Inter Milan Clinches Victory Against Lecce In Serie A Title Defence

Add as a preferred source on Google

Simone Inzaghi was confident that Inter Milan would bounce back against Lecce after a disappointing draw in their Serie A opener. Goals from Matteo Darmian and Hakan Calhanoglu secured a 2-0 victory at San Siro, following a 2-2 draw with Genoa the previous weekend.

"You always need to be hungry, but I was quite calm. The lads are training well," Inzaghi told Sky. "On Saturday in Genoa, I think we played a good game. We conceded two goals that we should have avoided, but I saw a team that had committed itself."

Inzaghi noted that despite the initial setback, the team remained focused on winning. "This week there was no happiness, [the win is something] normal because we are Inter, and we always want to win," he added.

Inter played without their captain Lautaro Martinez, who was last season's top scorer with 24 goals. Martinez missed the match due to a muscle issue. "The boy woke up on Friday morning with pain," Inzaghi explained. "He had finished training on Thursday, then he woke up with a little problem, and we decided not to risk him."

Darmian stepped up in Martinez's absence, scoring the earliest goal by a defender in Serie A history at four minutes and 46 seconds. "Winning is never easy; repeating is increasingly difficult, and we want to do it," Darmian said.

Darmian and Calhanoglu Shine

Darmian expressed his commitment to the team: "I try to always be ready, to train 100%, then the secret is in the group. At Inter, it is normal to have a lot of competition." His early goal set the tone for the match.

Calhanoglu doubled Inter's lead from the penalty spot in the second half. He maintained his perfect record from penalties, having scored all 17 he has taken. The midfielder highlighted their determination: "We have the same hunger as last year, the same desire to win."

Focus on Team Effort

The players' dedication was evident despite challenging conditions. "In this heat, we struggle like everyone else, but with determination, we can move forward," Calhanoglu said.

The victory marked an important step for Inter as they aim to defend their title successfully this season.