Former Inter president Massimo Moratti revealed he has spoken with Steven Zhang following Inter’s takeover by Oaktree Capital: ‘Zhang is very sorry.’ Speaking with Corriere della Sera, Moratti shared his thoughts on the news that the American fund had taken control of the Nerazzurri, explaining what he thinks will happen in the future:
“Yes, I managed to speak with Steven Zhang. He was very sorry, quite sorry. From the beginning, I’ve said he is a decent, intelligent, and serious young man; he has grown into a true president at the helm of Inter. Besides the trophies he has brought and the money invested. A lot of money. Let’s never forget that,”
“The fact that a fund has an almost infinite wealth does not necessarily mean it’s a ‘quality’. I mean from the fan’s perspective: Inter will not represent the center of their interests, it is not the priority but just one of their activities. Is Oaktree a problem? Who can say… We perceive a certain confidence in the managerial chain, and we have no choice but to trust them,” the former president continued.
Moratti also emphasized that “funds represent a good part of contemporary football. Football requires extraordinary amounts of money. Not all clubs can keep up, not to mention global issues of recent years, like the pandemic, and specific challenges in China. Steven was already highly leveraged with the banks: where would he find the money? I heard him being sorry because he tried every move to keep Inter. He fought until the end. The renewals? I don’t want to dodge the question: but in this new corporate framework, the real point is the inability to predict tomorrow.”
“The Scudetto, the way it was won, remains a marvel. Let’s enjoy it.”
