Inter in crisis and Inzaghi increasingly in the balance. On Tuesday in Porto, the coach will play for the future

Simone Inzaghi is increasingly in difficulty and his Inter are in full crisis on the road, also beaten in La Spezia: six of the eight knockouts in the league have come in external matches. An unacceptable performance, net of the gap from the top which is above all (but not only) the result of the great step taken by Napoli. That’s why the former Lazio coach remains under scrutiny. Indeed, increasingly under scrutiny. Barring sensational surprises, he doesn’t risk being sacked this season. However, assessments on his future, net of another year of contract, will remain highly topical in this hot season finale.

DECISIVE PORT

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It is clear that Tuesday’s match in Porto will be very important, the return of the round of 16 of the Champions League. Inter started from 1-0 in the first leg and to give oxygen to their coach, they had to go through. There are no alibis or doubts. Making a good journey in Europe and reaching second place in the standings, Simone can still remain “anchored” to his bench, but at the moment it is undeniable that his prices are declining. Tuesday can change a lot or the situation can escalate further. Inzaghi has been in football for a lifetime and knows how things go: he is used to living with criticism and the adventure in a square that is not as simple as Lazio has tempered him. Needless to hide, however, that this is one of the most complicated moments of his adventure at the Pinetina. Because with 12 days left in the tournament he has already doubled the number of defeats of last season (4); because the away goals conceded are 24 and they had never been so many since 1947-48 (only Cremonese and Salernitana are worse in the league).

NO TO PICK UP, BUT…

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The hypothesis of having the team stay in training camp, after the Nerazzurri sleep at the Pinetina tonight as they always do after returning from an evening away match, has been set aside for the moment: the management considers it useless. Of course, on the upper floors of viale della Liberazione there is frustration for certain performances which, away from the Meazza, are disappointing. And above all that they repeat themselves with worrying frequency: in 2023, in Serie A, the draw in Monza (2-2), the success in Cremona (2-1), the draw in Genoa against Sampdoria (0-0) and the knockouts in a row against Bologna (1-0) and Spezia (2-1). Five points in as many away matches. Numbers not from Inter. Inzaghi knows this and in the locker room tonight he was very angry with his parents for the lack of malice under the doors.

SUCCESSORS

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It is early to talk about casting and “after Inzaghi”, but it is clear that the names of possible successors (from De Zerbi to Thiago Motta passing through the Tuchel hypothesis) from tonight onwards have begun to spin in an increasingly dizzying way. Not just on social media. Then maybe Tuesday the “washing machine” will stop. Meanwhile, however, the process is open. The management hopes for a reaction that occurred after the knockout in Bologna in the form of a home success against Lecce (2-0). However, on Tuesday they will play away to Porto. And the fact that two out of three results are in favor is not comforting. The target? Repeat the journey of Milan who lost in Florence last Saturday and then defended their qualification for the quarter-finals with their teeth in London on Wednesday. The “cousins” to take as an example: it sounds bad, but in viale della Liberazione they would sign it. Even if only to stop the “crazy” away Inter who has bored even the ultras.