Internazionale coach Simone Inzaghi is proud of the progress that the Nerazzurri are experiencing in the Champions League. Inter is in the final of the billion-dollar tournament for the first time since 2010 when José Mourinho, alongside players like Wesley Sneijder, won the Champions League.
'In a few days, we might realize what has happened. It was once a dream to reach the final, but we always believed in it. We have taken a special path to the final, and this derby victory gives us a lot of satisfaction,' said Inzaghi to Sport Mediaset.
Inter survived a group with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Viktoria Plzen and was victorious over FC Porto, Benfica, and now Milan in the knockout stage. 'Since January, we have played four derbies and won all four. The boys deserve to enjoy this evening,' added Inzaghi.
Inter icon Javier Zanetti has a clear preference for the opponent in the final in Istanbul, but Inzaghi remains neutral about whether he would rather face Real Madrid or Manchester City. 'They are among the best teams in Europe and both have incredible qualities. I mainly focus on ourselves, but I will definitely pay close attention to the match between City and Real.'
'I am proud of the progress the club has made. I know how difficult the past years have been at Inter. I was asked a year and a half ago to lead Inter back to the knockout stage of the Champions League, which hadn't happened since 2011. Now, we deserve this spot in the final,' explained Inzaghi.
Praise for Inzaghi
The 31-year-old Inter president, Steven Zhang, beamed with pride after the European derby victory: 'All the credit goes to the coach and his staff. Anything can happen in the final. We believe in a good outcome. We have all done our job and brought Inter back to the top.'
'This is my seventh year at Inter; I came here when I was 24 years old. Some players had never played in the Champions League before. As long as I'm here, we want to strengthen the team every season. That is our only goal. I have worked with many coaches, but Inzaghi is very special. Always calm, that is his greatest quality. He is the only coach who has never asked for a player. He is truly exceptional.'
