Inter CEO Beppe Marotta is hoping that the team can achieve an important milestone by reaching the Coppa Italia final in this evening’s semi-final clash with AC Milan.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset ahead of the semi-final second leg, the executive explained the significance of the match for the project and the team’s competitiveness.
The Nerazzurri have a chance to reach the Coppa Italia final for the first time since they won the competition in 2011, though it will be anything but a straightforward match.
Inter have failed to beat their city rivals in three attempts this season so far, and this second leg is balanced on a knife edge given that the first leg ended in a goalless draw.
The Nerazzurri are also facing an incredibly tight race for the Serie A title, and Marotta and his fellow directors are also starting on their preparations for next season, but for now they are all in on the Coppa Italia and the derby.
“It is an important match for the growth of the team, I hope it’s a good advertisement for football. And I’m happy that the turnout is large – it’s a good response to this crisis we’ve put behind us.”
“For us, the Coppa Italia has been something we’ve missed out on for eleven years and it’s only natural that we’ll try to win it back. This is an important match but also a difficult one against a strong opponent.”
Asked whether the outcome this evening will have any bearing on the league title race, he predicted that “No, there’s the honour and prestige of getting here but both will fight for the title until the end even though one of us will be eliminated tonight.”
“We’re completely focused on ending the season with great ambitions, in the league and in the Coppa Italia,” Marotta went on.
“We’ll talk about the transfer market later,” he added. “We had a very difficult year, which overcome thanks to the strength of the club, the skill of the coach, the closeness of the team, and the support of the fans.”
“There are many important components that determine the success of a club beyond investment,” he explained.
Of the team’s ups and downs in form the CEO said that “I think it’s difficult for the big clubs to manage a season nowadays.”
“We had a period of crisis which was related to the stress caused by many important matches close together, and also to the call-ups of players to their the national teams,” he added.
“I think the main cause was this,” Marotta suggested, “whereas in the last month it’s been easier to plan and keep on the path that saw us do extraordinarily well across the first half of the season.”