Inter CEO Beppe Marotta reflected on the team’s slow start to the season, the injury suffered by Romelu Lukaku and the Cristiano Ronaldo controversy.
The Nerazzurri have won six of their last seven league outings, losing only to rivals Juventus in the Derby d’Italia earlier this month. Simone Inzaghi’s side have started to shake off their sluggish start to the campaign and now sit 5th in the Serie A table heading into the World Cup break, three points behind second place Milan.
Speaking to Radio Anch’io Lo Sport, Marotta first discussed Inter’s hopes of a possible title race this season.
“Nothing important has changed since yesterday, if not the awareness of being protagonists to the end. This is an unusual season that will start on January 1.
“It’s something unprecedented and we’re curious to understand it, also in terms of athletic performance. For the trainers it will be difficult, we will have to understand player by player what deficiencies there will be.”
He reflected on the Nerazzurri’s disappointing start to the season.
“We had a mysterious handicap whose origins we did not understand. The team and the coach have found the remedies, although the home and away record is a sensation, with 18 goals conceded out of a total of 22.
“This element must make us reflect and must make the coach find solutions, this is our task for the holidays.”
The Inter CEO commented on if Edin Dzeko is likely to leave the club on a free transfer next year.
“I don’t think so, he has shown he wants to stay with us. He deserves the renewal, he’s a great professional and is attached to the shirt. Like many ‘oldies’ he has the habit of scoring goals. We’ll take this into account, our desire is to renew but there must also be the explicit will of the player.”
Marotta discussed his respect for Inter president Steven Zhang and his family.
“I believe that great respect must be given to the Zhang family, they have lavished €800m giving a lot to Inter and to the football system.
“With the pandemic everyone has had financial contractions and ethically it is also right that you can no longer flaunt millionaire investments. You have to be good and competent to be competitive in a complicated world.”
He spoke about the serious injury suffered by Lukaku.
“Certainly this injury was unforeseen and unpredictable, conditioned by the desire to return quickly. You have to be cautious, but it’s part of the business risk when you have a squad of 25.
“I am of the opinion that there should be no competitive stress like there has been this season because it leads to a high number of injuries and we are only halfway through the season. The hope is that he can return as soon as possible.”
He reflected on his departure from Juventus.
“In a club it is normal that there are different visions but I was not totally against the Ronaldo operation, but that was not the element of divorce. My cycle was at the end.”
The Inter CEO gave his thoughts on Ronaldo’s recent shocking interview.
“It is part of the great passion he has for his profession. Football has represented everything for him, it is difficult to live with a physical decline at 37 years of age.”
Finally, Marotta discussed Inter’s battle with league leaders Napoli this season.
“Yesterday we played our 15th game, in the first half we are the only one to have played seven matches at home instead of eight. This is not a trivial fact because at home we have an almost all-win record.
“Even last year Napoli were in the lead, today they have five more points which is the most extraordinary fact. We have four less.
“There are 69 points available, so January 4 won’t be decisive, because the difficulty that provincial teams put in front of you must also be assessed. It’s curious to see what shape we will be in when we come back.”