Inter CEO Beppe Marotta feels that the situation with hundreds of Nerazzurri fans being unable to get into the stadium was one unfortunate and negative note to the success of reaching the Champions League quarterfinals in yesterday’s match against Porto.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, via FCInterNews, the Nerazzzurri CEO gave his initial thoughts on the situation outside the Estadio do Dragao, and also reacted to the match.
Many Inter fans who had travelled to Portugal in order to watch yesterday’s match found themselves unable to get into the stadium.
More details should emerge in the coming days regarding the precise reasons why these fans were not permitted entry despite seemingly having bought valid tickets, but in any event it was certainly a bitter note from an Inter perspective.
“We must spare a thought for those fans who had paid for a ticket but were unable to get into the stadium,” Marotta said after the match.
“We’ll have a meeting with UEFA in which we’ll try to reconstruct exactly what happened, I’ve seen videos including entire families who were barred entry.”
“This is an unfortunate note, football should be about joy, and this leaves a bitter aftertaste amid the context of the celebrations,” the CEO continued.
“We will make an inquiry with UEFA,” Marotta continued, “we had already spoken to the police who granted us access.”
“We’re faced with scenes families with children, who were here not to perpetrate any acts of violence but simply to support the team,” he went on.
“We need to avoid these kinds of situations in the future by taking preventative measures.”
Asked whether he thinks that qualification for the quarterfinals of the Champions League is a response to the team’s recent inconsistent form, Marotta explained that “The inconsistency has dragged us down, but the coach has done perfectly to get past it.”
“Today we’re happy, we’re heading into the run-in of the season still fighting on three fronts, and that makes us proud.”
“That’s down to the work of the coach, who’s unfortunately been much-criticized throughout this period, and aolso down to the players,” he added.
“The problem of inconsistency has come up more than it did last season,” Marotta added.
“Our goal is always to qualify for the Champions League, and then we also have to acknowledge the extraordinary season that Napoli are having,” the CEO noted.
On who Inter could be hoping to draw in the next round of the Champions League, Marotta said that “On the one hand we have the desire to play against the very best that Europe has to offer, and on the other hand, to go through to the next round.”
“There are only a few teams left and all deserve the utmost respect, but there are certain teams who are truly on another level.”
“And we have to remember, it’s not like the league, the Champions League is a knockout tournament where sometimes you just need it to be your night,” the CEO reflected.
“There are any number of factors that we’ll have to hope go in our favour.”
