Inter Milan have secured their place as the first finalist in the Supercoppa Italiana, beating Atlanta 2-0 in the first semi-final. Dumfries’ double strike against La Dea has propelled Simone Inzaghi’s team to compete for the trophy they’ve already lifted for three consecutive years. “Simply impressive,” remarked former coach Fabio Capello in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, having won four in his career – three with Milan and one with Roma. Inter coach Inzaghi, meanwhile, is already at five and aiming for a sixth victory.
Are Inter really “unplayable” today?
Capello responds, “They have superior quality and are in great physical shape at the moment. When you combine these two factors, it becomes really tough for all opponents. Even for this year’s extraordinary Atalanta, who had only one chance with Scalvini in the first half and conceded quite a bit to their opponents.”
Gian Piero Gasperini’s lineup choices, however, will be a topic of discussion, with Ederson, CDK, and Lookman on the bench.
“I won’t deny it, they surprised me,” Capello admits. “Perhaps Gasp was hoping to introduce his best players at a tied score to try and give the decisive push to the game. Although I have another thought…”
When pressed about this thought, Capello elaborates, “It seems to me that Gasperini is very ambitious. I wouldn’t be surprised if yesterday’s lineup was made with an eye on the league, which I believe is Atalanta’s true dream. To win the Supercoppa, they would have to play two matches in quick succession, so it makes sense to choose to spare some players in the first, thinking also about when they return to Italy to play in Serie A.”
Regarding Atalanta’s performance, Capello notes, “Look, those who took the field gave their all, and physically Atalanta was on point; I didn’t dislike them at all. It was a real match; Inter didn’t just stroll through. Simply put, Inzaghi’s team is on a superior level. They’re energetic, lively, organized. Everyone participates in the action and then runs back when needed. If we add that Inzaghi’s tactical plan, which is to always throw off three opposing players in pressure, worked perfectly…”
On Dumfries being the star of the evening, Capello comments, “He’s almost like an extra forward. In fact, in the first half, he had already presented himself alone in front of Carnesecchi before falling. I even thought it might be a penalty, but on review, Chiffi was right not to whistle. The point is, Inter with two wingers like the Dutchman and Dimarco has two players who can hurt you on the flanks, skilled at exploiting spaces and with goals in their feet.”
Regarding Lautaro’s recent goal-scoring struggles, Capello offers, “It seemed he had broken the spell in the last game of 2024, but in the first of 2025, he squandered a host of chances. However, I stick to my opinion: problems for strikers begin when there are no chances, not when they miss them. Lautaro moved very well yesterday too: let’s say that right now he doesn’t have the sense of goal, but he stops at the sense of opportunity (laughs).”
Looking ahead to the Juventus vs Milan match, Capello expects, “Let’s see if Motta or Conceição surprises us like Gasp did (laughs). Jokes aside, I expect a balanced and tough game. Juve needs to show signs of growth because what they’ve done so far still leaves something to be desired. On the other hand, Milan players must show pride after the change of coach. It will be interesting to see what Conceição has already understood or not about his team with so few training sessions together. Although to make up for lost time, it seems he’s already doing double sessions.”
