Marco Tronchetti Provera, the chief executive of Inter’s main shirt sponsor Pirelli, has shared his belief that Inter manager Antonio Conte will be able to steer the team through the rocky patch they are going for.
Since the season resumed, Inter’s form has been up and down. The Nerazzurri have performed well in some matches but have had huge and very costly drop offs, including a drop off in the most recent match which was a 2-1 loss to Bologna.
“Antonio Conte has great experience and will be able to find a solution. He has already done a lot in the first part of the season, now it is a difficult time but Inter will come out of it,” he began an interview with Italian radio station Rai Gr Parlamento show ‘La Politca Nel Pallone’ yesterday afternoon.
“We have to suffer a little more, but remain united. It is very difficult to give an explanation of something inexplicable.”
Next he spoke on some players who have performed well and not so well since the season resumed, namely Christian Eriksen and Lautaro Martinez.
“There have been moments where the football played has been of the highest quality. We have seen an excellent Christian Eriksen in the past few weeks, then we also saw champions like Lautaro Martinez failing to score and others failing to kill off matches. I think Conte is also wondering what’s going on.”
He then spoke briefly on the Serie A title race, which looks set to be won once again by Inter’s arch rivals Juventus.
“How much will the ninth scudetto of Juventus mean? As much as the other eight.”
Tronchetti Provera then discussed some of the limitations of the current Inter side.
“Finding the right balance is not easy and in football not everything happens according to logic. The team as a whole do not have that necessary mental and physical ability, you can also see naivety on the part of defenders who have played well together over the past few years.
“I think it is a psychological issue. It is surprising that the defence do not perform like they should have given the qualities they have.
“In football the moral component it is fundamental. Leadership on the pitch is important for overcoming moments of transition. Inter still does not have the strength that big players have.”
In conclusion, Tronchetti Provera was asked about whether Pirelli would step in and help Inter to pursue Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, who has often been linked to Inter throughout the years.
“If Suning asked us to help the club? Honestly at a time like this we are unable to invest in sport more than we are currently, between Formula 1, America’s Cup in yachting and Inter. We must ask Steven Zhang to make an effort himself, then we can help but not do meaningful things.”
