Inter, you are a treasure. Inzaghi and the Nerazzurri secure the eighth finals and ... 90 million

Triumph on and off the pitch: record takings for the club after the single-group stage. The team is running perfectly: very solid defense and Martinez a relentless sniper. With the hat-trick against Monaco, “Il Toro“ reaches Mazzola at 17 goals (record) in the Champions League.

di GIULIO MOLA
31 gennaio 2025
Trionfo in campo e fuori: incassi record per il club dopo la fase a girone unico. La squadra gira alla perfezione: difesa solidissima e Martinez cecchino implacabile. Con la tripletta al Monaco, il “Toro“ raggiunge Mazzola a 17 gol (record) in Champions .

Trionfo in campo e fuori: incassi record per il club dopo la fase a girone unico. La squadra gira alla perfezione: difesa solidissima e Martinez cecchino implacabile. Con la tripletta al Monaco, il “Toro“ raggiunge Mazzola a 17 gol (record) in Champions .

Now we can truly say: all that glitters in the house is gold. Inter. The last night at San Siro will be remembered as the perfect one, on and off the pitch. The contagious enthusiasm of the fans, the return in style of the bomber Martinez, the bunker defense, the debut of a young talent. And of course a team that works wonderfully. But there's more: Wednesday night Inzaghi and his players have secured not only qualification for the round of 16, but also a nice nest egg. Yes, because the single round-robin phase of the new Champions League it was also an economic triumph, with record earnings: 90.627.000 euros, something that can straighten out the balance sheets. Only Liverpool did better, with just over 99 million euros. "Where I coach, revenues increase, losses decrease and trophies are won", he said on September 30, 2022 Simone Inzaghi claiming his own merits. Rereading that statement today, we can say that the coach was right. Capable of enhancing the group and giving a game identity. It is not a detail that at his side there are managers like Marotta, Zanetti, Ausilio and Baccin, who certainly contributed to the coach's growth path by choosing the right players in the right roles despite having zero budget. Because if you are capable, even the "zero parameters" policy can pay off.

Having said that the work of the coach and the club is good, the quality of the players must also be praised. With Monaco, Tann Sommer has the seventh “clean sheet“ out of eight group matches and closes the first phase of the Champions League with only one goal conceded (in Leverkusen). And then, when it counts, when the difference needs to be made, here it is lautaro martinez who answers the call. The autumn hibernation is over, the captain is back, in his own way: goals in bursts, in Italy and in Europe. It's a story that repeats itself over time: every time the "Toro" is questioned he responds with facts. With the language of goals. Eight goals in the last eight games (all played in 2025), the first European hat-trick for Monaco (like Adriano and Eto'o) and the honor of having reached a certain Sandro Mazzola with 17 goals in this competition (no one like them). Thus the dark period has been definitively archived and the "ghosts" have been banished. "We are a great team, we deserve respect because we respect everyone. The Champions League is a goal, we don't hide", the words of the Argentine in the post-match. One who uses the "we" and never the "I", one who too often (and unfairly) is questioned when he allows himself pauses in front of goal. Forgetting that he is still the Champion of Italy, but also the Champion of South America and the undisputed leader of a team that now has a consolidated European mentality. "We fight to win everything, now let's think about Milan", he said after the success against Monaco. Knowing full well that the Rossoneri are among the favorite victims: 9 goals in 19 games.

From a consecrated champion to an emerging talent: because Wednesday evening also gave the club's Champions League debut to the chronicles and history of the club. James DePieri, born in 2006. From a key player in the Primavera to twenty minutes on the prestigious continental stage, a nice leap forward for the 18-year-old offensive winger of Andrea Zanchetta's Under 20. Inter is wasting no time and so the young player, assisted by Beppe Riso (the same agent as Davide Frattesi) has been "locked up" until 2029. He will finish the season with the Primavera, and if he doesn't stay with the nascent U23 (he will play in the next Serie C championship) he will be sent to "learn the ropes" far from Milan, perhaps among the cadets. From Cremonese to Spezia to Frosinone, there is no shortage of admirers.

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