Inzaghi: “We played intelligently. I’m pleased we’ve repaid our marvellous fans”

MILAN – On a record-breaking night at San Siro, Inter sealed their place in the 2021/22 Coppa Italia final. After a goalless stalemate in the first leg, the Nerazzurri recorded a stunning 3-0 success over Milan in the semi-final second leg thanks to a brilliant first-half brace by Lautaro Martinez and Robin Gosens’ maiden goal for the club after the interval to secure Inter’s ticket to the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Wednesday 11 May.

“The players did brilliantly,” explained Simone Inzaghi after the match. “We played intelligently, hurting our opponents at the right time and working hard on the tactical side of our game. We wanted to reach the final. We wanted to win the derby because it was so important to us. A place in the final was at stake and we deserved it out on the pitch. 

“Maybe we didn’t quite keep our heads in our previous games and luck wasn’t on our side, but we got back on track tonight in terms of the areas where we’d been lacking and I’m so pleased that we’ve finally repaid our marvellous fans. The supporters were simply incredible tonight and we’re thrilled that we’ve given them all something to be happy about.

“We’ve been working towards this point since 8 July. We know all about the path that we’re on. We gave so much physically and mentally between January and March, and received plenty of criticism along the way, but we managed to keep our heads and we’ve kept working hard in silence. 

“We won the Italian Super Cup in January and now we have another final ahead of us. It’s the club’s first Coppa Italia final in 11 years, which is also how long it had been since the previous time Inter reached the last 16 in the Champions League.

“The final means ever so much to us. It’ll come towards the end of a league campaign that we want to do as well as we can in, knowing that there’s a long path ahead of us, but we want to fight until the end on all fronts.

“I have five fit forwards. Coaches have to make decisions every day. The five changes in the Super Cup helped us win a trophy, but we were on the wrong end of a comeback in the derby in the league, opening up a debate on my changes. I listened to all the criticism and tried to work on the areas that could be constructive.

“We’re now moving ahead because there’s a final to play and there’s a long way to go in the league as well. There have been so many changes in the title bid. We’re in a race with some top sides and it’ll be a fight until the final game.”