Benitez: AC Milan’s Spirit is a Fortune, Little Inzaghi Puts Inter Back on Track

Prior to the midweek Champions League matches, Rafa Benitez, former coach of Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, and Real Madrid, and a former Champions League winner, gave an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The experienced coach commented on the current situation of the two Milanese giants.

When asked about the favorites for the Champions League, Benitez pointed out: “The new format of the Champions League may bring some new elements to football. Of course, compared to the past, too many games could have follow-on effects. As for the favorites? The tournament has just begun, it’s too early to talk about this without enough reference points.”

Benitez praised AC Milan’s spirit: “In their first round of the Champions League against Liverpool, AC Milan started poorly, but they quickly regained their fighting spirit. Surprisingly, they won the derby against Inter Milan that followed. Considering the media environment, achieving this was no easy task. But AC Milan did it, and after winning, they triumphed again against Lecce in their subsequent match. This kind of spirit is a fortune.”

Benitez also talked about his former club, Inter Milan: “On the international stage, Inter performed brilliantly, drawing with Manchester City away. However, the cost was a dip in form during the Milan derby that followed. Nevertheless, Little Inzaghi quickly got things back on track, defeating Udinese away and helping Lautaro regain his scoring touch. In my view, he will want to prove his complete control over the team once more in this match against Red Star Belgrade. The teams are not evenly matched, and underestimating them could complicate matters, but Little Inzaghi understands this and will strive to show that losing to AC Milan was merely an anomaly.”

The 64-year-old Benitez is well-versed in Serie A. In 2010, he briefly coached Inter Milan, leading the team to win the Italian Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. From 2013 to 2015, he coached Napoli, securing the Italian Cup and the Italian Super Cup in 2014.