Inter ultras announced a strike in the first half of the Coppa Italia Final against Fiorentina, but it lasted barely 15 minutes as they saw Simone Inzaghi’s men struggle against the Tuscans and perhaps remembered what had happened to Napoli against Milan in April, writes Lorenzo Bettoni.
Inter’s Curva Nord Ultras said on Wednesday they would ‘refrain from cheering’ out of respect for their ‘dignity’ during the first half of a Coppa Italia Final against Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico. The die-hard Nerazzurri fans are unhappy with how the club will distribute tickets for the Champions League Final against Manchester City and tried to put pressure on their directors with a protest which, however, didn’t last long.
Fiorentina had a strong start and put their noses in front through Nico Gonzalez. Inter looked lost, the Tuscans were pressing high and there seemed to be no reaction from Inzaghi’s players. That’s when the ultras woke up and changed their mind. And it really was a game changer, as Inzaghi noted in a post-match press conference.
“As soon as our fans entered the game, we stepped up,” said a proud Nerazzurri boss.
It remains to be seen whether their dignity has remained untouched, but surely ultras provided vital help to the Nerazzurri in Rome. They may have remembered the harsh lesson learned by Napoli on April 2 when Milan arrived at the Stadio Maradona for a Serie A fixture which seemed meaningless compared to the upcoming Champions League quarter-finals.
The Partenopei were the clear favourites, but their ultras refused to support the team through the match due to disagreements with President De Laurentiis and the rise in ticket prices. Milan didn’t only win. They destroyed Spalletti’s men, securing a 4-0 victory and paving the way to their qualification to the Champions League semis, which was as sharp as unexpected and started with that shocking fixture at the Stadio Maradona.
Inter’s start against Fiorentina on Wednesday was so shocking that many predicted the same end for the Nerazzurri at the Olimpico, but luckily for Inzaghi and his men, ultras remembered the lesson in time. It may also suggest that their stance wasn’t so strong, but this is another story, as the most important thing for all the Nerazzurri was to see Lautaro & Co. get the job done, especially weeks before an even bigger Final in Turkey.