Taremi and Arnautovic impress Inzaghi in Inter's Champions League rout
Reuters with editing from Stats Perform
October 2, 2024 17:00 MYT
October 2, 2024 17:00 MYT
Inter strikers Mehdi Taremi and Marko Arnautovic took their opportunity to impress in a 4-0 Champions League victory over Red Star Belgrade, says Simone Inzaghi.
Taremi converted a penalty and provided two assists, including one for Arnautovic, as Inter overwhelmed the visitors and forced them into costly errors at the back.
Their success came through an energetic pressing game from Taremi in particular, with Inzaghi keen to give the pair an opportunity to start ahead of Lautaro Martínez, who came off the bench to score, and Marcus Thuram.
"The lads were good, they played a serious game against a team that came to play a purely defensive game," Inzaghi told Sky Sport.
"Apart from a couple of counter-attacks that we could have read better and the first five minutes of the second half, everything went well."
He singled out Taremi, 32, and Arnautovic, 35, for praise, adding: "They are giving it their all, I have to make decisions game by game.
"They deserved this opportunity and took advantage of it very well.
"We have two strikers who are playing more, Thuram and Lautaro, but the season is long. Arnautovic and Taremi are two players that I wanted here.
"I am satisfied with how they work daily (in training) and they must continue like this."
6 - Lautaro Martinez is now the second player to have scored in six different UEFA Champions League seasons with Inter, after Julio Cruz. Captain.#UCL pic.twitter.com/v4upLbiqtB — OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) October 1, 2024
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Martinez's goal, meanwhile, was his 13th in the Champions League for Inter.
Only Adriano (14) has ever scored more in the competition for the club.
After drawing 0-0 with Manchester City in their opening game, Tuesday's victory was another step in the right direction for Inter, who have not had the greatest start to the season in Serie A.
"We wanted this victory to follow up the performance in Manchester. We have to continue in this direction. I got the answers I wanted, I'm satisfied," Inzaghi said.
Inter are unbeaten across their last ten Champions League games at San Siro (W8 D2), eight of which have been accompanied by a clean sheet. They have never recorded a longer such streak in the competition before (since the format started in 1992-93).