Simeone set for reunion with Inter and Inzaghi
When Atlético Madrid line up against Internazionale in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, it will be an extra special moment for head coach Diego Simeone. The Atleti boss is set to return to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza – a place he called home for two seasons during his playing career. He may be synonymous with the red and white of Atleti, but Simeone will have fond memories of his time wearing the famous black and blue of Inter.
Simeone arrived in Milan in 1997 after spending three years with Atleti. He joined a club that had lost the UEFA Cup final to Schalke 04 on penalties, but that result was put to bed a year later, as a team led by Ronaldo secured Inter’s third UEFA Cup. Simeone featured in nine of Inter’s 11 matches in their successful European campaign, scoring in the last-16 tie against Strasbourg, before going on to make a useful contribution in the final against Lazio – a club he would later join in 1999. The midfielder produced an inch-perfect long-range pass to send Ivan Zamorano through on goal for Inter’s opener in a commanding 3-0 win over Lazio.
The Argentine went on to spend another season with the Nerazzurri , before he said farewell after making a total of 85 appearances for the club. Those two years are certainly cherished by the Atlético boss, who has previously been linked with a return to the Italian giants. In 2018, his sister and agent, Natalia Simeone, told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Sooner or later, he'll end up at Inter. He loves the club, the atmosphere and living in Milan. Inter is a side he would really love to coach."
While a stint as Inter manager cannot be ruled out for the future, the position currently belongs to Simeone’s ex-Lazio teammate Simone Inzaghi. The pair won four major trophies during their time together in the Italian capital, including the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia in 1999-2000.
With Simeone now preparing to lock horns with his former colleague, he will be fully aware that pleasantries with be thrown out of the window when the first whistle is blown at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. The Atleti boss will also be aware of the immense challenge that awaits his team over the next two legs.
Although Paris Saint-Germain were among their possible last-16 opponents, this is the toughest draw they could have been given. Inter may have finished behind Real Sociedad in Group D, but they are an irresistible force under Inzaghi and an improved side from the one that reached last season’s Champions League final.
Since losing to Manchester City in June, Inter have brought in a number of players to bolster their squad, including Yann Sommer, Benjamin Pavard and Marcus Thuram. They are set to win Serie A at a canter, having established a nine-point lead at the top of the table with the added bonus of a game in hand. Not only have Inter lost just two of their 33 competitive games this season, but they have also won all of their eight matches in 2024.
With the Nerazzurri working like a well-oiled machine, Atleti will certainly have their work cut out in the first leg, especially as they have won just two of their last seven away games. Thankfully, they do not have to win on Tuesday, they just need to still be in the tie when the two teams resume battle at the Cívitas Metropolitano next month.
In 2011, Simeone’s Catania side lost 3-1 to Inter in Serie A. Thirteen years later, he will hope the 2024 reunion proves to be a far more successful event.