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Simone Inzaghi: The mastermind behind Lazio’s rise

By Benjamin Barkworth

UDINE, UDINESE - APRIL 08: SS Lazio head coach Simone Inzaghi during the serie A match between Udinese Calcio and SS Lazio at Stadio Friuli on April 8, 2018 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images)
UDINE, UDINESE - APRIL 08: SS Lazio head coach Simone Inzaghi during the serie A match between Udinese Calcio and SS Lazio at Stadio Friuli on April 8, 2018 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images.
Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images. /

Achievements

Inzaghi hasn’t won a major trophy with Lazio, yet, but they won the 2017 Supercoppa Italiana against Juventus under his guidance. It was a dramatic victory with Alessandro Murgia scoring the winner in stoppage time after Juventus had come from 2-0 down. This was revenge for their loss to the same opponents in the Coppa Italia Final.

They were only able to finish last season in fifth place, so they missed out on Champions League football. However, they have the chance to rectify that this season.

They have managed to effectively fight on multiple fronts this season, which is testament to how Inzaghi has been able to use his squad. Last season, they didn’t have European football to contend with. Therefore, they have improved considerably because they are still fighting in two competitions and even managed to reach the Coppa Italia semi-finals where they were knocked out by AC Milan.

Top teams are usually able to improve when they don’t have European football because of the reduction in games. However, the team’s continuous progression suggests that Inzaghi’s had a large influence rather than it being short-term fluctuations.

Qualifying for the Champions League would be a big accomplishment, which has been made easier by the additional spot Serie A was given. However, Inzaghi’s main challenge is whether he can deliver their first European success since 1999, which is their only major continental trophy to date. This would also be the first time they have won the Europa League/UEFA Cup. I Biancocelesti did reach the final in 1997/98, but they lost 3-0 to a Ronaldo-inspired Inter Milan.

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