Inter opens season emphasizing motivation, Champions League goals and transfer hurdles
Inter, the reigning Serie A and Coppa Italia champions, held a pre‑season press conference at the Bper Training Centre in Appiano Gentile. President Beppe Marotta and new head coach Cristian Chivu stressed the need for “hunger and humility” to avoid a “victory syndrome” and to pursue a historic back‑to‑back Scudetto. They outlined the club’s participation in four competitions – Serie A, Coppa Italia, Champions League and Supercoppa – and warned that success in the Champions League will require competing against financially stronger “armoured” clubs.
Marotta explained that the transfer market is “functional” but challenging. Only goalkeeper Ivan Provedel has been signed, while several players have left (e.g., Denzel Dumfries, Milan Škriniar). Problematic cases were highlighted: the €25 million deal for Anan Khalaili collapsed after a failed medical, and the attempted signing of Marco Palestra fell through when Chelsea outbid Inter, leading Marotta to label the situation a breach of a verbal agreement. The club also mentioned the likely departure of Benjamin Pavard and ongoing discussions over other squad members. Investments of more than €100 million in facilities were reaffirmed, underlining the club’s commitment to sustainable growth.