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Champions League final: Simone Inzaghi - the 'nice guy' who turned Inter Milan fortunes around

"The phone rang," recounted Giancarlo Inzaghi, father of Inter Milan boss Simone. "It was Romelu Lukaku."

"My son tried to convince him," Inzaghi Sr told Gazzetta dello Sport. "'Here, you are the king. It will be different in London.'"

It was too late. The Belgium striker had decided he was going back to Chelsea, much to coach Inzaghi's disappointment.

"It was like losing three players in one fell swoop," he moaned to his father following Lukaku's move in 2021, only three months after Inzaghi joined Inter.

Inzaghi arrived with hopes of continuing the marvellous work of predecessor Antonio Conte. The aim was to win back-to-back titles but, with big-name departures, including Lukaku, Inter missed out on the Scudetto.

Fast forward to April this year and, rather than challenging at the top of the table after their star striker returned on loan, Inter were sixth.

Three consecutive defeats and a draw at lowly Salernitana had elevated the pressure and Inzaghi seemed exasperated by Lukaku's profligacy.

By the beginning of April, Lukaku had scored only three league goals, two of which were from the penalty spot. Rumours emanated from every crevice of every tabloid. The striker and Inzaghi don't see eye to eye. Apparently. Inzaghi was on the brink. Allegedly. Inter were in crisis. Definitely.

Monza were next, a newly promoted team and yet another loss for Inter. Their 11th defeat of the season. The vultures were circling. In life we are taught that nice guys finish last, but that is especially true in football in Italy. Inzaghi was accused of being just that - a nice guy, a company man.

Yet, as Inter now prepare for Saturday's Champions League final against Manchester City, that was one of the many reasons he was picked for the role.

Marotta the architect
When CEO Beppe Marotta arrived in December 2018, he was tasked with returning Inter to former heights. Forced to sit back and watch Juventus dominate for nine years, Inter yearned to break their hegemony and become a force in Europe once again.

Marotta was the architect behind Juventus' dominating success. Alongside right-hand man and protege Fabio Paratici, he developed a long-term project that yielded an immense amount of joy and trophies.

So when Juventus decided not to offer their star director a new contract in August 2018, choosing to count on Paratici instead, Marotta moved on to the competition.

At Inter, he found a home and a club in need of his expertise. Alongside their other directors, Marotta formulated a winning project aimed at restoring glory and it started in the dressing room.

A healthy and happy atmosphere breeds success, and Marotta's first priority was to remove all toxicity, even if it meant sacrificing great talent. Certain players left and were replaced by those willing to grow, to listen and to adapt.

Next was the development of a winning mentality. Inter is a notoriously inconsistent club where the highs are high but the lows can be depressingly low. They are called 'Pazza' (crazy) Inter for a reason.

They needed a manager who could discipline and inspire winning consistency. In came Conte, the mentality monster. Scudetto achieved, Juventus' hegemony broken. Check.

Europe was the next dream and, when Conte left, Marotta had different requirements of his successor.

He sought peace and stability at the top, a dependable figure who wanted the job for the long term and would thrive despite the financial limitations of the club. Someone who could establish a great rapport with the players, elevate the style of play and succeed in Europe to bring in the big money.

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Champions League final: Simone Inzaghi - the 'nice guy' who turned Inter Milan fortunes around

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