Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta explains why the club must sell a big star every summer and reveals disappointment in Milan Skriniar.
The 66-year-old discussed various matters in a new interview. He insists that the Nerazzurri have a strong squad capable of clinching the Scudetto title.
He calls for the team to adopt an ambitious approach but warns the players against arrogance.
“I’m against the excess of prudence and humility. If you are at Inter, you have to be ambitious, the bar must be high,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport via FcInterNews.
“We have to believe it. It’s different from claiming ‘we are the best’. That would be arrogance.
“We feel strong and have a high opinion of ourselves, especially following last season’s European results.
“We know how much the fans care about the Scudetto. Winning the title would coincide with the second star.”
Marotta also praised the work of Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio, saying he helped him build a strong squad filled with quality with depth.
“With Piero Ausilio, we have built a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.
“If we look at the numbers, the attacking department is doing great. There wasn’t even a single match where we failed to score.
“However, we conceded avoidable goals. And the scudetto is often won by the best defense.”
Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta Explains How Lautaro Martinez Is Different From Milan Skriniar
On another note, the Nerazzurri director insists that club captain Lautaro Martinez won’t behave like Milan Skriniar when it comes to contract negotiations.
Many sources expect the Argentine to extend his deal with the club soon enough. On the other hand, the Slovakian defender joined Paris Saint-Germain for free after seeing out his contract with Inter.
“It is right that the club pays attention to the contractual situations of its players. On the one hand, you have to protect your assets. On the other hand, you strengthen the sense of belonging.
“Lautaro is not like Skriniar. If he shows a desire to extend his contract, which also corresponds to ours, it means that we are on the right path and the marriage can continue for a long time.
“Having loyal players is an added value. If the sense of belonging is missing, a player doesn’t even understand what it means to play or win a derby.
“The best thing for a club is to have a player who gives up joining more important teams in order to remain at his club.”
Marotta Insists Romelu Lukaku Is Now Part Of Inter’s Past
Marotta shrugged off all the talk about Romelu Lukaku, saying the Belgian striker is in the club’s past now. He also heaps praise on Inter coach Simone Inzaghi.
“Lukaku represents the past. No one at the club is still thinking about him. I mean nobody.
“Then, as a football man, these are dynamics that you have to take into account. It’s not the first time it’s happened during my watch.”
“Inzaghi’s record is very positive. The club is very happy with his work. He arrived at Inter with only one previous experience as a manager at Lazio. Inzaghi is young, compared to the average age of coaches in our league, so he can still improve.
“He is different from the other coaches I worked with in the past, as he should be. Simone prefers to play open and spectacular football.
“But then again. we are Inter, so the spectacle must combine with victories, otherwise playing well is useless.”
The Inter CEO poured cold water on rumors linking the club with a January move for Porto striker Mehdi Taremi. He also explains why Inter must keep selling a top player every year.
“I don’t think we’ll sign Taremi in January. But we are Inter and we are always attentive to every situation on the market.
“However, some stars were reluctant to accept Inter a few years ago. But now, many wanted to join last summer.
“We had to say ‘no’ on several occasions. Thuram, Sommer and Pavard chose us. This means that Inter is a strong team once again.”
“Inter is a model of financial sustainability. It is unacceptable that owners must continually inject money into the club.
“The Zhang family did so for around 900 million euros. We, as management, have an advantage, the ability to work calmly: this is important for club president Steven Zhang.
“But there isn’t a club that can do without selling players today. We have to sell an important player every year. The fans must understand this.
“We must ensure that his team has an eternal life, guaranteeing the present and the future. That’s more important than maintaining a player.”