Inzaghi after PSG defeat: “We deserved to lose, but I’m proud”

Following Inter Milan’s 5-0 Champions League final loss to PSG, Simone Inzaghi reflected on the heavy defeat, his players' effort, and the uncertain future ahead

Speaking to Sky Sport via Fcinter1908.it at the end of the Champions League final between Inter Milan and PSG, Simone Inzaghi had this to say about the match:

“That didn’t look like the real Inter Milan out there. The players know it first of all. But that takes nothing away from them—I’m proud of the journey we’ve made. 

PSG deserved to win the Champions League; they’re a stronger team than us. 

We needed to do better tonight, but we just couldn’t manage it. We approached the game poorly, conceded a goal, and then got stretched out. 

It’s a bad loss, and we’re very sorry—it brings a huge sense of bitterness, but it doesn’t erase what we’ve achieved to this point. 

They deserved it, and I should have done better myself, but I won’t forget what the boys have done.

We didn’t win any trophies, but they were fantastic nonetheless. I told them to keep their heads high, and they deserve praise for everything they’ve done.”

Has he already decided whether this was his last match on the Inter Milan bench?

“We’ll see over the next few days with the club. After a final—our second one lost in three years—there’s too much disappointment and bitterness to think clearly. 

There’ll be time to talk calmly with the club, who were in the dressing room with us. They’re disappointed too, but they’ve always stood by us.”

Why didn’t Frattesi play?

“Davide deserved to play a part in the final, but when I decided to bring Zalewski on to play wide, we weren’t creating much. 

Calhanoglu and Bisseck were forced changes. At 3-0 down, I chose not to send Davide on, but he really did deserve to play. I simply decided not to put him in.”

How do you get over a disappointment like this?

“You have to come out of defeats stronger. Tonight hurts, just like Istanbul did, though they were two very different matches. 

We came into this game clearly more fatigued than PSG. Technically, we didn’t play well, and they got to all the second balls first. 

They won their league three months ago—they’re a stronger team than us. We needed to be cleaner technically, but we weren’t. We fully deserved the defeat.”

How much did the recent speculation about your future affect the team?

“There’s too much disappointment and bitterness right now to talk about the future. Since July 13, we’ve given everything we had. Talking about myself here seems reductive. 

You can talk about a season without titles, but you must honor these boys because they gave everything they had on the pitch.”

What does the team need to start again—transfers or something else?

“We’ll start again from a strong club behind us. They know that, beyond the two players already signed, more additions will be needed. 

Tonight everyone was just as disappointed as we were, but they told me and the team that they’re proud of what we’ve done. We had so many fans here. 

Unfortunately, we couldn’t deliver in the most important match, and we feel that disappointment and bitterness deeply. 

We’ve been through this before—these are tough defeats because they leave a mark. But we have to bounce back stronger, together with a club that always supports us.”

Could the Club World Cup be a chance for redemption?

“You grow stronger from defeats, even if there’s a lot of disappointment. Tonight, we faced a stronger side who fully deserved to win.”

Will you be going to the U.S. tour with Inter?

“I don’t know how to answer that right now. I came here out of respect and politeness, but tonight’s defeat hurts me deeply.”