Nerazzurri without opponents in the Olimpico final against Roma. Chivu completes an extraordinary season as a rookie, Lautaro Martinez signs the triumph.
A year after the tears of Monaco and the mocking blows of Pedro, a year after the shock of arriving one step away from everything to grasp nothing, after finding themselves in the abyss, Inter completes its circle of life. AND’ Doublealongside the Scudetto the Nerazzurri also took the Italian Cup, completing an encore that up to now only Roberto Mancini and José Mourinho had managed. Cristian Chivu also did it at the end of a season which at this point rightfully enters Inter’s history, overcoming the risk that the habit of winning makes even what is not trivial and taken for granted trivial and obvious.
There is the signature of the young Romanian coach on the night at the Olimpico as well as that of Lautaro Martinez who is the technical and emotional leader of this team. Two months ago, just after the defeat in the derby against Milan, the ghosts of the past had returned to populate the Nerazzurri’s nights and remained there until the captain shortened the time needed to return to his troops. Lazio countered Inter’s excessive power with what they had, but Sarri had been sincere the day before when he explained that something crazy would be needed to subvert the balance of power on the pitch.
Nothing supernatural happened, however, and the Italian Cup final basically lasted half an hour. An own goal from Marusic on Dimarco’s usual killer corner and an easy support from Lautaro Martinez after Dumfries had eradicated the ball from a timid Tavares: two nil and the game over. One might say that Lazio scored themselves, but that wouldn’t be the correct summary even for those who lost. Chivu simply commanded the pitch and the Biancocelesti chased, managing to become dangerous only at times in a second half in which, however, there was never the impression that something different could happen.
It is the tenth Italian Cup in Inter’s history and even if they cannot add the silver star above the tricolour, the meaning changes little. THE The Nerazzurri are in a long winning cycle, started by Conte, continued by Inzaghi and now handed over to Chivu: 9 titles in six years with two Champions League finals and one Europa League final consigned to the drawer of regrets but which tell how deep the roots of home rule are.
The figure that ties everything together is that of Beppe Marottathe symbol of continuity from Zhang to Oaktree, who entered Inter on tiptoe and denied the rumors according to which a fund in the control room would have started a rapid downsizing of ambitions by looking only at the accounts. It didn’t happen and the feeling is that this Inter cycle didn’t end at the Olimpico by raising the Italian Cup to the sky. It will be renewed, refreshed and perhaps even equipped with a different DNA on the pitch but the team that dominated the season in Italy still has a lot to give and maintains an important gap on the internal competition.
Last chapter for the celebration of an evening in which Italian football lived up to itself. Full Olympic, festive atmosphere and healthy competitive spirit with hints of a small brawl only at the end, perfect organisation. Everything under the eyes of the future president of the FIGC, Giovanni Malagòwhich took note after having received the appreciation of almost all the components. He will have to fix what doesn’t work without throwing away what is valuable. Inter celebrated the Italian Cup while the Lega Calcio Serie A lodged its appeal with the TAR after the last mediation to try to fix the ugly mess of the Rome derby failed. Same stadium, different story.
