Former Juventus director Luciano Moggi has expressed his admiration for Beppe Marotta, calling him the best football executive in Italy. Speaking on the radio show *”A Pranzo con Chiariello”* on Radio CRC, Moggi shared his thoughts on Marotta’s success and addressed various topics related to Serie A.
On Marotta’s Leadership
Moggi was unequivocal in his praise for Marotta, stating: “Beppe Marotta is the best executive in Italian football right now. He knows how to manage Inter both internally and externally, and it’s right that he does so as President and CEO. I defend Marotta because when people say he has power, I respond that he has it because he is talented, not because he buys it from others.”
When asked if Marotta could be considered his successor, Moggi replied with a touch of humor: “It’s a pleasure for him because I used to win championships without asking anything from the club.”
On the Ultras and Club Relationships
Moggi also commented on the controversial topic of executives interacting with ultras. “When people talk about Marotta speaking with fans, I don’t see anything wrong with it. We don’t have to ask for their ID cards. I spoke with fans thousands of times when I was at Napoli and other clubs because the Federation punishes football clubs for incidents like pitch invasions or firecracker throwing. Objective responsibility is a trap for clubs because it makes them accountable for everything that happens and leaves them at the mercy of fans who might demand tickets or threaten damage to the stadium.”
He added: “The fundamental issue is that it would be better to give full responsibility to the clubs themselves so they can defend themselves. The idea of public security managing stadiums and curves isn’t even feasible.”
On Private Stadium Ownership
Moggi highlighted the importance of privately owned stadiums in Italy. “A privately owned stadium is much better than a public one, but you need money to build it. That’s why there are so few private stadiums in Italy. De Laurentiis is right when he says he wants to build a new stadium—if he has the money, he has every reason to do so. Juventus paid to build their own stadium.”
On De Laurentiis and Napoli
The former Juventus director defended Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, against criticism. “I hear too many things about De Laurentiis. He’s a prudent president who always keeps the finances in order, and there’s nothing to criticize about that. He was criticized for not adequately replacing Kvaratskhelia in January, but Napoli is still at the top of the table.”
On Controversial Decisions in Serie A
Moggi weighed in on a recent controversial corner kick during Inter-Fiorentina. “It reminds me of a game between Juventus and Parma when there was an obvious missed corner kick shown on TV, and a goal was disallowed as a result. At San Siro, you didn’t need binoculars to see that the ball was 30 centimeters out of play, yet they gave the corner, and it led to a goal. If that assistant had made the same mistake in a Juventus match, everyone would have said they were paid by Juventus. But let’s be clear: these are things that can happen to an assistant—it wasn’t intentional.”
On Kvaratskhelia’s Transfer
Discussing Napoli’s star player Kvaratskhelia, Moggi shared his perspective: “I wouldn’t have sold Kvaratskhelia in January; I would have sold him in June after winning the championship. I would have planned ahead based on Article 17 regulations. You need to be shrewd—Neapolitans are good at seeing things a year before others do.”
On Southern Teams’ Success
Moggi dismissed claims that only northern teams dominate Italian football. “It’s not true that only northern teams win championships. When I was at Napoli with Ferlaino, southern teams won both the league and the Coppa Italia. You don’t win with talk—you win with strong players.”
