Sacchi claims Italian clubs ‘not ready’ to compete for Champions League; urges Inter and Napoli to focus on Serie A | OneFootball

Sacchi claims Italian clubs ‘not ready’ to compete for Champions League; urges Inter and Napoli to focus on Serie A | OneFootball

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·28 luglio 2025

Sacchi claims Italian clubs ‘not ready’ to compete for Champions League; urges Inter and Napoli to focus on Serie A

Immagine dell'articolo:Sacchi claims Italian clubs ‘not ready’ to compete for Champions League; urges Inter and Napoli to focus on Serie A

Former Milan and Italy head coach Arrigo Sacchi has claimed that Serie A clubs do not have the “extra-large squad, players of technical and physical quality, along with the kind of experience and resource management” needed to compete for the Champions League.

Speaking to the Gazzetta dello Sport, the two-time Champions League winning manager argued instead that Inter and Napoli should “focus primarily on the league” as trying to give their all in Europe “could jeopardise their Serie A campaign.”


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Immagine dell'articolo:Sacchi claims Italian clubs ‘not ready’ to compete for Champions League; urges Inter and Napoli to focus on Serie A

FLORENCE, ITALY – MARCH 23: Italian Football Youth Coordinator Arrigo Sacchi during a training session ahead of their EURO 2012 qualifier against Slovenia at Coverciano on March 23, 2011 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Inter and Napoli should focus on Serie A – Sacchi

In the interview, Sacchi said, “Looking at the Italian landscape, I feel I can advise Napoli and Inter, who are the two clubs best equipped for competing on multiple fronts, to focus primarily on Serie A. In my view, they are not yet ready to fight on equal footing with Europe’s top sides and trying to do so could jeopardise their Serie A campaign.”

The former coach continued, adding “International matches drain both the muscles and the minds of players, leading to a risk of a chain of injuries and inevitable dips in form. To play at a high level three times a week, you need an extra-large squad, with players of equal technical and physical quality, along with the kind of experience and resource management that, frankly, I don’t think Napoli and Inter have yet.”

Champions League final doesn’t matter as far as Inter are concerned

Inter reached the final of the Champions League final again in 2024-25 but were completely dominated as PSG strolled to a 5-0 victory. It was the second time in three years that Simone Inzaghi had led the Nerazzurri to the final of Europe’s top competition, with his side losing 1-0 to Manchester City in June 2023.

Immagine dell'articolo:Sacchi claims Italian clubs ‘not ready’ to compete for Champions League; urges Inter and Napoli to focus on Serie A

Players of Inter look disappointed as they greet their supporters after losing the UEFA Champions League final between Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain and Serie A side Internazionale Milano in Munich, Germany 31 May 2025. EPA-EFE/FILIP SINGER

In Sacchi’s point of view, Inter’s ability to reach the final changes nothing: “One might object and say ‘but Inter reached the final last season and if they hadn’t come up against those monsters from PSG, maybe we’d be having a different conversation right now.’ A fair point but the reality is that Italian teams, all of them without exception, are not yet at the level of their foreign competitors.”

Finally, Sacchi was asked what the clubs in Italy can do to close the gap on their continental rivals, to which he claimed “When you cannot afford the superstars who fire up people’s imaginations, your only option is to rely on the game itself. Over time, that is what makes the real difference. Napoli and Inter need to channel their energy into becoming more and more European, knowing they can reach that level, as long as they refuse to settle.”

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