Marotta:"We are happy to be present at the right time in various competitions"

The intervention of the Nerazzurri president at the Il Foglio event at San Siro.

During the Il Foglio via Fcinter1908.it event at San Siro, one of the featured guests in the newspaper’s rich program was Beppe Marotta. He addressed several topics.

The first was the difference between being a director and a president:

"It changes in terms of responsibility, and in daily duties — what I used to do before, I still do now. 

But there is a level of responsibility that comes with a top leadership role. I built my career as a director, and becoming a president represents a new challenge, especially when it comes to sporting commitments. Winning as a president perhaps cements a well-structured career.

Some principles remain the same. The big difference is that before, we had a reference point — Zhang. Now, we have a fund composed of professionals, and we work very well with them. 

The interaction with our area complements their skills and attitudes. Their presence is daily, silent, and reassuring. Then there’s the concept of delegation, which is a key quality any company manager must have."

Inter Milan competing on all fronts

"We are happy to be present at the right time in various competitions. That was our goal, and we achieved it. We are obligated to believe until the end. I must say that we won in Munich, but we haven't won anything yet. My experience teaches me that results can always be overturned. 

We must maintain the same determination — the victory was well-deserved and came from a clear will to win. Our coaches and players took the field intending to perform well, and we succeeded.

Now the roles are reversed: we are the favorites, and they are the underdogs. It’s up to us to have the right mindset and motivation. Let’s not forget that we have an important match on Saturday. Without focus and motivation, you risk not being up to the role. On paper, it’s an easy match, but only on paper — there are many difficulties. 

What we are instilling in our players these days is this very concept: we must face Cagliari with the same determination we had in Munich."

Hard to maintain consistency

"Yes, because in Italy, there are no easy matches anymore — they all give you a hard time. The direct clashes are important, but every game is full of difficulty. 

The toughest matches often come against the teams that seem easiest on paper. There are seven games left. I don’t look at the calendar — I just say we must navigate these last three teams who cause more emotional tension than Napoli."

Club World Cup

"It’s the first time. Representing Italy is a huge source of pride and the result of five years of hard work. It’s a new experience that lands between the end and the start of a season. 

Everyone involved will be inexperienced. In this context, we risk amplifying competitive pressure, and could reach 60 matches in a season. In recent years, we’ve learned that small squads are not enough for the demands we face. This scenario needs better harmonization.

I’m absolutely in favor of reducing Serie A from 20 to 18 teams. Smaller clubs want to preserve the 20-team format. But if the big teams do well, the whole Italian football system benefits. If we achieve successful results that lead to greater revenue, we want to reinvest those earnings into the domestic market. 

To build a strong core of Italian players, you need to buy them — and for that, you need resources."

Second team?

"I’m very proud because the second-team experiment at Juventus started under my leadership. The most important aspect is creating a tool that helps bridge the gap between the senior team and the U19s. 

Having a middle ground reduces that gap. Inter Milan will absolutely have a second team — unless there are issues entering the Lega Pro, since another team has to give up their spot. That’s the only thing we’re waiting for. Most likely, we’ll play in Monza at the Brianteo and train at Interello."

Goal to lower the average age of the squad

"The goal is to align with the concept of sustainability, which must always guide us. There are national and UEFA licensing criteria you must meet. 

Today, balancing the books comes before sporting goals — but both can be achieved. The idea that the highest spender wins is false.

'Win and then go bankrupt?' Bankruptcy is a dirty word. It reflects a typically Italian concept of envy. Success often brings that stigma, which is wrong.

We’ve never risked bankruptcy. We are a club with financial exposure, yes, but we manage our bond very well. We have no debts to suppliers or banks — otherwise, we wouldn’t be allowed to compete. We’ve never faced fines or warnings, and we pay our tax obligations regularly. There’s this urban legend that confuses past issues above our heads with Inter’s daily operations."

Did you step in to block Paratici to Milan?

"Another Milanese urban legend. I don’t know if a white knight exists, but how could anyone think I could influence the owner or president of Milan — competent people who don’t wait for my advice? What’s the accusation? What did I supposedly do? If Paratici comes in as Milan’s sporting director, I’d be happy — I’d have more motivation and be even more fired up."

Inzaghi?

"With Inzaghi, we were lucky — he was about to sign with Lazio. Luckily, he hadn’t signed yet. 

We were fortunate to find a serious professional, a good young coach. He has shown deep knowledge of football and great man-management skills, which is very difficult nowadays. I won’t rank coaches, but finishing second doesn’t mean a failed season. We are present in multiple competitions and have earned significant revenue thanks to our Champions League journey.

The ambition is to aim higher and higher. If others do better than us, we’ll say ‘well done’ — but we believe we can win the Champions League, Serie A, and the Coppa Italia."