Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi has refused to hide his enthusiasm following his side’s hard-fought 2-1 win over his former employers Lazio. The reigning Serie A title-holders picked up where they left off in 2021 to regain the top place in the league table at the expense of the mid-table Biancocelesti.
A Covid-19 outbreak at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara forced the postponement of Inter’s trip to Bologna in midweek, giving bitter rivals Milan a chance to bridge the gap at the top. Stefano Pioli’s men have seized the opportunity by thrashing Roma and Venezia to put the Nerazzurri under pressure.
However, Inzaghi’s side once again showed they were up to the task as Alessandro Bastoni and Milan Skriniar catapulted Inter to a precious win over Lazio. The Nerazzurri defenders found the net either side of half-time, while Ciro Immobile scored the visitors’ consolation goal at the Giuseppe Meazza.
Despite wasting the opportunity to record seven consecutive top-flight clean sheets for the first time in the 21st century, Inter have extended their winning streak in Serie A to a staggering eight matches. They have recovered control at the summit, leaving Milan one point behind as the title pursuit in Italy’s elite competition picks up momentum.
After a two-week hiatus, claiming a victory over a side of Lazio’s stature could be a massive confidence boost moving forward, as reckoned by Inzaghi. The former Biancocelesti boss hailed Inter’s win over Maurizio Sarri’s team, insisting he is keen to repay the club’s trust to put him in charge following Antonio Conte’s departure.
“You know what Lazio represents for me, they nurtured me, they were my life,” he told DAZN, as relayed by SempreInter. “This was not the same as other victories, but I wanted completely to get this win, to give back everything that Inter has given me.
“We wanted to return with a win. It wasn’t easy because we came up against a quality team, who showed what they can do on Thursday.
“But looking at the statistics, we deserved our victory, I’m happy. On Wednesday, we are preparing to do our best in the Supercoppa final at our stadium.“