Inzaghi: ‘Inter fans took a while to get to know me’ | OneFootball

Simone Inzaghi feels there is now ‘reciprocal respect’ with Inter fans after they ‘took a while to get to know each other’ and thanks President Steven Zhang amid uncertainty.

Their final home game of the season ended in a 1-1 draw at San Siro.

Lazio were more motivated in their hunt for Europe, so took the lead through Daichi Kamada, but after several big Ivan Provedel saves and Lautaro Martinez denied by the upright, Denzel Dumfries rose to meet the Alexis Sanchez free kick at the 87th minute.

“My children and wife are there and can’t wait to get onto the pitch after the awards ceremony. As I said many times, these fans deserved the Scudetto,” Inzaghi told DAZN.

“We’ve been celebrating since April 22, we saw millions of Inter fans in the streets. I had won a Scudetto as a player and 24 years passed, now to win it as a coach is very satisfying.”

Would he advice his children to follow the family tradition and go into coaching?

“It takes a lot of passion, it is not easy, you need the good fortune to work at well-organised clubs and I was lucky with Lazio and then Inter, as they always tried to help us focus on our work.”

The mood in the stadium was mixed, as while they are set to lift the Serie A trophy this evening with a concert, they are also dealing with the reports that Suning and the Zhang family will lose control of the club over an unpaid loan from Oaktree.

“I can reassure the fans. I was with Marotta, Ausilio and Baccin yesterday, I think the director already spoke about it. As far as I am concerned, I can only thank Steven Zhang, who always supported me, put up with me and was great help.

“I can just be thankful for the organisation I found in these three years at Inter.”

Inzaghi finally letting loose

Inzaghi is famously very buttoned up and tries not to let himself get swept away, but has he finally relaxed into being Champion of Italy?

“Since April 22 I have been enjoying all these celebrations that the magnificent fans gave us, I spent more time with my family. Since reaching the summit, understandably, we all took our foot off the gas a little bit.

“It’s not always easy to leave problems outside, I often bring my work home with me, but I am fortunate to have a wife who supports and puts up with me.”

The coach even earned the nickname ‘The Demon of Piacenza’ while at Inter, although it is a rather ironic one.

“We got used to it! Aside from the nickname, we took a while to get to know each other, now there is reciprocal respect. We won a lot together and must continue to do so.”

The squad and Inzaghi will be presented with the Serie A trophy, their medals, then enjoy a concert from Inter fans Ligabue and Tananai.