Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has lauded his players for their resilience against Lazio during a tough opening half hour on Monday, before transforming the performance into one of the club’s most commanding in Serie A. Although Lazio began with more determination, the reigning champions gradually took control and cruised to a 6-0 victory, netting rapid goals around the halftime mark in a remarkable display that left the Stadio Olimpico silent.
“In those initial 25 minutes, we maintained our shape well against a technically proficient Lazio side,” Inzaghi remarked at a press conference. “We then improved significantly in our technical play, managing to score two goals and a third one early in the second half, effectively sealing the match against a high-quality team hindered by absences and injuries. We also had some absentees, but I’m pleased with our performance.”
Lazio were missing suspended forward Valentin Castellanos, along with injured defender Alessio Romagnoli and midfielder Matias Vecino, while Inter were without defenders Francesco Acerbi and Benjamin Pavard.
“We faced a team that had secured victory in 16 of their last 22 matches across all competitions, and even in their losses, they were undeserving,” Inzaghi commented. “We required a performance full of pace and determination, which we achieved, as the Italian league always presents numerous challenges.”
Remarkably, six different players scored in an away Serie A match for the first time in Inter’s history, with Hakan Calhanoglu, Federico Dimarco, Nicolo Barella, Denzel Dumfries, Carlos Augusto, and Marcus Thuram all finding the back of the net. Among them, Dumfries, Dimarco, and Calhanoglu each contributed with both a goal and an assist.
“Analysing individual performances following such a display is not straightforward,” Inzaghi remarked. “(Stefan) De Vrij … showcases remarkable consistency, while Lautaro (Martinez) delivered an outstanding performance. To me, it was as if he had scored. He was elated in the dressing room; he needs to maintain this level of effort to achieve satisfaction.”
Inter have intensified their challenge at the summit of the standings, currently occupying third place with 34 points. They trail Atalanta by three points and Napoli by just one, whilst having played one fewer match than the leading pair. Fiorentina, in fourth, and Lazio, in fifth, both follow closely, three points adrift of Inter. “We need to maintain this momentum; it’s a tightly contested league with several teams enjoying good form,” remarked Inzaghi.
