Beppe Marotta believes that Inter Milan must take motivation from their run to last season’s Champions League final next campaign.

Speaking in the Nerazzurri’s preseason press conference, as reported by FCInterNews, the Nerazzurri executive also weighed in on the influence of the Saudi Pro League’s big spending in the transfer market this summer.

Last season, Inter came heartbreakingly close to European glory.

The Nerazzurri defied expectations to reach the final of the Champions League. There, they met Premier League champions Manchester City.

And, despite the quality of the opposition they faced and the doubts that many had about them, Inter gave a good account of themselves.

That was, of course, worth little given that Inter lost that match by a 1-0 scoreline. It was the narrowest of scorelines, but what mattered was that the Nerazzurri were not able to lift the trophy that they’d worked so hard for throughout the season.

For Marotta, however, Inter must take inspiration and motivation from their adventure last season.

Marotta: Inter Milan Must Be Motivated By Champions League Run Last Season

“We experienced the climax of last season in the Champions League final in Istanbul, but we also won two big trophies,” Marotta said. “This is to the great credit of our coach.”

“He faced a lot of criticism throughout the season, but in the end he took this club somewhere they hadn’t been for many years.”

“Surely that’s thanks to him, and also to the club.”

Marotta called the Champions League final “A source of great pride.”

“Our progress in the league was interrupted by the winter World Cup,” Marotta then said. “Although in the end we got back on our feet and secured qualification for the Champions league.”

“We’ve been present in the most important European competition for years now,” he said. Being runners-up is another source of great pride.”

“For this upcoming season, that has to give us even more motivation to do well,” Marotta made clear.

Marotta Speaks About Inter Milan’s Summer Transfer Window

As far as how the club are preparing for the new season, Marotta said that “Our summer transfer window is already well underway.”

“We have a great Sporting Director Piero Ausilio, he and Dario Baccin are working in harmony with our coach, and in accordance with the guidelines that the owners have given us.”

Marotta was defiant about the team’s record in the transfer market despite financial restrictions. “We’ve shown over the years that even without massive investment we can build a grea team. And then the coach has always made the best of the players available to him.”

“There are forty days left until the start of the season, and then the end of the transfer window,” the Inter executive noted.

“Rest assured we’ll put together a competitive team, and that we’re following slightly different model than in our recent past.”

“The three signings we’ve made so far all follow a clear trend,” Marotta noted. So far, Inter have signed Davide Frattesi, Marcus Thuram, and look poised to sign Yann Biseck.

“We want to rejuvenate the team, and also to contribute something to the national team,” Marotta said.

“A further source of pride for us is that, along with all the players already playing for Mancini, we’ve signed another Italian international in the form of Frattesi,” the Inter CEO noted.

“And now we’re hoping that the Azzurri can also get back to the position that they belong at.”

“Inter will be competitive because we’re all hungry for it,” Marotta said. “And all the directors being here today shows that there’s a unified team behind the scenes, which is vital.”

“We’re a solid team of directors, who love Inter,” the CEO stressed. “I have to thank our fans who have always been behind us in all our matches.”

“But most importantly, I have to thank the Zhang family,” he added. “Who’ve made sure that, even throughout COVID, we’ve never been without the resources that we need to make a strong team.”

“I also thank the corporate side of the club, headed by Alessandro Antonello, as they always support the sporting side.”

Italian Footbal Still Faces Problems Despite European Football, Marotta Says

Marotta noted in his preseason address that “Around a month has passed since the end of a season which saw Italian football back at the heart of European football.”

“There were three finalists, and five semifinalists, in three European competitions,” he noted.

“We’ve started to recall the 1990s and the early 2000s, which increases our credibility,” Marotta said of Italian football’s successes in Europe last season.

“On the other hand, the gap is continuing to grow,” he then observed. “As you know, the negotiations for broadcasting rights are ongoing, but there’s no agreement yet.”

“Then there are also other bureaucratic problems,” Marotta said. “Italy is lagging behind in terms of infrastructure, and there’s a great shortage of youth training centres, which are vital for the growth of young players.”

Marotta Weighs In On Saudi Pro League Summer Of Spending

“And then another aspect that we have to recognize is that clubs from Saudi Arabia have started to become an influence in Europe,” the Inter CEO observed. “They’ve started buying players, which can weaken Italian football further.”

“On the other hand, it gives us the opportunity to raise cash with which to build our own teams,” Marotta also added. Inter, as it happens, cashed in by selling Marcelo Brozovic to Al-Nassr this summer.