Look, Inzaghi isn't reinventing the wheel. He’s a pragmatic coach, always has been. But what he’s done this past season, the 2025-26 campaign, is evolve from a reactive tactician to a proactive game-manager. In years past, particularly in the 2023-24 season, his substitutions often felt a step too late. He’d stick with a struggling lineup for 65 minutes, then make a triple change out of desperation. This year? He wasn't afraid to pull a Lautaro Martinez after 55 minutes against Bologna in October when the captain looked off, bringing on Mateo Retegui who then scored the winner. Or subbing off a seemingly vital Nicolo Barella in the 70th minute of a tight Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid, opting for Kristjan Asllani's calmer distribution to preserve a 1-0 lead. That takes guts. That’s growth.
No surprise, the core of this Inter side remained its engine room and its strike force. Lautaro Martinez, fresh off his 2024-25 *Capocannoniere* winning season where he bagged 27 league goals, started the 2025-26 campaign a little slow. He only had 4 goals by the end of September. The weight of the captaincy and the back-to-back title chase seemed to affect him. But then came October. A hat-trick against Torino, a major brace in a 3-2 comeback win at Roma. He finished with 23 Serie A goals, still the league's top scorer, showing that mental fortitude when it truly counted. His partnership with Marcus Thuram, who himself notched 18 league goals and 7 assists, has reached telepathic levels. Remember that ridiculous no-look backheel from Thuram to set up Martinez against AC Milan in the *Derby della Madonnina* in February? That wasn't luck; that's countless hours on the training ground.
Then there’s Nicolo Barella. My word. The man is a perpetual motion machine. He covered more ground than any other Serie A midfielder, averaging 12.1 km per game. He chipped in with 6 goals and 9 assists in the league, but his true value lies in his relentless pressing, his ability to break up play, and his often-overlooked passing range. He’s the pulse of this team. When Barella is on, Inter generally is too. And honestly, I think he’s underrated globally. Put him in a Real Madrid shirt and he’s lauded as one of the world’s best. With Inter, sometimes he’s seen as merely "very good." That's a hot take, but I stand by it.
The real test, the thing that separated this campaign from the last, was the Champions League. Reaching the final in 2023 was incredible. Going out in the Round of 16 in 2024 to an Atalanta side (yes, Atalanta) was a stark reminder of how quickly things can unravel. This year, they were determined. Topping a group that included Manchester United and PSG was no small feat, winning 4 of their 6 group stage matches and drawing the other two. Their run through the knockout stages was grueling: a tight 2-1 aggregate win over Real Sociedad, then a stunning 3-2 victory over Real Madrid (after being down 2-0 at halftime in the second leg at the Bernabeu), and finally dismantling Bayern Munich 4-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
This double campaign, going deep in both Serie A and the Champions League, exposed and simultaneously celebrated Inter’s squad depth. Remember when everyone questioned the signing of Albert Gudmundsson from Genoa in the summer of 2025 for €35 million? Many thought it was an overpay. Gudmundsson silenced critics, bagging 10 goals across all competitions, often coming off the bench to inject pace and creativity when Thuram or Martinez needed a breather, or when Inzaghi shifted to a 3-4-2-1. Davide Frattesi, still the super-sub, scored 5 major league goals, including a 92nd-minute winner against Napoli in April that effectively sealed the Scudetto. Even players like Yann Bisseck, who barely featured in 2024-25, stepped up, making 14 appearances in the league when Alessandro Bastoni picked up a hamstring injury in March. Inzaghi learned to trust his bench, rotating his midfielders and attackers more freely than ever before. He even gave 19-year-old Primavera product Valentin Carboni significant minutes, with the young attacking midfielder making 12 appearances across all competitions. This wasn't just about winning; it was about managing fatigue, keeping everyone sharp, and building confidence throughout the roster.
Thing is, the true challenge now begins. Can they make it three in a row? Absolutely. But the biggest hurdle won’t be Juventus or Milan. It’ll be the transfer market. Key players will be coveted. Maintaining this level of hunger and avoiding complacency will be Inzaghi’s next great test. My bold prediction: Inter will reach the Champions League final again next season, but they won't win it. The Serie A title, however, is theirs for the taking once more.
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