Inter want Inzaghi to stay despite record final defeat
Inter Milan are happy with boss Simone Inzaghi and want him to stay despite their record Champions League final defeat by Paris St-Germain, says club president Giuseppe Marotta.
The team came in for heavy criticism from their fans and the Italian media after a humiliating 5-0 loss in the showpiece final in Munich.
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Inzaghi, who was appointed in 2021, has been heavily linked to Saudi club Al-Hilal, but Inter president Marotta says he is happy for him to stay.
"This defeat will not have an impact," added Marotta on Inzaghi, who has one year to run on his contract.
"Almost all the credit for this positive cycle is due to his professionalism and abilities. If he wants to continue, we are happy."
Inzaghi has delivered one Serie A title and won the Coppa Italia twice during his four years in charge.
Inter had beaten Bayern Munich and Barcelona on their way to the final but Saturday was their second Champions League final defeat in three seasons, with Inzaghi's side losing 1-0 against Manchester City in Istanbul in 2023.
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Defeat by PSG means Inter end this season without a major trophy, after finishing one point behind champions Napoli in Serie A and losing to AC Milan in their Coppa Italia semi-final.
On the eve of the Champions League final, former Lazio boss Inzaghi told reporters he did not want to discuss his future, adding he would have a "relaxed" meeting with club owners afterwards.
After the final, the Inter boss was again asked about his future.
"We'll see in the next few days with the club," he said.
"After a final like this - the second one lost in three years - there's too much disappointment to try to think. There will be time to talk about it calmly with my club, which was with us again tonight and is always present."
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Marotta said Inter would be "honoured" to continue with Inzaghi.
"We are meeting with the coach because this club is not used to letting a manager go into the final year of his contract," added Marotta.
"There is no revolution under way. We will meet to hear what he has to say - I repeat, on our part, we are very proud and honoured to continue with him."
Inter will take part in the newly expanded Fifa Club World Cup, which takes place in the United States between 14 June and 13 July.
Their first game is against Mexico's Monterrey on 18 June in Pasadena (02:00 BST).
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'Nightmare' - tears & disappointment after crushing defeat
There were reports that up to 40,000 Inter fans travelled to Munich for the final.
Many of the 18,000 who had a ticket left the Allianz Arena well before full-time as PSG dominated from start to finish, scoring in the 12th, 20th, 63rd, 73rd and 86th minutes.
In addition, about 51,000 supporters gathered at San Siro, Inter's home, to watch the final on a big screen.
For many, the tears and disappointment were plain to see, as a night meant for celebration turned into one of soul-searching.
"Why lose like tonight? To say that hurts, very bad," Inter fan Frederico told Reuters outside the Allianz Arena.
The average age of Inter Milan's starting XI against PSG was 30 years and 242 days - the third-oldest starting XI for a Champions League final [Getty Images]
At the San Siro, Inter fan Davide Radice was asked why it went spectacularly wrong.
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"That's something you have to ask Inzaghi and the team. Everything did not work," he said.
Meanwhile, the embarrassing margin of defeat was labelled a "nightmare" by Italy's respected daily sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"For Inter, it was the worst match of the year - and of history? - in the most important match of the entire season, after losing the Scudetto, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa," it added.
"In March, after [beating] Feyenoord, Inzaghi raised three fingers to indicate the "treble". All he has left is his fist."
Rome sports newspaper Corriere dello Sport added: "Two years ago, Inter emerged from the defeat against [Manchester] City with their legs and spirit shattered but their minds stronger.
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"Last night, on a warm early summer night in Bavaria, Inter left the wonderful Allianz Arena in Munich in pieces. From every point of view."
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