Marotta: Inter lucky to have appointed Inzaghi, bankruptcy claims just ‘envy’ | OneFootball

Giuseppe Marotta admitted that Inter had a ‘stroke of luck’ in appointing Simone Inzaghi at just the right time, highlighting how the Nerazzurri coaching position became vacant during a brief window when the manager was still open to leaving Lazio.

The Biscione appointed their current head coach in 2021, just weeks after being crowned Italian champions under Antonio Conte, who chose to part ways with the club due to concerns over the need to raise funds by selling key players.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 02: Simone Inzaghi, Head Coach of FC Internazionale, looks on from the dugout prior to the Coppa Italia Semi Final match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Inter acted swiftly, seizing the opportunity to bring in Inzaghi before he renewed his contract with Lazio — the club that had given him his managerial debut five years earlier.

Marotta: We were lucky Inzaghi hadn’t renewed with Lazio when Inter came calling

“With Inzaghi, we had that stroke of luck—favourable circumstances allowing us to sign him at just the right time,” Marotta told reporters at a public event called Il Foglio a San Siro, as quoted by TMW.

“Not everyone remembers, but when Conte left, there weren’t many options available on the market: he was about to sign with Lazio, and luckily, he hadn’t yet.

“We were fortunate to find a good coach, someone who has improved over the years and is still young.

“He has shown that he possesses all the specific knowledge required in football—not just in terms of tactics, but also in managing people. That’s a very difficult skill nowadays.”

The financial concerns that drove Conte away from San Siro at the time persisted in the seasons that followed, with many suggesting that Inter were forced to limit their investments as they hovered on the brink of bankruptcy.

“Bankrupt? That’s an absurd word—it simply doesn’t exist in our case,” Marotta claimed.

FLORENCE, ITALY – JANUARY 29: Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta during the “Panchina d’Oro” award season 2022/2023 at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on January 29, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

“People say a lot of things about us. With a touch of irony, I’d say it’s part of that culture of envy. Those who win often attract that kind of misguided narrative.

“We have never risked bankruptcy. We are a club with financial exposure, yes—we have a bond, but we manage it extremely well.

“We have no debts to suppliers or banks—otherwise, we wouldn’t even be allowed to register. There are licenses that require compliance with specific financial and economic parameters. We have no outstanding payments, we’re paying off our tax debt.

“There’s this common misconception that confuses difficulties above us with the actual management of the club.”

Marotta also addressed claims about his alleged influence over Milan’s decision to drop their pursuit of Fabio Paratici, dismissing them as an ‘urban legend’.