Inter lose the Cup and…Conte. The night in Cologne is colored by red-and-white-Seville, while the Nerazzurri are left with nothing but one bitter disappointment typical of someone who was one step away from victory, only to have to deal with a defeat. The 3-2 final leaves many regrets, because if it is true that the Spaniards, on the whole, were able to manage the match better, so are the numerous missed opportunities by the Nerazzurri, above all Lukaku's. The Belgian, rightly praised on the eve for his great season, however failed on the most important night, entering the key episodes despite him. His was the penalty of the initial 1-0, as well as the failed goal face to face with the goalkeeper at 2-2, but above all the deflection behind Handanovic for Sevilla's 3-2.
To complete the bitter evening, Conte's post-match interview, a veritable epitaph on his Nerazzurri experience. “We'll meet with the club in two or three days and we'll make the best decision for Inter, with or without me – explained the coach in no uncertain terms -. We have different views: I didn't like some situations and there is a limit to everything. In any case, I would like to thank those who gave me the opportunity to coach Inter, it was worth it. Greetings all…”. So the curtain falls, barring sensational twists, on a combination that promised a lot but which then, on balance, did not bring any title to the bulletin board, despite a season that was in any case superior to the previous ones.
Conte would have liked to leave by winning, instead he will do it "as the first of the losers" (his words) both in the league and in Europe. It's a shame, because the former UEFA Cup was really close and perhaps, with a little more luck, he could really return to Italy 21 years after the last one (Malesani's Parma). The episodes are decisive, but also some technical and setting errors. The 3 goals conceded all came from high balls, moreover, some training choices did not convince, in particular the late entry of Eriksen (for him only 13 minutes plus added time), one on which Inter, if they want to return to greatness, will have to bet much more. And to think that the game started immediately with Lukaku very good first at getting himself a penalty (foul by Diego Carlos), then at converting it coldly (5 ').
But Sevilla, like the old wolf of the Europa League (with this they make 6 in total, 4 in the last 7 years, an absolute record), weren't impressed, on the contrary they first found the equalizer (12'), then overtaking ( 33'): decisive, in both cases, De Jong, author of two splendid "zuccate" on which the Nerazzurri defense remained to watch. However, Godin too is a sailor rather accustomed to European storms, and so in the 36th minute the equalizer's header closed a pyrotechnic first half. In the second half, the Spaniards lowered their revs a bit and it was Inter who had the best chances: with Gagliardini (shot countered by Diego Carlos), but above all with Lukaku, stopped by goalkeeper Bounou right at the climax.
And in the final, after the 3-2 scored by Diego Carlos (74', but in other times there would have been talk of Lukaku's own goal), here is two more big chances with Sanchez and Candreva, the first stopped on the line by Koundé, the second by the usual red and white goalkeeper. “A balanced match decided by an episode in the second half, we missed two goals and they scored – commented Conte. – We had more fuel in our legs but less experience, this was decisive”. Now it will take a few hours to get rid of the disappointment, after which it will be time to plan the future, almost certainly with another coach despite the fact that the club, as reiterated yesterday by both Zhang and Marotta, would have gladly continued with the current one.
However, the feeling is that the parties, rather than the acquisition campaign, will talk above all about severance pay, not exactly a detail given the very rich contract in place for 11 million a year until 2022. An agreement will be needed to separate, then the era of Massimiliano Allegri will most likely begin, ready to take over from Conte just like in 2014. There the choice of Juve, however suffered, proved to be spot on: Marotta, a party then as now, hopes that history will repeat itself.
