and Sanchez are both training hard, and then doing well when called upon.”

“We had a good first half,” Inzaghi said.

“Though not exceptional against a great team opponent.”

“In the second half, we weren’t good enough for the first ten minutes,” the coach admitted. “But then after that we were sensational. And all the players who came off the bench gave us a big hand.”

“That’s the way they always have to be.”

“It was a great Inter performance,” Inzaghi added. “A great evening. But now we have to look to the return leg in Madrid.”

Of the condition of striker Marcus Thuram, the Inter coach said that “He had a bit of a problem after a challenge from Witsel.”

“Then after shooting on goal, he felt tightness in the muscle.”

Inzaghi said of the striker that “In the next few days, we’ll see what the problem is for him.”

“These things can happen,” he added. “Let’s see. Hopefully we don’t lose him for too long.”

Praise For Denzel Dumfries & Carlos Augusto

The Inter coach also had words of praise for wingbacks Denzel Dumfries and Carlos Augusto.

The pair came on as second half substitutes, and had a significant impact on the match.

“They came on and did well,” Inzaghi said of the two wide players.

“They did very well. But so did Dimarco and Darmian.”

“They sacrificed a lot starting. In this formation, the wingbacks use a lot of energy, and so I needed to replace them.”

“And let’s not forget that Tajon Buchanan is also a great player,” the Nerazzurri coach added.

And as far as whether he sees this as the best Inter team he’s coaches, Inzaghi said “That’s not an easy question.”

“These six months have been great,” the coach said. “But March and April are the important months. The guys have to keep going the way they have been.”