Simone Inzaghi and Inter Milan Part Ways After Champions League Setback
Inter Milan have announced the departure of manager Simone Inzaghi “by mutual agreement,” just three days after their 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. The 49-year-old, who succeeded Antonio Conte in 2021, leaves the club after guiding the Nerazzurri through a four-year tenure marked by significant domestic success and near-misses on Europe’s biggest stage.
During his spell at San Siro, Inzaghi secured six major trophies: the Serie A title in the 2023–24 campaign, two Coppa Italia triumphs (2021–22 and 2022–23), and three consecutive Supercoppa Italiana victories between 2021 and 2023. In the recently concluded 2024–25 season, he oversaw 53 matches across all competitions, recording 33 wins—equating to a 62.26% win rate—and averaged 2.09 points per game. Despite these statistics, Inter fell just one point short of Napoli to finish second in Serie A and suffered a heavy loss in the Champions League final, which ultimately influenced his decision to move on.
Inzaghi’s European record with Inter was notable: he led the team to two Champions League finals in three seasons, losing 1-0 to Manchester City in 2023 and then enduring a record 5-0 defeat against PSG in the 2025 decider—the largest margin ever seen in a Champions League final. The scale of that defeat—widely described as a “footballing massacre” in Italian media—served as a major turning point in the club’s relationship with their coach.
Outside Europe, Inzaghi’s name has been strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, where he is expected to sign a lucrative three-year contract reportedly worth €26 million per season. His departure comes on the eve of Inter’s participation in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup (14 June–13 July 2025), in which Al-Hilal will also compete, adding a layer of intrigue to his next challenge on the world stage.
In expressing his gratitude, Inzaghi dedicated a final message to the “millions of Nerazzurri fans who have cheered, suffered, and celebrated with me over the past four years.” Inter president Giuseppe Marotta echoed this sentiment, praising Inzaghi’s passion and “sincerity” in the dialogue that led to their amicable split. With his departure confirmed, Inter will now embark on a search for a successor capable of building on a domestic trophy haul and restoring confidence ahead of their Club World Cup campaign.
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