Former defender Marco Materazzi had high praise for Simone Inzaghi’s Inter, suggesting that ‘they play better’ than the Treble winning squad.
The Nerazzurri have looked almost flawless over the course of this season, dropping points just four times across 27 Serie A outings. In the Champions League, a careful group stage campaign saw them finish second, but a first leg win over Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16 bodes well in their quest for European glory.
Inzaghi’s Inter currently hold a 15-point lead in Serie A, all but confirming their status as Scudetto winners with 11 league matches left to play. In recent weeks, a debate has begun brewing regarding this squad’s quality compared to the team that won the Treble in 2010.
Speaking on page three of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Materazzi was first asked if Inter have already run away with the league title this season.
“I never had any doubts that they would… I was sure from the beginning, too much quality and conviction after Istanbul, a clear superiority.
“Touch wood, the path is clear for the second Scudetto star, while for the Champions League everything is more complicated and unpredictable.
“But Inter have become a machine, they can face anyone without fear. The players and Inzaghi found the key, and the great thing is that they found it… together.”
He elaborated on his point about finding the key together.
“In the sense that they’ve become a family, as we in the Treble squad were and still are, even now in Georgia time didn’t seem to have passed for us.
“Even at Inter today everyone is happy for a single goal, like when Arnautovic came unstuck and the bench went crazy, it wasn’t taken for granted, they were sincere. From these things we understand that everything works.”
The former defender touched on how Marko Arnautovic is the link between the Treble squad and this Inter team.
“Then he was a child with whom we joked to make him grow up. Now he is a man and a great player who has nothing to prove. When I saw him in the summer I just said ‘don’t worry’ and he smiled at me.
“Injuries have held him back, but he never comes on sulking, on the contrary he has the right attitude. Of course, he has two monsters in front of him, but he has understood the role and now comes ‘his’ match against Bologna.”
Materazzi discussed the qualities of Bologna coach Thiago Motta.
“Thiago is concrete without unnecessary blips, intelligent, prepared. He could have taken PSG, he had a clear path there but he wanted to gain experience in Genoa, Spezia and now in Bologna, he built himself step by step and avoided leaps in the dark, like Napoli after the Scudetto.
“This also shows what kind of mentality he has, his Bologna is as strong as him. I hope he doesn’t go to a big club in the summer and stays there in Emilia for a while, so we can continue to win with Inzaghi and then one day, who knows when, he could be the one to take Simone’s place.”
He was asked if this Inter squad would undermine his Treble winning side.
“I’d honestly say that they play better than us. It’s really a pleasure to follow them, credit must be given to Inzaghi who understood how not to waste talent. All it takes is making strong players feel good together to get results, even without inventing who knows what.
“And then the managers are very good and have made very few mistakes in recent years. From Mkhitaryan to Barella, they knew that there were solid roots, belonging, seriousness there. So they built this team that seems perfect.”
He touched on which player most resembles him in the current squad.
“Maybe Acerbi is approaching that because of history, because he became strong late. But I see myself in Bastoni, partly in his physique and partly in the way he passes with his left foot.”
The former defender looked ahead to Inter’s coming Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.
“In the first leg we could’ve scored more, but the team are no longer shaking. Of course, it’s tough there because if you make mistakes you pay for them against such shrewd opponents…”
Finally, Materazzi gave a memory of Diego Simeone.
“A bad memory and everyone knows what it is (May 5, ed.) so it’s better not to talk about it. But this could really be the toughest obstacle towards the final.”
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