Soccer Football - Serie A - Empoli v Inter Milan - Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli, Italy - October 30, 2024 Inter Milan's Federico Dimarco in action with Empoli's Jacopo Fazzini REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
EMPOLI, Italy (Reuters) - Defending Serie A champions Inter Milan moved back to within four points of leaders Napoli with their win over Empoli on Wednesday, but for manager Simone Inzaghi it was all about showing a response after the weekend draw against Juventus.
Sunday's Derby d'Italia may have thrilled the neutrals, but Inter felt they had thrown away two points after letting a two-goal lead slip for Juventus to fight back for a 4-4 draw.
After Napoli won 2-0 at AC Milan on Tuesday, Inzaghi was asked if their 3-0 win at Empoli was a reply to the leaders.
"It is a response to ourselves. In these two and a half days there were mixed feelings inside me," Inzaghi told broadcaster DAZN.
"Seeing a game like Sunday, there was something that didn't add up to me, we deserved to win but we had to do more.
"We tried to recover, managing our forces is important because we are playing a lot and with people missing."
Inzaghi was well aware of the difficulties his side would face at Empoli, against a team which had conceded only one goal in four home games.
Empoli went down to 10 men in the first half, which allowed Inter to find a way through after the break.
"It wasn't easy, in these two days we had looked at what Empoli had done at home," Inzaghi said.
"We knew there would be problems, in the first half we were not quick to move the ball. Empoli were sure to tire eventually and we would find the goal, and so it proved.
"Excellent victory."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
