Inzaghi eyeing glory and legendary status

Simone Inzaghi is on the verge of becoming a true Inter Milan great, as he leads his team to the Champions League final with another chance at an era-defining triumph to make up for the pain of conceding the Serie A title to Napoli.

Inter has become one of Europe's top teams under Inzaghi, and reaching the final of the continent's leading club competition for the second time in three seasons is a testament to the impressive job he has done since taking charge in 2021.

The 48-year-old has had to navigate off-field turbulence and serious financial problems, which have left the Nerazzurri with a transfer budget that's a fraction of those enjoyed by nouveau riche clubs like Saturday's opponent, Paris Saint-Germain.

But, Inzaghi will contest this weekend's showdown with Qatari-backed PSG with, potentially, a better chance of winning the Champions League than he did in Istanbul in 2023, when Inter was narrowly beaten by arguably Pep Guardiola's best-ever Manchester City team.

Last season's league title, the first of Inzaghi's coaching career, was immediately followed by an enforced takeover by US investment firm Oaktree, after previous owner, China's Suning, failed to repay a debt worth around 395 million euros ($448 million).

And there was little in the way of summer investment for an aging team that features veterans like 37-year-old Francesco Acerbi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who is one year Acerbi's junior.

Piotr Zielinski and Mehdi Taremi were both free transfers, second-choice goalkeeper Josep Martinez cost around 13 million euros, and January signing Nicola Zalewski came on loan from Roma.

None of those four have become first picks for Inzaghi with Taremi netting twice all season, both goals being late penalties in 4-0 wins over Red Star Belgrade and Lecce.

The lack of quality beyond the first XI, particularly in attack, and a grueling Champions League campaign has taken its toll on Inter.

The biggest prize in club soccer would take pride of place among the honors already won by Inzaghi at Inter — one Serie A title, three Italian Cups and three Italian Super Cups.

Humble beginnings

Inzaghi had a lower-key playing career than his elder sibling Filippo, who was a prolific goal scorer for AC Milan and Juventus, a two-time European champion and World Cup winner.

The younger Inzaghi, also a striker, played most of his career for Lazio, where he is loved by fans, despite his modest goal record and only a single league title, won in 2000.

However, in the managerial arena, it is Simone who is leading the way, at the helm of one of Europe's traditional powerhouses, while Filippo will lead Pisa in its first Serie A campaign since the 1990-91 season, after getting the Tuscan club promoted this term.

Simone Inzaghi began his senior coaching career at Lazio nine years ago, after working his way up through the youth ranks and immediately made an impact, taking the Roman club back into Europe and losing the Italian Cup final to an all-conquering Juventus.

Lazio is frequently overshadowed by crosstown rival Roma, and hampered by a budget which is dwarfed by Italy's big three of Juve, Inter and Milan, who themselves are relative paupers on the continent.

The 2019 Italian Cup, two Super Cups — both won against Juve — and Champions League qualification in 2020 might not sound like much, but it was enough to attract cash-strapped Inter following the departure of Serie A title winner Antonio Conte.

Inzaghi arrived at Inter with the club about to go into full-blown crisis mode following Conte's exit and the sale of the two stars of that Scudetto-winning campaign — Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, the latter of whom will line up against Inter for PSG.

However, used to doing more with less at Lazio, and in stark contrast to Conte, he folded in cheap replacements for the departing stars rather than complain about having them sold out from under him.

It is something Inzaghi has made a habit of at Inter, where he has created a team spirit that could be about to deliver him the biggest prize of all.

AFP