Simone Inzaghi and Marco Baroni

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

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

Tonight, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will face his former team Lazio.

By now, the Nerazzurri boss is used to going up against the team with whom he forged such a strong bond, both as a coach and as a player.

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

And this time, Lazio is a bit different from what he has become accustomed to as Inter coach.

Lazio are flying high under head coach Marco Baroni.

The 60-year-old took over at the Stadio Olimpico during the summer.

And Lazio’s form has been the best it has been since none other than current Inter coach Inzaghi sat on the bench.

Over the past three seasons, all but one meeting between Inter and Lazio has seen Maurizio Sarri on the Biancocelesti bench.

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

Lazio have achieved a couple of notable wins over their old boss during Sarri’s tenure.

Then the last meeting Igor Tudor was in charge of Lazio was during the Croat’s short-lived spell in charge at the Olimpico.

Simone Inzaghi & Marco Baroni: Different paths to the same destination

But in the summer, Baroni took charge. He had impressed in successive Serie A seasons with Lecce and Hellas Verona respectively and earned the step up to Lazio.

Baroni has exceeded all expectations in Rome.

As Inzaghi had done during his five years in charge, Baroni has instilled both an effective tactical plan and a positive atmosphere in the squad.

But Inzaghi and Baroni had very different journeys to get there.

In the case of the former, Inzaghi had already had a long association with Lazio as a player.

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

Five seasons of success in the Italian capital followed. Then Inzaghi got a move to Inter.

It has hardly been anything but smooth sailing for Inzaghi at Lazio and Inter. But he has always taken up the challenge.

The setbacks have always proved temporary as Inzaghi has chased silverware and built a sterling reputation.

Baroni, on the other hand, has been something of a journeyman. He has had to scrap with a number of smaller clubs.

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

And now in Lazio, Baroni has taken another big step forward.

The 60-year-old has proven after all these years that he is a coach on par with anyone in Serie A.

Inzaghi knows that although he and Baroni have taken very different paths to get here, they face equals at the Olimpico tonight.