Simone Inzaghi has revealed he would have remained as Inter Milan manager had he won the Champions League with the club last season, stating his departure was solely due to feeling a cycle had ended. In an extensive interview, the now Al Hilal coach provided his version of events surrounding his emotional exit last summer, while also defending his record and addressing criticism of his subsequent move to Saudi Arabia.
Inzaghi confirmed the timeline of his decision, explaining that he informed Inter's leadership of his desire to leave just two days after the Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Monaco. The meeting took place at the home of CEO Giuseppe Marotta, with sporting directors Piero Ausilio and Dario Baccin also present. "The truth is that everything happened very quickly," Inzaghi said. "In that context, I expressed the need for a change, because I felt that a cycle had closed. They would have wanted to continue with me but they understood the choice." He was adamant that the squad was not informed prior to the final, contradicting rumors at the time.
The former Lazio striker directly linked his continuation to European success, a stark admission given Inter's narrow Serie A title loss to Napoli that same season. "If we had won the Champions League, I would have stayed at Inter," Inzaghi stated. He reflected on the emotional toll of the campaign, suggesting the squad arrived at the final physically and mentally drained from a long season and the disappointment of missing out on the Scudetto by a single point.
Inzaghi pushed back against the narrative that his move to Al Hilal was financially motivated, a common critique of high-profile moves to the Saudi Pro League. "In Arabia for money? No, to experience a new reality and to challenge myself in a different context," he said. "Fortunately, I have never had money problems, that was not what I was missing." He expressed contentment with his life in Riyadh, mentioning his family is settled and he is learning English, while dismissing local media speculation about his job security by pointing out his team remains unbeaten in regulation play this season.
The coach also addressed recent comments from his former player, Federico Dimarco, who had hinted at frustrations over being regularly substituted during Inzaghi's tenure. Inzaghi emphasized their strong relationship, reminding that he was instrumental in keeping Dimarco at the club after an initial trial period. He offered a similar defense regarding Piotr Zielinski, noting he had pushed for the Polish midfielder's signing despite the player's injury-plagued first season.
Looking back on his Inter legacy, Inzaghi ranked the iconic European nights above domestic trophies. "The evenings against Bayern [Munich] and Barcelona will remain in my mind more than the trophies," he said. When asked about the ongoing referee scandal in Italian football, Inzaghi claimed Inter had been disproportionately penalized by officiating errors during the previous campaign, though he stopped short of alleging any conspiracy.
Regarding the future, Inzaghi ruled out an imminent return to Italy, citing his ongoing contract and enthusiasm for his project in Saudi Arabia. He praised his successor, Cristian Chivu, for guiding Inter to this season's Serie A title, calling it a deserved success. As for a potential coaching return to Europe, Inzaghi left the door ajar, referencing other managers who have made the transition, but insisted financial considerations would not be a deciding factor.
