Inter have an important opportunity with the possibility of qualifying for the knockout rounds of the Champions League, given the major financial boon that it would represent.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who note that the Nerazzurri will bring in €20 million in revenue should they qualify for the round of sixteen in Europe’s top competition.
The Nerazzurri have not qualified for the round of sixteen in the Champions League for a decade, with Luciano Spalletti and Antonio Conte having failed to guide them out of the group stage despite strong domestic campaigns.
Against Shakhtar Donetsk this evening, however, Simone Inzaghi has the opportunity to finally achieve the feat for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
On a sporting level, the achievement would obviously be massive – the Nerazzurri have been out in the cold from the most prestigious knockout competition on the continent for far longer than they or their fans would have liked.
As the Gazzetta highlights, only one current Inter player was even a part of the squad the last time the round of sixteen was reached, in the form of defender Andrea Ranocchia.
However, Inzaghi’s men have gotten themselves into an excellent position to finally do so, with two wins over Sheriff Tiraspol in the last two matchdays leaving them second in then group.
A victory against Shakhtar this evening would be a major step towards the knockouts at the very least, and could be enough to see the Nerazzurri secure qualification after five rounds should Sheriff Tiraspol lose to Real Madrid.
If Inter are to make it that far, then they will also be guaranteed prize money of €20 million, hardly a small amount given the club’s financial situation.
The Nerazzurri’s financial troubles during the pandemic have been well-known, with a loss of revenues from stadium closures and debt and liquidity crises at the parent company of owners Suning leaving the club’s balance at -€245 in the red for last year even after major player sales.
€20 million would represent a helpful sum to cover some of the losses and operations at the club, and would reward the team for doing something that they haven’t been able to for ten years, an age in football.
