Inzaghi rises to managerial elite after romping to first Scudetto

Simone Inzaghi claimed his place at football management's top table after sealing the first Serie A title of his coaching career in spectacular fashion in the Milan derby on Monday.

Inter Milan's Scudetto is easily Inzaghi's biggest honour since winning it as a player with Lazio 24 years ago, and comes after three years of off-field turbulence and serious financial problems which he has navigated with aplomb.

Inzaghi, 48, had a lower-key playing career than his elder sibling Filippo, who was a prolific goalscorer for AC Milan and Juventus, a two-time European champion and World Cup winner.

The younger Inzaghi, also a striker, played most of his career for Lazio, where he is loved by fans despite a modest goal record and a single league title.

However in the managerial game it is Simone who is leading the way, at the helm of one of Europe's traditional powerhouses while Filippo struggles to find his place after a stellar playing career.

He had already attracted plaudits, not least from Pep Guardiola, by taking his team to last season's Champions League final, where they were narrowly beaten by mega-rich Manchester City.

Inzaghi had been largely seen as a cup specialist before this season as he had won three Italian Cups and five Italian Super Cups since beginning his senior managerial career at Lazio in 2016.

But he once again made light of close-season strife to push Inter to their 20th league crown, beating local rivals AC Milan to a second star on their jersey.

Inzaghi is also one of just five managers – two-time European Cup winner Helenio Herrera, Roberto Mancini, Giovanni Trapattoni and Arpad Weisz – to collect 100 wins or more in the Inter dugout.

Inzaghi took over at Lazio eight years ago after working his way up through