Is Simone Inzaghi the best coach right now?

Despite the financial difficulties and limitations at Inter Milan, Simone Inzaghi still helped the "Nerazzurri" achieve something many big clubs could only dream of.

Simone Inzaghi will lead Inter Milan to the Champions League final in the 2024/25 season.

If Inter Milan win the Champions League this season, no one will dispute that Simone Inzaghi is the best coach in the world right now. However, even if the Italian strategist misses out on a European title once again, the Inter manager still deserves to be among the best coaches currently.

Impressive achievement

Since joining the "Nerazzurri" in 2021, Inzaghi has helped Inter reach the Champions League final twice in the last four seasons (2022/23 and 2024/25). This is a feat that, apart from Inter Milan, only Real Madrid has achieved during the same period.

Furthermore, Inzaghi's Inter also won one Serie A title, two Coppa Italia titles, and two Italian Super Cups, solidifying their leading position domestically and in Europe.

Inzaghi also demonstrated his ability to turn the tide in big matches. The second leg of the semi-final against Barcelona is a prime example: when Inter were trailing 2-3 in injury time, the coach made a substitution that allowed 37-year-old center-back Francesco Acerbi to equalize, before Davide Frattesi scored the winning goal in extra time.

These moments were not just due to luck, but also reflected the flexible tactics and steely spirit that Inzaghi instilled in the team, even when facing a squad crisis.

Before joining Inter, Inzaghi led Lazio to four Champions League qualification spots and one Coppa Italia title (2018/19). His achievements at both clubs demonstrate his ability to build competitive teams on a limited budget.

The younger Inzaghi brother is also known for his ability to build a flexible playing style, often using a 3-5-2 formation, focusing on midfield control, high-pressure pressing, and utilizing speed on the wings.

He built Inter into a team with a strong midfield, even though the duo of Hakan Calhanoglu (31 years old) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (36 years old) were once considered past their prime.

In the two semi-final matches against Barcelona, ​​Inter scored a total of 7 goals, with diverse approaches from various attacking moves such as counter-attacks, utilizing set pieces, and well-executed plays. This demonstrates the versatility in the tactical approach and construction of coach Simone Inzaghi.

Excellent management skills

Inzaghi was also skilled at managing people. He transformed doubtful players like Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, and Matteo Darmian into key players, while also developing young talents like Alessandro Bastoni and Barella.

This coach's ability to motivate players was demonstrated through Inter's fighting spirit, especially when Frattesi scored despite having to use painkillers to play.

Coach Inzaghi led Inter to victory over major teams on their way to the upcoming final in Munich.

However, to assess whether Inzaghi is the best coach in the world, he needs to be compared to names like Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), or Hansi Flick (Barcelona).

In the 2024/25 season, Inzaghi's Inter defeated both Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals and Barcelona in the semi-finals. Winning these two head-to-head matches showcased Inzaghi's talent. It's also worth remembering that in the Champions League qualifying rounds this season, Inzaghi beat Mikel Arteta's Arsenal and drew with Manchester City.

Unlike the aforementioned coaches, Inzaghi does not have the advantage of a large transfer budget, as Inter faces serious financial difficulties due to a €245.6 million loss in 2021 and the transfer of ownership to Oaktree Capital in 2024.

With the exception of Lautaro Martinez and Bastoni, no other Inter player in the current squad has a transfer value exceeding 60 million euros (statistics from CIES as of March 2025).

In a season where both Pep and Ancelotti were in crisis, Inzaghi emerged as a strong contender for FIFA's Coach of the Year award.

At PSG, Luis Enrique also emerged as a leading candidate. However, the way PSG spent money to please Enrique over the past two seasons shows that Inzaghi still has the edge over the Spanish coach in terms of "making do with what he has".

Many say Inzaghi needs a Champions League title to establish his name, but in reality, what the 49-year-old coach has achieved at Inter over the past four years speaks volumes about his capabilities.

Frattesi's goal sank Barca: In the 99th minute of extra time, Frattesi sealed the victory for Inter. Barca lost 3-4 in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final on the morning of May 7th.

Source: https://znews.vn/simone-inzaghi-la-hlv-hay-nhat-hien-tai-post1551574.html