Right, let’s cut through the usual pre-match guff and get straight to it. Fabio Capello, the old fox who’s seen more finals than most of us have h...
Right, let’s cut through the usual pre-match guff and get straight to it. Fabio Capello, the old fox who’s seen more finals than most of us have had hot dinners, has waded into the Coppa Italia showdown between Inter and Lazio. And surprise, surprise – he’s backing the Nerazzurri to get their hands on the silverware at the Stadio Olimpico. But here’s the kicker: he’s also tipped his hat to Maurizio Sarri, claiming the Lazio gaffer ‘knows how to defend’. Wait, what? Did the man who once made Napoli the belle of the ball with that high-octane, chain-smoking football actually learn to park the bus? Or is Capello just having a laugh? Let’s chew the fat.
Capello, never one for mincing words, reckons Inter’s sheer brute force and squad depth will see them over the line. And honestly, who can blame him? Simone Inzaghi’s mob have been an absolute menace this season. They’ve got that nasty habit of grinding out results even when they’re stuck in the mud. Look at that semi-final second leg against Juventus – absolute scenes. They bottled it for long stretches, then bang – a clinical finish from someone like Lautaro Martinez and they’re through. It’s the sign of a side that’s lost the plot a few times but still finds a way. That’s the hallmark of potential champions, isn’t it? They don’t suffer fools, and they certainly don’t suffer the game’s gone nonsense about possession stats for the sake of it.
But here’s the rub: Capello’s nod to Sarri is where it gets properly interesting. For years, we’ve heard the same old song – ‘Sarriball’, the vertical passing, the obsession with cute little triangles. Then he goes to Chelsea, wins the Europa League, but gets the boot because the Premier League big boys couldn’t handle his stubbornness. Then Juventus – absolute disaster. The bloke looked like he’d aged a decade in Turin. Now he’s at Lazio, and suddenly he’s got them defending like their lives depend on it. On a cold rainy night in Rome? Maybe. But Capello’s right – Sarri’s had to adapt. Lazio aren’t playing the tiki-taka that made him a cult hero at the Stadio San Paolo. They’re grinding out 1-0 wins, soaking up pressure, and hitting on the break. It’s not pretty, but it’s effective. Is it ‘knows how to defend’? More like he’s had to learn the hard way that if you don’t defend, you’re knackered.
Let’s not kid ourselves though – this final’s got all the ingredients for a proper tear-up. Inter come into it as favourites, but favourites in a one-off game at the Olimpico? That’s like bringing a knife to a gunfight when the other bloke’s got a bazooka. Lazio’s got Ciro Immobile up front, still sniffing around for goals like a truffle hog, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic pulling the strings in midfield. But Inter’s midfield – Barella, Calhanoglu, Brozovic – that’s the engine room that’s won them everything. They’re like three pitbulls on a leash, just waiting to be unleashed. Capello knows this. He’s been there, done that, got the bloodied shirt to prove it.
The old gaffer’s analysis is spot on, but it’s also a bit of a backhanded compliment. By saying Sarri knows how to defend, he’s essentially saying, ‘You’ve changed, mate, and it worked’. But will it be enough against a side that can turn the screw and make you look like a pub team for 20 minutes? I’m not convinced. Lazio’s got fight, no doubt – they beat Roma in the derby, they’ve got the gobby fans, they’ve got the chip on their shoulder. But Inter’s got the momentum, the experience, and the bloody-mindedness to see it through. Capello’s backing Inter to lift the Coppa Italia. And if there’s one man who knows a thing or two about winning in Italy, it’s that cranky old sod. Just don’t tell Sarri he’s turned into a pragmatist – he might have a fag about it.
All said and done, this is a final that could go to penalties, could go to extra time, could go absolutely wild. But my gut says Inter edge it. Maybe on a dodgy penalty call that has the Lazio fans howling at the moon. Or maybe through a moment of pure class from a player who’s bottled it before but won’t this time. Either way, GoalZaza will be there, watching, and probably shouting at the telly. Because that’s what football does to you – makes you a gibbering wreck, even when you’re trying to be a clever columnist.
