Inter Milan Coach Simone Inzaghi Praises Team's Intensity in Monaco Win

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi praised his team's intensity and focus after a dominant 3-0 win over Monaco secured their spot in the Champions League last 16, with Lautaro Martinez making history as the club's most prolific scorer in the competition.

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi was thrilled with his team's impressive performance as they overwhelmed Monaco 3-0 to secure a spot in the Champions League round of 16. Inzaghi had planned for a fast start, and his team delivered, with Lautaro Martinez scoring a hat-trick to book Inter's place in the top eight of the Champions League table. “The boys were really good at preparing for the game with this intensity, it allowed us to take a big step forward,” Inzaghi told reporters.

Inter's dominant display saw them take a 2-0 lead and gain a man advantage after just 16 minutes, effectively ending the contest early. Inzaghi praised his team's defensive solidity, highlighting their impressive record of conceding just one goal in eight league phase fixtures. “We played seven games out of eight without conceding a goal. I am really satisfied with our progress,” Inzaghi said.

Inzaghi emphasized the significance of achieving their pre-season goal of reaching the top eight in the Champions League. “It was the first goal of the season (to be in the top eight), we cared a lot about that, and we succeeded with full merit,” Inzaghi said. With their Champions League progress secured, Inter must now shift their focus to the Milan derby on Sunday, where they will aim to stay in touch with Napoli at the top of the Serie A table.

Inzaghi: "Abbiamo fatto un cammino straordinario, qualificazione meritata"#ForzaInter #InterMonaco #UCL

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) January 29, 2025

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi plans to give his players a few days of rest after their impressive 3-0 win over Monaco in the Champions League. Inzaghi revealed that he doesn't usually speak to the team immediately after a game, but made an exception this time to express his pride in their performance. “We will try to give them (the players) a few days of rest,” Inzaghi said. “I'm proud of what the boys did and I told them that. I don't usually talk, but tonight I stopped for two minutes with them.”

Inter confirmed in round of 16 🐂#UCL pic.twitter.com/gDIBccZ1rM

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 29, 2025

Lautaro Martinez was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick to become Inter Milan's most prolific scorer in the Champions League, surpassing Adriano's record with 17 goals. Martinez praised Inter's quality and emphasized the importance of respecting the team's abilities. “Inter are a great team, which must be respected,” Martinez said. “We showed it two years ago by reaching the final against (Manchester) City, even last year we deserved more.”

Lautaro è una sentenza 😎#ForzaInter #InterMonaco #UCL pic.twitter.com/ulPlqHocwG

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) January 30, 2025

Martinez reflected on the game, highlighting the impact of Monaco's red card and Inter's subsequent control of the match. “When you enter the match with the right mindset, the games develop in the best way. After the red card, we controlled the game well,” Martinez said. Looking ahead, Martinez emphasized the importance of focusing on the upcoming Milan derby, where Inter will aim to stay in touch with Napoli at the top of the Serie A table. “Now, however, we have to think about the derby. We can't lose any more points in the league.”