Under the Radar - Inzaghi's Inter
- Christian Paris
- Apr 15
- 5 min read
Just days on from a crucial win over Cagliari amid a tense Serie A title race, and almost a week on from a mammoth 2-1 win at Bayern Munich in their UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final first leg, Simone Inzaghi has his Inter Milan side firing at the perfect moment in the season.
Where it once seemed the Scudetto was heading to Antonio Conte’s Napoli, the Neroazzurri have turned on title mode, losing just once in their last 19 league outings, and look on course to secure consecutive Scudetto titles for the first time since the legendary 09/10 treble winning side under Jose Mourinho, and still have a chance to repeat that feat.
Meanwhile the terrific triumph against Bayern last Tuesday followed a super group phase for the Italians, in which they won six from their eight fixtures including a 1-0 win over Arsenal, as well as a typically robust point earned at the Etihad Stadium on matchday one.
Inzaghi’s side eased past Feyenoord in the Round of 16 before a titan matchup with the six-time European champions, where despite having grown into one of the best sides on the continent, were still stamped as underdogs.
Since his arrival in the summer of 2021, Inter have become the dominant force in Italy. Three successive Supercoppa Italiana triumphs, as well as two Coppa Italia titles, and their first league victory last season – it has marked the emergence of one of the very best coaches in world football.
It begs the question to be asked – why have Inzaghi’s Inter gone under the radar?
Is it the lack of media coverage or exposure in comparison with the leagues in England or Spain, the perceived lack of so-called ‘stars’ throughout Serie A that grab your attention, or the fact the Italian topflight post-Juventus' decade of supremacy has become delightfully unpredictable.
From the 19/20 season where Juventus won their last Scudetto, there have been four different winners including the Bianconeri, as well as Napoli, AC Milan and Inter, whilst the latter side are the only to win it more than once in that period.
Adding a third title in that period, and a second under Inzaghi would, if any was left, remove doubt about who the top dogs are in Italy – with European success a highly feasible achievement this season, just as a bonus.
All of this without even scratching the surface on how Inzaghi has moulded his team in Milan. The signs were heavily apparent and showing during his tenure in the capital at Lazio.
Inzaghi took on a side that had finished eighth in the 2015/16 campaign, before leading them back into the Europa League places the following season, and for the most part sustaining that consistency, including a superb fourth place finish in 19/20 that fired the Biancocelesti into the Champions League for the first time since 2015.
It did not stop there. Inzaghi led Lazio first to a Coppa Italia final in his first season, and despite losing out to a then dominant Juventus side, his men then flipped the script at the start of the next campaign, defeating the Bianconeri to claim the Supercoppa.
The end of 2018/19 saw his Lazio get their hands on the Coppa Italia defeating a potent Atalanta side, before again lifting the Supercoppa in December of the same year. No issues playing a three at the back system for Inzaghi.
Moving forward to the present day – how have Inzaghi and Inter become the perfect match?
Clearly a man with a clear idea for his teams, the transition to becoming one of the most ruthless and efficient sides in Europe has seemed effortless.
Recruitment has no doubt played a telling role. His first summer was a significant one in shaping his trademark 3-5-2 structure, both with incomings and outgoings. Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi were decisive departures and certainly questioned at the time with both pivotal in Inter’s title winning season that concluded just months prior.
This is not an article however that will disregard some of the benefits Inzaghi had at his disposal, none more important than joining the Italian champions, and aiming to adapt his philosophy onto a group of players that were already familiar with the 3-5-2 used under Conte, though Inzaghi had work to do to create fluidity in rigid foundations.
Acquisitions from that first summer, Denzel Dumfries and Matteo Darmian, brought in for a combined €18m, both who have remained key pieces of Inzaghi’s well-oiled machine, though no addition from that window has been more critical or as astute as Hakan Çalhanoğlu on a free – from city rivals Milan no less.
The Turkish midfielder has remained an influential part of Inter’s midfield. The conductor, if you will. His experience helps to control the rhythm and intensity the Neroazzurri play at, when to speed up or slow down. You could say another underrated cog in a well-crafted unit.
Notable arrivals the following season saw Andre Onana come in between the sticks, who shone particularly in Inter’s impressive run to the Champions League final before his quick departure to Manchester United at the end of just one season.
Francesco Acerbi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have proven to be terrific pickups, and mainstays under Inzaghi, whilst it was the following summer that made all the difference in their search for another Scudetto.
Winning the race for Benjamin Pavard was decisive business for just over €30m, as well as the arrivals of Yann Bisseck, Yann Sommer, Marcus Thuram and Davide Frattesi, who all ultimately came in for roughly €60m total. Superb recruitment.
These additions joined a steel spine of players that mixed experience and youth, including Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni defensively, Nicolo Barella in midfield, not to mention the talismanic Lautaro Martinez up top.
Inzaghi combined with such business has proven his abilities to improve his players. Look at the development of Bastoni, who has become one of the world’s best in his position, likewise for Barella.
Federico Dimarco has shone at left wing-back, whilst his flexibility tactically has seen so-called forgotten names like Marko Arnautovic come up with big moments when called upon.
Inzaghi’s managerial career has gone from strength to strength, his track record is there to see and needs more recognition outside of Italy.
Inter have proven to be the perfect spot for the Italian manager, and their success together looks set to continue with a treble still on the cards, and whilst it looks like this partnership will only get the plaudits it deserves with success on the continental stage, it will have been long overdue.
Comments