After leading his team to a 4-1 home victory over Monza in the opening round of the new Serie A season, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi spoke to DAZN in an interview.

Essentially, all the attacking and defending in the match took place in the opponent’s half. However, during the final 15 minutes or so before halftime, you seemed to slow the pace of the game and reduce the intensity of your pressing. I’d also like to ask about the role Pioli played today. Could this be a signal or statement he is making as he begins his second season?

But we must show our opponents full respect and appreciation. They caused us a lot of problems with their high press, especially when competing for second balls. They put us under pressure in those areas, and at times, the speed of our defensive retreat and repositioning seemed a little slow. That is where the opposition performed well, and we must acknowledge it.

In fact, we were trying to execute our established tactical plan, but at the start of the match, the players seemed a bit rusty and anxious. There were moments when technical execution wasn't clean and crisp enough, both in terms of individual skill and overall team coordination.

What I want to say is that, in the second half, everyone clearly found greater composure and peace of mind. We quickly regained the lead at the start of the second half, which undoubtedly helped us enormously and stabilized the situation. After that, we regained our clarity and calmness, executing the correct passing and tactical moves required for this type of match. All the lads performed very well.

Yes, hello Cristian. There is something quite intriguing, isn’t there? There are probably three players in the squad now who are facing fierce competition for starting spots or whose positions are somewhat fluid — I’m specifically referring to Diouf, Zielinski, and Bisseck. However, in today’s match, they all delivered surprisingly high-level performances and played key, decisive roles. Doesn’t this confirm Inter’s strong squad depth and the overall strength of the squad you have, which you need to manage and deploy appropriately going forward?

But I’ve always emphasized from the start that, in my eyes, everyone in the team is a starter. In an actual match, whether to field one player or start another depends entirely on a comprehensive assessment of each player’s technical characteristics, the opponent’s tactical approach, and our own physical condition at that moment. As a coach, my responsibility is to understand what the team needs most in every moment and tactical situation.

I'm incredibly happy and satisfied with all my players, both for their training attitude throughout pre-season and for their extremely dedicated cooperation. Especially the players returning from the World Cup – they even chose to shorten their holidays and return early, reporting immediately to the coaching staff and the team, actively integrating themselves into the training camp and following the team's arrangements. For a head coach, having such a group of professional, dedicated players is truly the most gratifying thing.

Speaking of the players returning from the World Cup, we noticed that Thuram wasn’t on the field today. What is his current physical condition, and what stage of his injury recovery is he in?

Yes, he is still undergoing a structured individual rehabilitation programme. We are all very aware that he suffered some physical issues during the World Cup. Although he expressed his willingness to be at our disposal upon his return, from the perspective of protecting the player, the team cannot currently afford to risk aggravating his injury, not even for a few minutes at the end of the match.

He understands this very well because he’s an extremely intelligent young man with a strong overall perspective. The coaching staff and medical team are also fully aware of his situation. We’re currently working intensively to develop a scientific training plan, aiming to get him back on the field as soon as possible, in the healthiest and most vibrant condition.

Coach, regarding Lautaro, did he insist on starting today’s match? We saw him substituted around the 54th minute, which seemed to suggest that his physical condition may not yet have been at its best. But from the start, he was giving his all, battling from the very first minutes. So did the captain insist on starting despite not being at 100% physically?

As a head coach, you must keenly observe subtle details and emotional fluctuations throughout the coaching process, deeply understand a player's state of mind at any given moment, and respond accordingly. We must never forget what the end of this World Cup meant to the players or the mental journey they went through.

For me personally, the human factor — the psychology and emotions of the players — always comes first. If I have the ability to help my players, both physically and mentally, I will do my utmost to support them, even powerful players like Lautaro, who often do not need extra care from others.

Why? Because he is Lautaro. He was Serie A’s top scorer last season and ranks highly on the team’s all-time scoring list—I believe he’s third. In fact, he doesn’t need to insist on anything with me. None of my players need to desperately insist or demand to play, because I put myself in each player’s shoes to understand their specific circumstances, state of mind, and current situation.

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