Inter Corporate CEO Alessandro Antonello feels that whilst reaching the Champions League semifinals has been a big positive for the team financially, top four in Serie A remains vital as ever.
Speaking to reports outside an event at Bocconi Univeristy in Milan, as reported by FCInterNews, the Nerazzurri executive gave his thoughts on the financial ramifications for the end of the season in different competitions.
Inter certainly did not include the revenues that come from reaching the latter stage of this season’s Champions League knockout stages in their budget for this season, meaning that they will see the extra prize money and stadium revenues as a major windfall.
However, the Nerazzurri also hardly budgeted for being in just the Europa League rather than at least the group stages of the Champions League next time around, and so missing out on top four (or winning the Champions League) would mean that the club would likely be left scrambling.
Of reaching the Champions League semifinals, Antonello said that “Achieving results like this, unplanned at the beginning of the season, is a big boost in terms of financial sustainability.”
“However, for us the important thing is to finish in the top four,” he added.
“On the other hand, we have to recognize that over the past three three seasons we will have participated in five finals,” he added.
“It means that the project and the strategy that we’ve been pursuing for some time has started to bear fruit,” Antonello suggested.
“Now the final part of the season has become very interesting, with a Coppa Italia final, Champions League semifinals, which apart from the financial side has certainly given the fans extra enthusiasm,” he added.
Asked if the club will have to change their plans if they miss out on the Champions League, Antonello replied that “I think that question is premature because right now we still have a lot of matches to play from now until the end of the season.”
“We have number of very important matches on the way,” he added.
“We know very well what the next steps are but right now we have to stay focused on the next matches, that’s the most important thing.”