Beppe Marotta has celebrated his 10th career Scudetto, and his first as Inter President, strongly advocating that Cristian Chivu should “remain for many years.”
Although Marotta has secured Serie A titles nine times previously with Juventus and Inter, this marks his first as president. He described the experience as “certainly different and a dream come true,” expressing that winning as Inter President is “something remarkable.” Marotta extended his gratitude to his predecessors and the club’s ownership for fostering a stable working environment, emphasizing that “this Scudetto belongs to Chivu and the team.”
Marotta Oversaw Inter’s Remarkable Turnaround
Inter underwent a significant transformation after a disappointing previous season, having narrowly missed out on the Scudetto, lost in the Champions League Final, and faltered in other cup competitions. The departure of Simone Inzaghi led to the unexpected appointment of Cristian Chivu as head coach just before the Club World Cup. Despite limited senior management experience, Chivu has guided Inter to the Serie A title, with a Coppa Italia Final against Lazio still to come.
“As Inzaghi also confirmed the contract termination by mutual consent was on Monday and on the Tuesday we decided to go for Chivu,” Marotta stated. He characterized the decision as “courageous, but a considered one too,” citing Chivu’s distinguished playing career, captaincy at Ajax, success with Inter’s youth team, and his role in securing safety for Parma. “We had no doubts on his skills,” Marotta added, acknowledging a potential lack of experience which the club supported him in overcoming. He concluded, “He can and must remain at Inter for many years, as he has great qualities.”
Despite facing challenges and a dip in form during the season, Marotta highlighted the team’s unity and the coach’s leadership. “I never fired a coach during a season because the coach is a fundamental component who must be helped,” he explained. “Too often, people make instinctive decisions and the coach pays the price for others, but that is not the way we do things.” He affirmed, “We have a different culture, and besides, there was no reason to make a change. We knew his value and that of the team.”
Looking ahead to the next season, Marotta confirmed ongoing discussions with Chivu regarding potential signings. “We speak very often, and this is not the right time to talk about it now, but we do have some clear ideas,” he said. While the owners will set the financial framework, Marotta expressed confidence due to the squad’s “solid core of Italian players” and the club’s intention to “look around for the best Italian talents on the market.” He clarified that while Marco Palestra has potential, he is not currently an Inter player.
Regarding the future of Alessandro Bastoni, who has been linked with moves to Barcelona and Liverpool, Marotta emphasized the importance of a “right mix of youth and experience, those players who bring the winning culture and motivation.”