Inter CEO Beppe Marotta prepares for ‘an insidious group’ in the Champions League, as the Nerazzurri are drawn Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk in Group D.
Simone Inzaghi took over after Antonio Conte and hopes to better last year’s performance in the Champions League, and he gets a very similar task against familiar opponents for the Beneamata.
“There’s a great distinction to be made with the championship, where the best team always win,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.
“In the Champions League there are some conditioning such as injuries and conditions, then facing two teams we already played last season is something new.”
Inter were drawn against Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk last year too and Marotta wished former Sassuolo coach Roberto De Zerbi good luck, as he starts a new chapter with the Ukrainians.
“I wish De Zerbi good luck and then there’s Sheriff. The first team from Moldova in the Champions League if I’m not mistaken, an unprecedented one.
“It’s an insidious group, the important thing is to arrive at the appointment against the best team.”
Marotta was asked if he is looking forward to another trip to Madrid this season.
“Well, taking away points at the Bernabeu is very difficult,” he said. “There’s a particular atmosphere, it will be tough.”
But the Nerazzurri director feels Inter are more prepared for the prestigious competition this time around.
“The owners asked us to find financial resources and we did it also thanks to the work of [Dario] Baccin and [Piero] Ausilio, then we tried to identify players who could help us.
“We also succeeded due to favourable circumstances. We have a different squad, it’s not easy to replace players like [Romelu] Lukaku and [Achraf] Hakimi, but we are happy with the work done.
“We have a very good coach and we look to the future with confidence and optimism.”
Marotta then confirmed Inter’s transfer market is closed.
“There will be no other incoming operations, the squad is defined and homogeneous, it was not easy to replace Lukaku and Hakimi, but it was necessary to secure the club in a time of financial contraction, I’m sure that the fans will understand.”