Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi was proud of his team after their spirited effort in the final of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) on Saturday.
The Nerazzurri lost the match 1-0 but made City work hard for the victory in Istanbul.
"I congratulated the boys because they were great, they played a great game. We lost a final that we wanted to win at all costs, but they should be satisfied. They were perfect as a team,” Inzaghi said after the match.
“We played against a very strong opponent, giving up very little. We have many regrets, but we have to be proud. I gave the boys a huge hug as I give it to our fans who have always supported us. It is the fifth final in two years and we must be proud of the path we have taken,” he added.
Inzaghi also admitted that his side could not finish the chances they created during the match.
Inter did not let City’s backline rest for a larger period of time as they took 14 shots and registered six of them on target. Meanwhile, the English club managed to get only four shots on target one of which turned into a goal.
“In the first half we didn't suffer much, but in terms of movement we could have done better. In the second half, on the other hand, we played well and created many scoring chances, but we lacked the final touch. In the last 20 minutes we came close to scoring several times and I would have gladly played extra time because the team deserved it,” he said.
“The path in this Champions League has been exceptional, we want to return to the final and we have the chances to do so. We arrived on 10 June having already played 57 games, for me it is an extraordinary path. I am proud of these guys because they deserved more,” he added.
Manchester City became the sixth English team to win the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, after Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest – twice as many sides than any other nation (3 – Germany, Italy and Netherlands).