Inter should not underestimate today’s opponents Udinese according to former Nerazzurri sporting director Marco Branca.
Inter are due to face Udinese away from home in a couple hours time and Branca, who played for Udinese during his playing career, admits that whilst Inter are favourites, they will need to be absolutely determined if they want to come away from the Dacia Arena with all three points.
“I am very close to Udinese, they are the club who I played the most for,” he explained in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, which appeared in today’s print edition.
“On paper Inter are favourites, but they should not underestimate an opponent who has certainly struggled so far, but then rallied around their coach and the 1-1 draw with Atalanta confirms this.
“To return to Milan with a win, it will require absolute determination from Inter.”
Asked whether Inter are the favourites to go on and win the Serie A title this season, Branca explained: “The squad is quite complete and the lack of European commitments can affect things.
“Inter can win, but like everyone else they will have to consider the Covid-19 situation.
“You could find yourself with two or three big players and such absences can make an impact depending on who you are facing.
“Against Juventus for example, Conte deployed the standard team against a Juve who were in difficult from this point of view.”
Branca proceeded to speak on Conte and whether there are any comparisons that can be drawn with treble winning coach Jose Mourinho.
“They are from two opposing worlds.
“I do not know Antonio, I just observe him from the outside and the result always counts, even the way in which it is achieved.
“I think he’s a very good professional and he’s showing it and I wish him the best.”
Branca, who was part of Inter’s management team between 2002 and 2014, then spoke on the current corporate issues that the club are dealing with.
“I’m surprised.
“I never expected this change of strategy on the part of the Zhangs, not least because we are talking about a family with great economic availability.
“It is a pity, I hope that everything can go well with them or without them.
“In any case, net of who will be there, I expect passion because in football and in sport in general it is decisive.
“Of course the physical and technical qualities, the skill of the coaches and the intelligence of the managers in choosing the players counts, but without emotion you do not go anywhere.
“Without it, at the end of the season you find yourself with six to eight points less.”
He then went on to reflected about his time in Inter’s management and was asked what happened post-treble win.
“My time at Inter was spectacular.
“We won 15 trophies and no sporting director has won as much as I have in the history of Inter and I had a great time there.
“There is only one regret and that was losing the European Super Cup to Atletico Madrid.
“After the Champions and the Club World Cup, a cycle was over.
“There was no longer the same passion, the same motivation, the same energy.
“So we looked for an alternative which was the change of ownership.
“Was the sale of the club to Thohir inevitable? Unfortunately yes.”
Branca then went on to reflect on some of the coaches who were in charge at Inter during his time with the club namely Rafa Benitez, Gian Piero Gasperini, Roberto Mancini and Jose Mourinho.
“Benitez and Gasperini are two very good coaches who came to the wrong club at the wrong time.
“Gian Piero needs fresh, young and physically brilliant people to shape the group and as for Rafael, the talk is similar.
“When we chose them, we were one step away from the end.
“It was not their fault and the epilogue of their respective stories has other explanations.
“Let’s say the environment at the club had been drained for a while.”
“Do I consider Mancini and Mourinho as my coaches? Of course, but I prefer to talk about a group of exceptional people who were close-knit and who loved each other.
“For example, I cannot forget Baresi and the many scouts.
“The team was perfect, otherwise we would never have won all those trophies.”
Branca proceeded to speak briefly on Inter chief executive Giuseppe ‘Beppe’ Marotta and sporting director Piero Ausilio.
“I know Piero better, I brought him to the first team from the youth academy.
“They try to optimize what they have at their disposal and they are both very good professionals.”
In conclusion Branca was asked whether or not Inter will win again.
“What do you mean by the verb ‘win’?
“You can win a league title every 10-15 years and you can open a cycle like ours.
“These are totally different things.
“We opened and closed a long and successful path, I hope that the new Inter can do the same.”
