Inter coach Inzaghi delays talk about future after 'bitter' defeat
INTER MILAN coach simone inzaghi said there was 'too much disappointment and bitterness' to make a call on his future after Saturday's 5-0 Champions League thumping by Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG were utterly dominant against the Italians, winning their first Champions League trophy by the biggest margin in the history of the competition.
Inzaghi, who has been linked with an Inter exit, said discussions about his future -- and that of the club -- would need to take place another time.
'There will be time to talk about it calmly with the club,' the coach told reporters, adding 'it's not the right time... It's awkward to talk about my future now.'
On track to repeat the treble heroics of 2010 just a few weeks ago, Inter end the season trophyless after falling away in each competition.
Booted out of the Italian Cup semi-finals by bitter rivals AC Milan, Inter fell behind Napoli in Serie A and end the season empty handed.
Inzaghi took over Inter in 2021 and has a contract until 2026. The 49-year-old has taken the side to one Serie A title and two Italian Cups, but Inter have now lost two Champions League finals in the past three seasons.
Inter had made it past the Dutch, German and Spanish champions to reach the final, but could barely lay a finger on the French champions in Munich.
The coach said 'the club is strong, the club supports us,' but lamented 'as it was two years ago, we failed to win the most important match'.
With the average age of Inter's starting XI just over 30 -- six years older than that of PSG -- Inzaghi will need to oversee a rebuild, if he elects to stay on.
Inzaghi said his side showed tiredness in the final, having 'played 58 or 59 games since last July'.
Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella agreed, but said 'fatigue is not an excuse in a final.
'The impression is that they wanted it more and this is the biggest disappointment. Heart is much more important than tactics and today it was missing'.
Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer said his side were 'unbelievably disappointed'.
It was a 'tough night, we didn't perform well,' he added.
'What we prepared all week, we didn't manage to bring it onto the pitch.
'We need to swallow it. It hurts a lot. It was a big opportunity to win a huge title.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Who said what: French Open day 9
KEY quotes from the ninth day of the French Open at Roland Garros on Monday: 'I would not believe that if you told me that two weeks ago. But I trust in myself, but yeah, for sure, if you say that, no, I can't believe (it). Now it's that, and I'm so happy about it.' -- French wildcard Lois Boisson on whether she could have dreamt of being in the quarter-finals after her shock victory over third seed Jessica Pegula. 'I don't really watch football, and I don't really know things about football, so no, it's okay for me if I don't see him, because I will not know what (to) ask about him. Yeah, they won two days ago, and it's unbelievable for the French.' -- Boisson on whether she wanted to meet Ousmane Dembele after the Paris Saint-Germain forward presented the Champions League trophy to the Roland Garros crowd. 'Novak Djokovic will never be a black horse. For me, Carlos (Alcaraz) is the favourite. I have said that before. Then I would say the next three in line are Jannik, myself, and Novak, right? I still believe that. I still believe on tennis and on experience Novak is up there with us, no question about that at all.' -- Alexander Zverev after setting up a quarter-final against Novak Djokovic. 'It's been an amazing season for PSG, congratulations to all Parisians... It was very important for this city, this country... PSG to be Champions League winners for the first time. It was a bit complicated to get back to the hotel afterwards, and when I say complicated, I'm being nice.' -- Djokovic on his Sunday trip back from the Parc des Princes, where he watched PSG celebrate their Champions League triumph. 'I mean, it is true. I'm not going to argue with that. Most people do say I'm mature. I don't know. I feel like maybe just playing tennis it forces you to grow up faster for some people. Maybe not him (Frances Tiafoe). But yeah.' -- Coco Gauff on being described by compatriot Frances Tiafoe as 'Little Miss Mature'. 'Thank you guys. I can't cry here, come on, stop. Let me be in peace. I still have a match to go, I'm a professional tennis player, I've got to get ready.' -- Alexander Bublik after reaching his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final with a surprise win over Jack Draper. 'To lose to a friend is not that bad. Honestly, as I said before, on the tennis court for me it's fine. Playing a friend, I don't feel additional pressure or feeling uncomfortable or something.' -- Daria Kasatkina after her loss to regular practice partner Mirra Andreeva. 'He's just way too good of an opponent to beat. He's already very tough to beat when you are healthy, when you are fit. So when you are injured, it doesn't get any easier.' -- Tallon Griekspoor after retiring injured from his match against Zverev. 'I hope I'm going to win it all.'
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Top French Open Day 9 Quotes: Djokovic, Boisson & More
KEY quotes from the ninth day of the French Open at Roland Garros on Monday: 'I would not believe that if you told me that two weeks ago. But I trust in myself, but yeah, for sure, if you say that, no, I can't believe (it). Now it's that, and I'm so happy about it.' -- French wildcard Lois Boisson on whether she could have dreamt of being in the quarter-finals after her shock victory over third seed Jessica Pegula. 'I don't really watch football, and I don't really know things about football, so no, it's okay for me if I don't see him, because I will not know what (to) ask about him. Yeah, they won two days ago, and it's unbelievable for the French.' -- Boisson on whether she wanted to meet Ousmane Dembele after the Paris Saint-Germain forward presented the Champions League trophy to the Roland Garros crowd. 'Novak Djokovic will never be a black horse. For me, Carlos (Alcaraz) is the favourite. I have said that before. Then I would say the next three in line are Jannik, myself, and Novak, right? I still believe that. I still believe on tennis and on experience Novak is up there with us, no question about that at all.' -- Alexander Zverev after setting up a quarter-final against Novak Djokovic. 'It's been an amazing season for PSG, congratulations to all Parisians... It was very important for this city, this country... PSG to be Champions League winners for the first time. It was a bit complicated to get back to the hotel afterwards, and when I say complicated, I'm being nice.' -- Djokovic on his Sunday trip back from the Parc des Princes, where he watched PSG celebrate their Champions League triumph. 'I mean, it is true. I'm not going to argue with that. Most people do say I'm mature. I don't know. I feel like maybe just playing tennis it forces you to grow up faster for some people. Maybe not him (Frances Tiafoe). But yeah.' -- Coco Gauff on being described by compatriot Frances Tiafoe as 'Little Miss Mature'. 'Thank you guys. I can't cry here, come on, stop. Let me be in peace. I still have a match to go, I'm a professional tennis player, I've got to get ready.' -- Alexander Bublik after reaching his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final with a surprise win over Jack Draper. 'To lose to a friend is not that bad. Honestly, as I said before, on the tennis court for me it's fine. Playing a friend, I don't feel additional pressure or feeling uncomfortable or something.' -- Daria Kasatkina after her loss to regular practice partner Mirra Andreeva. 'He's just way too good of an opponent to beat. He's already very tough to beat when you are healthy, when you are fit. So when you are injured, it doesn't get any easier.' -- Tallon Griekspoor after retiring injured from his match against Zverev. 'I hope I'm going to win it all.'
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Djokovic cruises into record 19th French Open quarter-final
NOVAK Djokovic eased into a record-breaking 19th Roland Garros quarter-final with a comfortable straight-sets victory over Cameron Norrie on Monday. The three-time French Open champion will renew his rivalry with third seed Alexander Zverev in the last eight on Wednesday after seeing off Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier. His tally of 19 quarter-final appearances at Roland Garros is the record for a single Grand Slam tournament. 'I feel good. I know I can play better. But 12 sets played, 12 sets won, it's been solid so far,' said the 38-year-old after his 100th French Open win. 'It's great, but victory number 101 would be better. I'm very honoured... But I need to continue now.' Djokovic holds an 8-5 winning record in his head-to-head with German Zverev, but retired injured from their last meeting in the Australian Open semi-finals in January. 'He's 10 years younger. He calls himself a veteran of the game. What should I call myself, then?,' Djokovic said of his next opponent. Britain's Norrie, a former top-10 player now ranked 81st, has lost all six of his career matches against Djokovic. The sixth-seeded Djokovic showed no ill-effects from a 'complicated' trip back to his hotel on Sunday night after attending Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League title celebrations at the Parc des Princes. PSG forward Ousmane Dembele presented the trophy to the crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier ahead of Djokovic's match. 'They (security) were suggesting us at one point not to go back at all, to maybe find a place to sleep somewhere around here for a night, because at that point it was already past midnight and some gas bombs and cars under fire and stuff happening on the street that was really dangerous,' Djokovic said. 'In the end we talked. We waited for a bit, and then we decided to go. Then it was fine. In the end we reached the hotel all good, but it was quite noisy with a lot of things happening outside of the hotel... 'At some point it was getting out of hand, but it's understandable that people are so excited.' The Serb, hoping to set a new outright record of 25 Grand Slam titles this week, dominated against Norrie from the start. He broke serve three times in a one-sided opening set, before battling through a closer second, crucially saving a break point before holding for a 3-2 lead. Norrie, playing in the second week in Paris for the first time, mustered little resistance in the third set as Djokovic wrapped up victory on his first match point.
