Inzaghi Apologises for Red Card as Inter Milan Face Injury Crisis Ahead of Coppa Italia Semi-Final

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi apologised for his red card in the 2-1 win over Udinese, as the team faces an injury crisis ahead of their Coppa Italia semi-final against AC Milan. Get the latest updates on Inter Milan, Coppa Italia, and Serie A.

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi acknowledged that his team's nerves got the better of them towards the end of their 2-1 home win against Udinese in Serie A on Sunday. Despite taking a comfortable 2-0 lead, courtesy of goals from Marko Arnautovic and Davide Frattesi, Inter relied heavily on goalkeeper Yann Sommer to secure the three points. Sommer's crucial saves proved instrumental in Inter's eventual success.

Back from the break ✅
3️⃣ points ✅#ForzaInter #InterUdinese pic.twitter.com/r76KpYcEFo

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) March 30, 2025

Inzaghi praised his team's performance in the first half, but noted that they lost their composure in the second half. “A splendid first half by the lads, where we deserved more than the two-goal lead,” Inzaghi told DAZN. He acknowledged that Inter had not conceded many scoring opportunities before Udinese defender Oumar Solet scored, but admitted that his team's lucidity deserted them thereafter. “In the second half, before (Udinese defender Oumar) Solet's goal, we hadn't conceded too much. After that, we lost our lucidity, against a team like Udinese that has always shown interesting things.”

Simone Inzaghi shares his thoughts after the match! #ForzaInter #InterUdinese

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) March 30, 2025

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi received his marching orders in stoppage time, having been shown his second yellow card of the night. The sending-off occurred after Inzaghi lost his composure and entered the pitch, directing heated gestures towards the referee. Inzaghi took responsibility for his actions, acknowledging that he had made a mistake.

“I made a mistake at the end, I apologised to the referee,” Inzaghi said, reflecting on the incident. He explained that his frustration stemmed from a perceived foul on Joaquin Correa, which he felt was clear. Additionally, Inzaghi was upset about a subsequent corner kick in which Udinese's Oumar Solet nearly scored. “Foul on (Joaquin) Correa seemed clear to me, then came the corner kick in which Solet almost scored.”

Inzaghi's emotions got the better of him, and he admitted that adrenaline had played a role in his actions. “Sometimes adrenaline plays bad tricks, unfortunately, I won't be on the bench next time,” he said, referencing the consequences of his sending-off. This was not Inzaghi's first infraction of the night, as he had received his first yellow card just after the restart for complaining about a foul on Inter striker Marcus Thuram.

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi will be absent from the touchline for his team's trip to Parma on Saturday, serving a suspension after being sent off in the 2-1 win over Udinese. Meanwhile, the team is facing an injury crisis ahead of their Coppa Italia semi-final against AC Milan on Wednesday. “At the moment, we are in difficulty. Of our five substitutions, four were forced,” Inzaghi explained.

Inzaghi revealed that several key players are struggling with injuries, including Marko Arnautovic and Davide Frattesi, who both took knocks during the match against Udinese. Additionally, Federico Dimarco and Matteo Darmian have only recently returned from injuries. To make matters worse, Kristjan Asllani will be suspended for the match against Milan. “Arnautovic and Frattesi took two knocks and had to be changed, (Federico) Dimarco and (Matteo) Darmian had (only returned following injuries). On Wednesday, we will also have (Kristjan) Asllani suspended.”

Inzaghi also made a tactical decision to substitute Hakan Calhanoglu, preferring not to risk him in his fourth consecutive full match. “It would have been the fourth full match for (Hakan) Calhanoglu, and I preferred to take him off.” Furthermore, Inzaghi confirmed that forwards Mehdi Taremi and Lautaro Martinez, as well as defender Denzel Dumfries, will not be available for the match against Milan.

Despite the challenges ahead, Inzaghi remains optimistic about his team's prospects. “We will move forward hoping they can give us a hand in the future because we will need them as we progress in the competitions. Then the Club World Cup will be important for us,” the coach added, looking ahead to the upcoming challenges and opportunities for his team.