Inter fans should be full of gratitude towards Beppe Marotta for bringing Antonio Conte to the club, according to one Nerazzurri legend.

Conte has taken the Nerazzurri to the brink of their first league title since 2010, with an 11-point lead over second-placed AC Milan heading into the final eight games of the season.

Not everyone was keen to see Conte at Inter given his long history at Juventus, both as a player and as a coach.

However, Inter’s former Alessandro Altobelli told 1 Station Radio (via sportevai.it) today: “I think it was a great intuition from Inter to appoint Marotta and Conte, and from Marotta to appoint Conte.

“Conte has changed Inter’s mentality in the space of two years.

“They had to meet and talk things over last summer, when Conte knew there were a few pieces missing, and it wasn’t an easy moment.

“But the club satisfied Conte’s demands and how he’s repaying them.”

Inter have become the first team in Serie A history to begin the second half of the league season with 11 straight wins, breaking the previous record (10) set by Arrigo Sacchi’s AC Milan in 1990.

The Nerazzurri also equaled their all-time club record for consecutive home league wins (12) on Sunday, when they got the better of Cagliari 1-0 at San Siro.

Conte’s side return to action away at Napoli this coming Sunday.