Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi and his Lazio colleague Marco Baroni have taken different paths to the same goal.

This is highlighted in today’s print edition of the Milan newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews.

This evening Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will face his former team Lazio.

The Nerazzurri boss is now used to facing the team he has built such a strong bond with, both as a coach and as a player.

Inzaghi himself admits that for him it is always a different, more emotional game against the Biancocelesti.

And this time Lazio is a little different than what he is used to as Inter coach.

Lazio is experiencing highs under head coach Marco Baroni.

The 60-year-old took over as manager of the Stadio Olimpico in the summer.

And Lazio’s form is better than ever since none other than current Inter coach Inzaghi was on the bench.

In the last three seasons, Maurizio Sarri has been on the Biancocelesti bench in all but one game between Inter and Lazio.

And the experienced former Juventus, Chelsea and Napoli coach has certainly given Inter and Inzaghi some tough games.

Lazio have claimed some notable victories against their old boss during Sarri’s tenure.

In the last meeting, Igor Tudor took over as manager of Lazio, while the Croatian briefly took over as manager of Olimpico.

Simone Inzaghi and Marco Baroni: Different paths to the same goal

But in the summer Baroni took over command. He had impressed in successive Serie A seasons at Lecce and Hellas Verona and earned promotion to Lazio.

Baroni exceeded all expectations in Rome.

Like Inzaghi during his five-year tenure, Baroni created both an effective tactical plan and a positive atmosphere within the team.

But the path there was very different for Inzaghi and Baroni.

In the first case, Inzaghi already had a long connection to Lazio as a player.

The former striker took charge of Lazio’s youth teams after hanging up his boots. And then he immediately earned a chance in the first team.

Five successful seasons followed in the Italian capital. Then Inzaghi earned a move to Inter.

Things hardly went smoothly for Inzaghi at Lazio and Inter. But he always rose to the challenge.

The setbacks always proved temporary as Inzaghi chased titles and built a formidable reputation.

Baroni, on the other hand, was something of a journeyman. He had to fight with several smaller clubs.

But the experienced coach’s work with Lecce and Verona seemed to mark a turning point.

And now Baroni has taken another big step forward at Lazio.

The 60-year-old has proven after all these years that he is a coach who can’t compete with anyone in Serie A.

Inzaghi will know full well that while he and Baroni took very different paths to get here, they will be competing on equal terms at the Olimpico tonight.