Sabatini: Scudetto Race Not Over, But Inter Are Clear Favorites
Walter Sabatini, the former director of football at clubs including Roma and Inter, has insisted the Serie A title race is not over, despite Inter Milan's commanding lead at the top of the table. Speaking in an interview, the veteran executive acknowledged the scale of the Nerazzurri's advantage but warned that the season is not concluded. Sabatini pointed out that only one team in Serie A history, the 1998/99 Lazio side, has ever lost a seven-point lead with seven games remaining, a feat that required a historic collapse.
Sabatini's comments come ahead of a crucial fixture this Sunday, where Inter will face Como, a team that has impressed under manager Cesc Fabregas. Sabatini highlighted the upcoming clash as a potential trap for the league leaders. "It is certainly the most difficult of the remaining matches," Sabatini said, according to the interview. He praised Inter's overall quality, particularly when striker Lautaro Martinez is on the pitch, describing the Argentine as "the prophet of the Nerazzurri."
He was equally complimentary of the opposition, lauding the work of Como's player-manager, Cesc Fabregas. Sabatini remarked that Fabregas has Como playing a bold, confident, and at times provocative style of football that is a credit to the league. He described the upcoming match at San Siro as a "very tough game" where "anything can happen," given the technical and tactical solutions both squads possess.
Shifting focus to the Italian national team, Sabatini defended the Inter players who featured in Italy's recent, disappointing penalty shootout defeat to Slovenia in the UEFA Nations League. He argued that the players performed well and that the result, while painful, should not tarnish their efforts. He also condemned the recent booing of Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni by some fans, praising the player's mental strength and the support he has received from teammates and the San Siro crowd.
On the topic of the national team's future, Sabatini weighed in on the recent public self-nomination of Antonio Conte for the head coach role. Sabatini did not criticize the former Inter and Juventus manager, calling his public declaration an "act of courage." Sabatini also floated the idea of a sporting director role for the national team, suggesting that having a permanent, club-style structure could provide the stability and continuity the Azzurri have recently lacked. He suggested such a role could help build a "permanent group" rather than an ad-hoc representative team, moving Italy closer to the models used by other top footballing nations.
