Former Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has hit back at suggestions his team benefited from favorable refereeing decisions last season, insisting the Nerazzurri were "damaged and not favoured" by officiating in Serie A.
The Italian tactician, who led Inter to the Champions League final twice during his four-year tenure, expressed shock at recent allegations linking the club to a refereeing scandal. The controversy emerged after Referee Designator Gianluca Rocchi suspended himself following claims from the Milan Prosecutor that he influenced VAR decisions and assigned referees preferred by Inter for certain matches in 2024-25.
"It shocked me. Inter lost many points last season due to refereeing mistakes in Serie A and the Supercoppa," Inzaghi told Gazzetta. "It's surprising to be mentioned in this story, given that we were damaged and not favoured. How can you think about a scheme? It was an unfortunate season for us."
However, recent reports suggest Rocchi never actually met with Inter executives, and no players or directors from any Serie A club are currently under investigation, casting doubt on the initial allegations.
Inzaghi, who won one Serie A title with Inter and came agonizingly close to the Scudetto again in 2024-25—losing by just a single point—remains frustrated by what he perceives as unfair treatment from officials. "There's still a feeling that something was taken away from us. I'm not accusing anyone, and I have no doubts about good faith. Let's say we were unlucky, and everything went against us. It's painful to lose the title for just one point."
Despite the domestic disappointment, Inzaghi takes immense pride in Inter's European exploits, particularly their unforgettable Champions League victories over Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He considers those triumphs every bit as meaningful as lifting silverware. "We reached two Champions League Finals. I accept criticism anyway, as long as it concerns me and not the footballers, because they always gave me everything they had. I wouldn't change anything. We had a dream, the treble."