The Nerazzurri coach discusses the Supercoppa final against Napoli: ‘Preparing for a crucial match in less than 72 hours won’t be easy.’
Simone Inzaghi is talking about the Italian Supercup final against Napoli, set for Monday night in Riyadh. “It’s a final, often decided by key details and moments – he explained in a press conference. We need to be very careful, plus it’s a final to be organized in two and a half days, in less than 72 hours. It comes with its challenges.”
On his personal record of chasing the 5th Supercopa victory: “It matters, but more for Inter than for Simone Inzaghi. Winning the fifth Supercup would be great, but as I said before, the boys deserve all the praise for their effort. Since July 13, when they started working, they put Inter before personal joys. That’s the secret.”
Sweet words for capitan Lautaro as well: “He’s doing a great job on and off the field. He’s a very important captain, taking on his responsibilities as he should, we are really proud of him.”
Regarding the final against the Serie A Champions Napoli: “It’s a final, often decided by key details. We need to be careful, as it’s a final that we had to organize in two and a half days, in less than 72 hours. It has its challenges, but the team must keep working as they have been doing. We’re coming from an excellent semifinal, playing against the Italian champions who also won 3-0 in the Semis.”
On potential changes in the lineup: “Yesterday, those who played had a recovery session. My attention was on those who played less against Lazio: there was some fatigue, and some were tired. Today’s training will be more indicative. At the moment, I don’t have a clear idea about the lineup.”
How important is winning tomorrow night? “Very important; we are the reigning champions. We’ve won it for two years, and we are eager to bring it home again. We had a great game against Lazio, and now we’re taking the final step.”
On facing Napoli’s defensive approach: “They changed their system; they were a team with great possession, but against Fiorentina, they had less. Tomorrow, I don’t know yet; it’s thought that Mazzarri may stick to the formation from the semifinal, and we are working on that. But regardless we are really motivated for tomorrow’s match.”
How important is it for a coach to have a loved and listened-to captain like Lautaro? “It’s very important. The lad is doing a great job on and off the field. He’s a very important captain, taking on his responsibilities as he should. You see less of what he does away from the field every day. I’m very happy with him and his teammates.”
Is this game also a possibility to send a message to the league? “It would be a great signal, but beyond the league, we need to focus on this cup. There will be a sold-out stadium, a beautiful final. It’s important to get there and, if possible, win it. Then the league will be very exciting.”
