Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta maintains that rivals Juventus are the favourites for the Serie A title this season. The two sides meet on Sunday evening, and speaking on the sidelines of the DLA Piper Sport Forum, Marotta offered his assessment of the match, as well as a number of other matters relating to the Nerazzurri:
You said that Zhang would never leave the struggling Inter in bad hands.
“I have an almost daily chat with the president, who is very attentive to our history and our present, in addition to the fact that he can also make an important contribution from afar in the day-to-day management, both from the sporting point of view and from that of let’s say ordinary management. I can assure you that he is a great fan, that he wants to stay and there are no particular issues at the moment that speak against him. We are very happy to work with him and with the Zhang family because they have invested heavily in the last five to six years. We are a solid club, we want to try to give our fans and take satisfaction as we have done in recent years’.
What is the significance of Sunday’s direct clash?
“The match against Juventus, as we all know, represents the derby of Italy and should be placed as such. We are in an interlocutory phase of the championship, of the season, and I don’t think the result on one side or the other is decisive.
Are Juventus still the favourite for the Scudetto?
“In the medium to long term Juventus are favourites because the fact of not taking part in European competitions gives them the chance to plan their training better, to have less competitive stress, therefore fewer injuries, and consequently there is an advantage. Of course, participating in competitions such as the Champions League also has the privilege of giving an extra boost to our players’.
Many, however, say that Inter is the stronger team.
“The team is strong, the coach is strong, the fans are exceptional, the ownership is solid…. There are all these components to say that we have to compete to achieve important results. We did it last year, we try to do it again this year and one of the objectives, let’s not hide it, is the second star.
Cuadrado is having more problems than expected. Is there a chance you will be back on the market in January?
“Cuadrado is suffering an injury that in the ordinary running of a club happens to many players. We have a minimum number of injuries, while as far as January is concerned I would say no at the moment for two reasons: firstly because in January it’s not easy to find profitable bargains, and secondly because the squad that Inzaghi has at his disposal is absolutely up to the job and is, as you have said, one of the strongest, but certainly one of the most competitive.
Allegri, however, says that the favourite for the Scudetto is Inter.
“Allegri is a good coach, a great communication expert and I gave him the right answer, with the utmost respect.”
Will Lautaro renew before 2024?
“End of the year 2023? It’s not a problem because Lautaro has said on several occasions that he wants to stay with us for a long time, he is a player we are counting on for the present and the future, so we are sure that when there is the will on both sides to continue the relationship it is very easy.”
