Former Inter coach Simone Inzaghi voiced his astonishment at the Nerazzurri’s involvement in a Serie A refereeing scandal, asserting that the team was “damaged and not favored” last season. He also emphasized that victories against Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the Champions League were as exhilarating as winning trophies.
Inzaghi shared his perspective on the refereeing controversy that has emerged in Serie A. Referee Designator Rocchi has temporarily stepped down from his duties following allegations by the Milan Prosecutor’s Office that he influenced VAR decisions and assigned referees who were purportedly favored by Inter for certain matches in the 2024-25 season. However, recent reports suggest that Rocchi never met with Inter executives, and neither players nor directors from Inter nor any other Serie A club are under investigation.
“It shocked me,” Inzaghi told Gazzetta. “Inter lost many points last season due to refereeing mistakes in Serie A and the Supercoppa. It’s surprising to be mentioned in this story, given that we were damaged and not favored. How can you think about a scheme? It was an unfortunate season for us. I’ve always had great respect for the referees’ work, and I don’t want to talk about Napoli, who honestly won the Scudetto. But there’s still a feeling that something was taken away from us. I’m not accusing anyone, and I have no doubts about good faith. Let’s say we were unlucky, and everything went against us. There’s still a disappointment that won’t go away. It’s painful to lose the title for just one point.”
During his four-year tenure at Inter, Inzaghi secured one Serie A title and reached the Champions League Final twice.
“I won a lot in four years, and I’m happy with the results,” he stated. “We reached two Champions League Finals. I accept criticism anyway, as long as they concern me and not the footballers, because they always gave me everything they had. I wouldn’t change anything. We had a dream, the treble. At the end of the season, we paid a high price for the 23 games we played more than Napoli. Inter have the duty to compete at all levels, and those nights against Bayern and Barcelona will remain in my mind more than trophies—unforgettable victories.”
Inzaghi’s last match with Inter was the 5-0 loss in the Champions League Final against PSG last season.
“We arrived at the game without much energy, both physically and mentally,” he explained. “It’s not an excuse, but a fact. The disappointment of losing the title affected our self-esteem. PSG are a top side, as we saw the other night against Bayern. It still hurts to have lost that way, but we can’t forget what had happened before in Europe.”
When asked if he had informed Inter players of his departure days before the final, he vehemently denied it. “Absolutely not. I couldn’t have done it because the decision, which was very painful for my family and me, had not been made,” he insisted.
“The truth is that everything happened very quickly. Two days after the Champions League Final, we met at Marotta’s home, with Ausilio and Baccin. In that context, I expressed the desire to change because I felt a cycle had ended. They wanted to continue, but understood my decision. We left as friends, and we still are. If we had won the Champions League, I would have stayed.”
Inzaghi was appointed by Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal last year and expressed no regrets about his move.
“Luckily, money has never been a problem. I don’t need it,” he said. “I had a fantastic home in Milan, from which I could see everything, including San Siro. Their offer convinced me, and here I am. Happy to be here.”
The Nerazzurri are currently on the verge of winning the Scudetto under Cristian Chivu.
“They’ve been very good. Winning is never easy, and it is Chivu’s merit too,” Inzaghi commented. “I knew the group, and I had no doubts about the players’ capabilities. But it was also the right decision to pick Cristian, and I knew it because I had seen how he worked. Now they must celebrate and try to win the Coppa Italia.”
The Coppa Italia Final, scheduled for May 13, will pit Inter against Lazio, two of Inzaghi’s former clubs. When asked who he would support, he replied, “Nobody, I’ll sit down and enjoy the spectacle. They are two clubs that have given me a lot, so may the best win. Anything can happen in a final.”
Federico Dimarco and Piotr Zielinski have recently made comments that appeared to be critical of Inzaghi’s management.
“Federico has had great seasons with me, and he knows it well. I kept him at Inter after seeing him in training for ten days; otherwise, he might have left on loan again. Perhaps his words were misunderstood. We have a great relationship, and we are still in contact,” Inzaghi concluded.
“I’ve read many things about Zielinski, too, but people forget it was me who wanted him at Inter when Marotta and Ausilio said there was a chance. Unfortunately, he had many fitness problems last season and struggled to show his quality.”