Serie A Title Race Wide Open, Says Inter Milan Manager Inzaghi

Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi expects a tight Serie A title race despite his team's lead, with Atalanta, Juventus, and Lazio still in contention.

Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi attributed his team's late collapse to injuries sustained during their Serie A match against Napoli on Saturday. Despite scoring first, Inter were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw after Napoli equalized late in the game. Inzaghi's side remains top of the league, but only one point ahead of Napoli.

Inzaghi's team was already depleted coming into the match, with first-choice goalkeeper Yann Sommer, defender Matteo Darmian, and midfielders Carlos Augusto and Nicola Zalewski all unavailable due to injury. The situation worsened in the second half when scorer Federico Dimarco and Hakan Calhanoglu were forced to leave the game early. When asked if these injuries significantly impacted the result, Inzaghi replied, “Definitely. We were already in an emergency, Dimarco and Calhanoglu asked for a substitution after the first half.”

Inzaghi's comments highlighted the challenges his team faced in Naples, where they were pushed to the limit by a determined Napoli side. Despite the setbacks, Inter remains in a strong position in the league, but the narrow margin between them and Napoli sets the stage for an intense title race.

Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi acknowledged that his team's injuries took a toll on their performance, particularly in the second half of their 1-1 draw against Napoli. “They tried to hold on a little, but they couldn't run well. It's a moment like this for injuries, the guys did their best against an excellent team that grew a lot in the second half,” Inzaghi said. Despite the challenges, Inzaghi was pragmatic about the result, stating, “We'll take the draw.”

Inzaghi: "We needed perfection, but the lads gave all they had" #ForzaInter #NapoliInter

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Inzaghi also reflected on the equalizing goal scored by Napoli, admitting that his team could have done better. “For the equalising goal we could have done better, we will review and analyse,” he said. The goal came seven minutes after Inzaghi replaced defender Alessandro Bastoni with Stefan de Vrij, a tactical change made in response to Napoli's introduction of Danish midfielder Philip Billing.

Inzaghi explained that the decision to substitute Bastoni was not due to an injury, but rather a tactical adjustment. “Bastoni did not ask for a change. With the entry of Billing they added centimetres,” Inzaghi said. He added, “I put in Stefan de Vrij and had to choose between taking off Bastoni or Francesco Acerbi. Bastoni is fine, but we have difficulties in that sector.”

Atalanta's 0-0 draw with Venezia on Saturday meant they missed an opportunity to close the gap on the leaders, leaving them third in the standings with 55 points, three points behind Inter Milan. Despite this, Inter manager Simone Inzaghi still expects a tight title race. “We are all there, it is an open championship. Lazio and Juventus can also get back into it, but I'm confident,” Inzaghi said.

The Serie A title race remains intense, with several teams still in contention. Juventus, currently fourth with 49 points, will host Verona on Monday, while Lazio, fifth with 47 points, will visit AC Milan on Sunday. Inzaghi's Inter, meanwhile, must shift their focus to their Champions League last 16 tie against Feyenoord on Wednesday.

Looking ahead to the Feyenoord match, Inzaghi acknowledged that his team will still face challenges due to injuries, but expressed confidence in his players' willingness and availability. “Against Feyenoord, we'll still have problems but I have great willingness and availability from the boys,” Inzaghi added.