Heroic Martinez leads Inter Milan to third consecutive Super Cup triumph

In the aftermath of the title-winning coach Luciano Spalletti's surprising departure in the summer, Napoli made the bold decision to appoint Rudi Garcia as his successor. However, the Frenchman's reign was short-lived, as a string of poor performances led to his replacement by Walter Mazzarri in November.  

The subsequent upheaval on and off the pitch have resulted in Napoli's woeful defense of their Serie A title, as they find themselves languishing in ninth place. The Italian Super Cup offered a rare chance for Napoli to salvage some silverware this season, but that hope was mercilessly crushed in Riyadh. Inter Milan's captain Lautaro Martinez delivered the final blow with a late goal, securing his team's third consecutive Super Cup victory and leaving Napoli empty-handed.

While Martinez jubilantly carried the trophy to the stands, Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri was noticeably absent from the trophy ceremony. His anger stemmed from the controversial sending off of striker Giovanni Simeone, whose dismissal came at the hour mark when he inadvertently stepped on Francesco Acerbi's foot, mere moments after receiving his first yellow card for a challenge on Hakan Calhanoglu. 

Mazzarri, seething with fury, vehemently expressed his discontent by shouting a few choice words at the officials, before storming off down the tunnel in protest.

Simone Inzaghi, the Inter Milan boss, was undoubtedly in high spirits following the narrow win. The triumph not only secured Inter's place in history as the second team to achieve a hat-trick of Super Cup titles, but it also mirrored the feat accomplished by their city rivals, AC Milan, who clinched three consecutive victories between 1992 and 1994.  

Furthermore, this achievement marked a significant milestone for Inzaghi himself. With the latest win, he surpassed the legendary Italian coaches Fabio Capello and Marcello Lippi in terms of Super Cup victories, establishing a new record of five titles in his coaching career.

"We must offer our sincere congratulations to Napoli for their outstanding performance," acknowledged Inzaghi. "Having played a semifinal just three days ago and then a final today, it was a completely new and demanding experience for everyone involved. However, we managed to maintain our focus at a consistently high level throughout."

Martinez echoed these sentiments, highlighting his sense of pride and joy. "I am incredibly proud and overjoyed. After our disappointment in the Italian Cup, winning the Super Cup became our primary objective. Despite facing the challenge of having a day less rest and not being in our sharpest form, I am immensely proud of this team's resilience. Scoring the decisive goal brought forth a rush of emotions and marked a truly unforgettable moment."