Inter’s CEO Marotta was interviewed by Radio Rai in which he discussed several topics:
How did the first months go at Inter?
“There was some difficulty in getting into the club because the transition from Juventus to Inter involves objective difficulties in getting to know the daily life of the club. I’ve been doing this job for 42 years, however, with an average of more than five years for each club. It’s quite normal. What I can guarantee Inter is experience, an important component in a world that is apparently easy and full of great pitfalls. I believe that Juventus can still be a protagonist for several years because the gap is considerable, it has a turnover that allows it to pay very important fees. Surely it is a winning model not only for the results on the field or economic that presents every year, but also as a reference.
“The mitigating factor for Inter is that in eight years it has changed three owers. There is still no stability within the company, some dynamics are not fully controlled and some people are able to externalize what was not externalized at Juventus. In recent weeks it has been said that the real goal is participation in the Champions League. This is linked both to the overwhelming power of Juventus, and to the fact that Naples are behind with 11 points less than last year. The power of Juventus is unquestionable and this guarantees national dominance for a few more years.”
Can you give a percentage of the possibility that Icardi will be staying?
“Percentages are hard to make in football. Icardi is a 26 year old boy and is gaining great international experience. He is an important resource and has a two-year contract, beyond the renewals of circumstance is one of the best young people, because I consider it so, and among the best strikers around. The assessments will be made at the right time. The will of the club is important, then there is also the will of the player. What we have managed are those extraordinary situations that are part of the history of football, which includes in the locker room players who must not necessarily be friends but above all serious professionals to achieve the goal of the beginning of the season. Yesterday’s gesture with Perisic is very nice and shows that the locker room is united and everyone can focus on the goal of the club.”
Is Dybala-Icardi swap possible?
“I underline the value of Icardi, I also say that Dybala although in a process of momentary involution is objectively very strong. I know him for his human and professional qualities, beyond the possibilities of the player the difference is made by man. Icardi also has these qualities, he just has to gain experience and grow.”
Why doesn’t Inter sign Quagliarella and Pavoletti?
“Quagliarella, I had the pleasure of managing it at Sampdoria and Juventus. It is an example of football longevity. It is typical in strikers to find themselves at a later age. I emphasize its value and that of Pavoletti but the dynamics of a society like Inter are a bit different.”
What will be happening in the upcoming transfer window?
“The will of the Zhang family is to improve from year to year. It is normal that we will have to strengthen the squad, we must improve for experience and winning culture that the new ones will have to represent. We are dealing with Godin, who embodies these values. We need to find players who can positively influence their locker room mates from this point of view. The Zhang family wants to do well despite the Financial Fair Play stakes that do not leave us a lot of opportunity to invest.”
What is the future of Spalletti?
“Surely Spalletti is a coach who, beyond his two years of contract, is making the team stay in target of the set goals. We have the same points as last year and we are third. Last year we were fifth. The Champions goal is within reach and we hope to achieve it, because it is a priority. It’s right to trust him because he’s shown he can achieve important goals. The rumours are a consequence of the fact that Antonio Conte is free, but above all represents a winning coach profile. I’ve had the opportunity to work with him, he’s a coach who fits in very strongly. He has proved to win with Juventus and Chelsea, he has done great things with the National team, it is normal to be approached to this or that club depending on the time. However, I would like to underline how Spalletti has created a team structure that is always growing. We have him and it’s right to praise him for his results.”
Is it more difficult winning Serie A or Champions League?
“It’s definitely much harder to win the Champions League than the Scudetto. The main difference between the two tournaments is that in one there are also favorable circumstances that help you, the draw or the missed injuries or disqualifications. In the championship the absolute values come out, if Juventus is much stronger and is difficult to compete against, there is still an opportunity to do so.”
How important is the stadium to Inter management?
“This is an important situation for two reasons. It is a fundamental asset, the second value is commercial. The stadium must guarantee a sense of hospitality, eradicate violence and give a great sense of belonging to the fans who must feel at home. The stadium guarantees fundamental revenues, as we have seen with the Allianz Stadium where the average annual travel is 50-60 million. It is a significant item.”
What is your opinion regarding VAR and referees?
“It’s helping us eliminate mistakes. The Var is not a perfect tool, offsides are read in the best possible way as well as violent conducts. The difference lies above all in the penalties, especially for the foul of the hand. This comes from the interpretation given by the Ifab, the organism that establishes the rules, that does not realize that there is the Var and when you have to disquisition on voluntariness or not you return much in subjectivity. I think it is desirable to have simpler and more interpretable rules.”
Are you hoping that Juve qualify for the next round of the Champions league so that they will not focus on the Inter-Juve game?
“Inter-Juventus is called the derby of Italy, so we leave aside the ranking of the teams in the table.”
Source: fcinternews.it
