Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi outlined the importance of Lautaro Martinez to his team after a commanding Serie A win at Empoli.
During his post-game interview with DAZN, as reported by FCInterNews, the Nerazzurri boss addressed several crucial topics, including Martinez’s see-saw form.
After a disappointing draw against Juventus last weekend, Inter returned to the win column on Wednesday.
Inspired by Davide Frattesi’s second-half brace, the defending Serie A champions thumped Empoli 3-0 in Tuscany.
Lautaro Martinez landed the killing blow in the 79th minute for his fourth league goal this season.
Inzaghi was understandably pleased with his side’s performance against 10-man Gli Azzurri.
“The guys did great; it wasn’t easy,” he said. “We’d seen what Empoli had done at home, conceding just one goal per game.
“We knew we’d face challenges, and we did. In the first half, we didn’t move the ball quickly enough.
“But I told the players Empoli would tire, especially after their red card. I knew we’d find the goal.
“This is an excellent win that we wanted with all our might.”
Inter Milan Boss Simone Inzaghi Hails Lautaro Martinez After Emphatic Win vs Empoli
“We’re all thrilled for Lauti. We know what scoring means to a striker. For us, Lauti will always be a solution, never a problem,” Inzaghi stated.
“Even with a lower scoring average this season, his performances have been solid. Strikers have their moments.
“I kept him on so he could enjoy this one.
“I’m happy for him, for Davide, and for the whole team. We’ll keep working hard – personal satisfaction comes after team success.”
Inzaghi handed Tomas Palacios his first Serie A appearance down the final stretch.
“It’s positive regarding Palacios, a young player who is putting in tremendous effort,” the Inter boss added.
“There was satisfaction among the team for Palacios’ debut because he works very hard and well.
“He’s a player who will have a great future; for now, he needs to learn from the more experienced players; there will be satisfaction.”
As for the ensuing Scudetto race against Napoli, Inzaghi refuses to look that far ahead.
“Well, it’s a response to ourselves because in these two and a half days I’ve had mixed emotions inside me,” he continued.
“Looking back at the game we played on Sunday, something didn’t sit right with me. We deserved more, but that’s football.
“We should have done more, and in these days, we’ve tried to recover. Resource management is crucial because we play every 2-3 days and have absences.
“We had some very important players at home, and this limits us.
“I’m thinking about Barella, who was on his fourth consecutive game; Frattesi had played three matches before the Derby d’Italia.
“Asllani was ready for a few minutes, and we’ve been playing with only three midfielders since the Roma match.
“Zielinski fortunately gave us a hand.”