Inzaghi: I’m ‘proud’ of Inter, Thuram ‘can’t train as he used to’

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Simone Inzaghi, Head Coach of FC Internazionale, reacts during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Genoa at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 22, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Coach Simone Inzaghi explained that their hard-fought victory over Monza was a ‘reminder’ for Inter that every match is ‘difficult’ and that their Champions League last-16 second leg against Feyenoord will be no exception, despite holding a two-goal advantage that gives them a comfortable edge.

The Nerazzurri had to work hard to defeat rock-bottom Biancorossi on Saturday, coming back from two goals down to win 3-2. This forced them to put in extra effort at a delicate stage of the season, with injuries limiting the manager’s ability to rotate the squad and key players like Marcus Thuram ‘struggling’ with fitness issues.

However, Inter will welcome back Yann Sommer after he spent weeks on the sidelines due to a fractured thumb, as Inzaghi confirmed the goalkeeper will start tomorrow.

Inzaghi: Sommer will start against Feyenoord, I wonder where Inter players get energy from

“My state of mind is very good,” Inzaghi told reporters during a pre-match press conference on Monday, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.

“Clearly, I’m focused on tomorrow night’s match against Feyenoord because we’re facing a team we beat 2-0 in the first leg, but the game against Monza was a reminder that every match is difficult.

“We’ve seen it in the Champions League—every game has hidden dangers.”

“They will alternate, just like in the first leg: there will be moments when they are very aggressive and moments when they will sit back in their own half,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“We are facing a team that will come to Milan to make things difficult for us, so we will need to put in a performance of pace, aggression, and determination.

“Sommer will start in goal tomorrow. He has been with us for a year and a half and has done great things.

“Martinez performed very well too, and I would love to have more selection choices in other areas of the pitch as well.

“As for Taremi, he is working hard and trying to help the team. I see him training very well and fully focused—he has integrated into the group. He is a striker, and he’s looking for a goal. Tomorrow could be a great opportunity for him.”

Inzaghi insisted their busy game schedule and tight Scudetto race should be a ‘motivation’ rather than a ‘problem’, claiming he will make rotations solely based on his players ‘physical condition’, and not with a view to their title showdown at Atalanta next Sunday.

“I’m not thinking about the league,” the coach said.

“I will rotate players based on their physical condition. We have some fatigue to assess—Lautaro and De Vrij didn’t train with us, but I have good feelings.

“I will decide whether to use them or not. In addition to the usual absentees, Zielinski has suffered a significant injury at a time when we really didn’t need it. He was improving a lot and helping us; we will wait for him, just as we have for others.

“It shouldn’t be a problem; it should be a motivation. We have to be proud of what we are doing. These players somehow keep finding energy, even when we wonder where they get it from.

“Lately, we’ve had some absences, which have limited our rotation options. We’ve played a huge number of matches, and let’s not forget that last year, we qualified for the Champions League Round of 16 in Salzburg on November 6 or 7, so we knew early on when we would be playing.

“This season, we had to play the last group-stage match at the end of January against Monaco, making it a longer qualification process.

“Over these three months, we’ve had to manage the Champions League schedule, whereas last year, without the Coppa Italia and having secured qualification with two games to spare, we could focus only on Serie A. That’s just a fact.

“But we are proud of what we are doing, and we must continue. There are a lot of commitments, but we are proud to take them on.”

The Nerazzurri coach also admitted he’s assessing Hakan Calhanoglu and Marcus Thuram’s fitness, as both of them are not certain of starting the match, with the latter forced to play with ‘painkillers and injections’ in recent weeks, which caused a drop in form.

“I don’t know [if they’ll play],” Inzaghi continued.

“These are two players I’m evaluating. Thuram—there’s no point hiding it—has been struggling with an issue for a month now, which causes him difficulties.

“He can’t train as he used to and has been playing with painkillers and injections. He never holds back and always helps us, but we have to assess the situation.

The Nerazzurri coach also admitted he is monitoring the fitness of Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Marcus Thuram, as neither is guaranteed to start. Thuram, in particular, has been playing through pain with the help of ‘painkillers and injections’ in recent weeks due to an ‘ankle problem’, which has impacted his form.

“I’d love for him to be able to do more physical work, which would mean he’s fully fit. But over the last month, he hasn’t been able to because of the issue he’s dealing with.

“I’m still deciding whether to start him or bring him off the bench tomorrow. He is an extremely important player, and his drop in form is solely due to the ankle problem he’s been dealing with. He is also a great professional.”

Speaking before his manager, Denzel Dumfries admitted he is having a ‘great season,’ a sentiment echoed by Inzaghi.

“He deserves a lot of credit for his performances at Inter,” the coach explained.

“He didn’t arrive here by chance—he was a starter at PSV, where he was also the captain. We signed an excellent player who, on top of everything, always wants to improve.

“He is a great professional, always studying himself and the team. He strives to get better every day, which is a fantastic trait, in addition to his footballing and physical qualities.”