After almost a year since his farewell to Inter and subsequent signing with Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Simone Inzaghi has spoken again, this time to the microphones of La Gazzetta dello Sport. Here are his statements below.
First, let’s talk about the investigation into referees.
“It shocked me: Inter lost quite a few points last season because of refereeing errors. The league, the Super Cup… It’s surprising to be dragged into a story in which we were penalized and not favored.”
The magistrates talk about referees liked and disliked by Inter.
“Okay, but how can you think of a plot? For us, it was a disastrous season. I have always had great respect for the work of referees and I don’t want to talk about Napoli, who won the Scudetto honestly. But the feeling remains that something was taken from us. I’m not accusing anyone and I don’t doubt anyone’s good faith. Let’s just say we weren’t lucky, everything went against us, even though we have our own faults. The disappointment remains and won’t go away: losing the Scudetto by one point is painful.”
Do you feel more the merit of having won a Scudetto or the demerit of having lost two?
“You can’t have regrets in sports, especially if you come second behind opponents who have had great seasons. In four years I’ve won a lot and I’m happy with the results. I don’t know if we could have done more, but we reached two Champions League finals. In any case, I accept criticism, as long as it’s about me and not the players: they always gave me everything they had.”
If you found yourself in the same situation as a year ago, would you prioritize the Scudetto or try again to win the Champions League?
“I wouldn’t change anything. We had a dream: the treble. At the end of the season, we paid for the 23 extra matches played compared to Napoli. But I would do it all again: Inter has the duty to compete at every level. And then the nights against Bayern and Barcelona will stay in my mind more than the trophies. Those were perhaps unrepeatable victories.”
What happened in the final in Munich?
“We went into the match without much energy, both physical and mental: it’s not an excuse but a fact. The disappointment of losing the Scudetto weighed on us, undermining our self-esteem. PSG is a great team, as we saw the other night against Bayern: they set the tone for the final with two goals and took advantage of their better sharpness, while we tried to react and became disjointed. It still hurts to have lost like that, but we can’t forget what happened before, in Europe.”
Once and for all: did you tell the team before the final that you would be leaving?
“Absolutely not. I couldn’t have done it because the decision, which was very difficult for me and my family, hadn’t been made. The truth is that everything happened very quickly: two days after Munich we met at Marotta’s house, with Ausilio and Baccin present. In that context, I expressed the need for a change, because I felt a cycle had ended. They would have liked to continue with me but understood my choice: we parted as friends and still are. But if we had won the Champions League, I would have stayed at Inter.”
So why did you say before the final that there were several offers on your table?
“Because you never know how things will go and because my duty was not to hide from the fans what could happen. Even in other situations there had been offers and I had never accepted them. This time it was different: I wanted to try a new experience.”
People go to Arabia for the money, not for ambition.
“Or you go to discover a new reality, to challenge yourself in a different context. Luckily, I’ve never had money problems, that’s not what I was missing. I had a wonderful house in Milan from which I could see everything, even San Siro. The offer convinced me and now here I am, happy to be here.”
Do you miss Italy?
“Honestly, no. Since I arrived in Riyadh, I’ve only been home for four days. I have my family, my parents and my friends often come to visit me, I don’t suffer from homesickness. I live in a compound where the facilities are excellent, including the American school for my children. The organization is perfect, even at the club. And I’m also learning English.”
The Saudi media have spoken of a possible sacking.
“It seems to me that everyone is happy with me. We reached the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup, we’re still in the running for the league title because we’re 5 points behind but still have to face Al Nassr head-to-head, we have to play the King’s Cup final… And above all, we haven’t lost a match all season, because the elimination from the Asian Champions League against Al Sadd of Mancini came on penalties. I don’t think there’s another unbeaten coach in the world.”
You proudly claim the fruits of your work. But if an Italian team, or even the National Team, called you?
“I’m not thinking about it. I still have a year left on my contract with Al Hilal and I’m very enthusiastic. I had never been away from Italy and this adventure is making me better, both as a person and as a professional.”
Aren’t you at risk of becoming a prisoner of your huge salary and being ‘forced’ to stay in Arabia?
“I really don’t think so. As I said before, money has never been my top priority. Other colleagues have coached in the Saudi League and then returned to Europe. When the time comes, and I can’t say when that will be, we’ll see.”
Meanwhile, Inter quickly consoled itself: it won the Scudetto by a landslide.
“They did very well, winning is never easy. And the credit also goes to Chivu. I knew the group and had no doubts about the players’ abilities. But betting on Cristian was also the right choice and I knew it, because I had seen him work. Now it’s right for Inter to celebrate and then try to win the Coppa Italia final.”
Dimarco complained about the systematic substitutions he underwent during your tenure.
“Federico also had great seasons with me and he knows it well: I was the one who kept him at Inter after seeing him in training for ten days, otherwise he might have left on another loan. His words were probably misinterpreted, the relationship is excellent: we’re still in touch. I’ve also read a lot about Zielinski. But people forget that I was the one who wanted him at Inter, when Marotta and Ausilio presented me with the opportunity. Unfortunately, last year he had many physical problems and struggled to show his qualities.”
With this season’s squad, would Inzaghi have ended up empty-handed in 2025?
“I don’t know, you can never say. For sure, the club did well in the market, both by improving the attack and by signing Akanji, who was an excellent reinforcement for the defense.”
You mentioned the final at the Olimpico. Lazio against Inter, your “teams.” Who does your heart root for?
“For neither. I sit in my armchair and enjoy the show. They are two clubs that have given me a lot, so may the best team win. In a final, anything can happen, who knows.”
Speaking of the Azzurri, how do you explain the World Cup flop?
“The problems exist and shouldn’t be underestimated: we need to start again from the basics by making a leap forward in mentality, starting from the youth sectors. Football must achieve results through courage and initiative, not by thinking about winning at all costs at the expense of the quality of play.”
Anything else?
“I would reduce the format of Serie A. Maybe these are painful choices, but in five years they will make the people who favored the change happy. And one last piece of advice: value the children’s coaches, who teach technique and not tactics. I am grateful to many coaches but I am especially attached to those who raised me in the youth sector. Without them, I would never have become Simone Inzaghi.”
