Beppe Marotta has identified the turning point of Inter’s season and revealed how Steven Zhang is feeling after the Nerazzurri’s Serie A title triumph.
Inter were confirmed as champions yesterday for the first time since 2010, after Atalanta were held to a 1-1 draw away at Sassuolo.
Antonio Conte’s side went top of the table for the first time in February after they beat Lazio, but Marotta believes the really key moment came a month before that.
“In a sporting sense, I think the victory over Juventus was crucial for our season,” Inter’s chief executive told Inter TV this afternoon.
“In terms of the club situation, I have to thank Alessandro Antonello who helped support the sporting side of things during this COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve managed to overcome the reduction in revenue brilliantly, with the club who have always supported us albeit from afar.
“It’s been a tough season: the idea was to give our supporters something special, but we knew we’d all have to give our maximum.
“The most credit should go to Conte and the team, without forgetting all the backroom staff at the club who work behind the scenes.
“It’s an extraordinary moment and we must enjoy it.”
Zhang is the youngest president ever to win the Serie A title for Inter at the age of 29, while Suning have become the first ever foreign owners to triumph in Italy.
Asked how Inter’s president had reacted to winning the scudetto, Marotta said: “I was blown away by how happy he was, and I think it’s only right for him to be pleased.
“Zhang didn’t expect to become president in December 2018 and immediately reach the UEFA Europa League final, and then win a scudetto after that.
“He was thrilled when I saw him today and I’m happy for him.”
Marotta also shared his own feelings on Inter’s title, which comes less than three years after he joined the club as their chief executive for sport.
“The scudetto is a dream come true, there’s immense happiness,” he admitted.
“I honestly didn’t think we’d win Serie A this quickly, it’s a real source of satisfaction for everyone at the club.
“I have to thank Conte who has taken us to this achievement and the fans who have always given us their support; the scudetto is a reward for them as well.
“It wasn’t so much a gamble for me to come here, it was a new adventure which began with the problems that a club can have when they’ve changed owners three times in 10 years, with 12 coaches.
“There was instability and a lack of continuity, but it must be remembered that Inter have always been a great club for history and honours, among the most prestigious in the world.
Asked what would come next for Inter, Marotta added: “There’s a dream that it would be nice to fulfill: winning a 20th title would mean securing the second star, and that would mean going down in the club’s history.”