Rival bosses Simone Inzaghi and Sergio Conceicao paid tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson and highlighted his influence on their careers ahead of the Italian Super Cup final in Riyadh.
Inzaghi, now the coach of Internazionale, and Conceicao, recently installed at the helm of city rivals AC Milan, won a league-and-cup double as teammates under the Swede Eriksson at Lazio during the 1999/2000 season.
Inzaghi would go on to spend 10 more seasons at the Rome club, while Conceicao departed for Parma before spending two seasons with Inter, the side he seeks to upset in Riyadh on Monday night (11pm UAE).
Eriksson, who himself left Lazio in 2001 for a high-profile five-year stint in charge of the England national team, died last August aged 76 and following a career in which he won 18 trophies in Sweden, Italy and Portugal.
He clearly left his mark on the two men who will occupy the dugouts at Al Awwal Park on Monday.
“Sven is in my heart and that of everyone who was in that Lazio team,” said the former Porto coach Conceicao, 50, who replaced the sacked Paulo Fonseca last week.
“I had a lot of great Italian coaches, such as [Arrigo] Sacchi and [Alberto] Malesani, and I learnt in the Italian school of coaching. It's an honour for me to be here now.”
Monday's game is not the first time the two former students of Eriksson have met, with the coaches clashing on the sidelines of a feisty Uefa Champions League last-16 tie in the 2022/23 season, when Conceicao's Porto lost 1-0 to Inter on aggregate. Inzaghi said the two have not spoken since but also played down the rift.
“We have not seen or spoken to each other since, but nothing extraordinary happened,” the 48-year-old Italian said.
“We were together for many years and shared a dressing room. We had a great teacher in our former Lazio coach Eriksson, who led many of us players into the coaching profession.”
Conceicao insisted that their shared history counted for much more than recent touchline skirmishes.
“I will definitely shake his hand,” said the former winger. “Back when I was at Porto there were incidents that are part of the game. Of course, I respect him.
“We are men of football, we played together and love each other. He will be my friend before and after the match. During the game, though, we will be opponents.”
Conceicao was visibly struggling with flu throughout Sunday's press briefing, but would no doubt be energised by landing a trophy in only his second game in charge. The first was a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Juventus in the Super Cup semi-final last Thursday.
“I hope the team is better than me. We're preparing for a final against a strong side who have been successful in recent years,” added the Milan boss.
“They've had the same coach for a while and the players know each other. We need to focus on ourselves. We have had a day less to rest and four or five players who aren't fully fit.”
Among that number is winger Rafael Leao, who has missed the last two games with a muscle injury.
“We will have to assess the situation. He is definitely not at 100 per cent to play 90 minutes. I’ll make a decision after training,” Conceicao said of the Portuguese international.
Forward Marcus Thuram is also doubtful for holders Inter, having sustained a thigh injury during Thursday's 2-0 semi-final win over Atalanta.
That victory, secured courtesy of Denzel Dumfries' double, plus the fact that Inter are aiming to lift the Super Cup for a record-equalling fourth consecutive year, sees them start as healthy favourites at Al Awwal Park, the home of Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr and their captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, when the sides met in Serie A back in September, it was Milan who claimed a 2-1 victory – a fact not lost on Inter's Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez.
“For us, coming and playing here has been important in the past finals because we won the trophy and also because I scored,” said Martinez, referencing his goals in each of Inter's last two Saudi-hosted Super Cup victories.
“It was great to have managed to score in both finals played here. Tomorrow it’s an important game because it’s the derby. We need to prepare to be at our best in the game. Atalanta was a physical game, but I feel very confident that we will make a good performance.
“We are good as a group, as a team. This is important, given that we face a strong team, and one that has beaten us so far in the league. We will try to bring the trophy home, which is what we all want.
“It’s a final, a derby, and we all know how important it is. This is the first trophy we face, the first goal of the year. As we always say, we play to win every competition. I’m calm, even if a goal doesn’t come. I have other teammates who are scoring. Inter has to win, and that’s the only thing that matters.”
