According to Il Mattino, Moratti discussed in an interview the opportunity he had to take over Napoli, and gave his assessment of De Laurentiis, Inter, and Napoli.

Massimo Moratti said: "De Laurentiis turned passion into business. I could never have done that, I was too weak: I couldn't close a transfer window without buying a big-name player. But perhaps he truly understands how the football world works." One of the most successful presidents in Italian football showed no sentimentality. At Inter, he won every possible trophy, an unprecedented achievement: the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia, and the Champions League, which the Nerazzurri had been waiting for 45 years to win and which his father Angelo had won. Now he prefers to talk about the past, present, and future of Inter and Napoli, and about the different worlds surrounding these two teams.

Q: Mr. President, but you once treated De Laurentiis rather unfairly: you took Mazzarri away from him.

Moratti said: "That's not true. He was already tired of Mazzarri and didn't want him anymore; he understood that cycle had come to an end. And I would never have hurt him; he couldn't be treated that way. He brought in Benítez, which I thought was an excellent move. Later, when someone told me I could sign Hamsik, I also hesitated. My mistake was not signing him when he was still at Brescia: Aurelio is a respected man."

Q: Did his appointment to run Napoli also come as a result of one of your refusals?

Moratti said: "Exactly. When Napoli went bankrupt and it was decided they would start in Serie C, a president from Serie A almost woke me up early in the morning, saying it was a great opportunity for me to invest in the South and revive this historic club. I refused without hesitation: I knew the city, the fans there, and they shouldn't have a president who couldn't dedicate all his time and passion to a club like Napoli. I already had Inter, and I couldn't be distracted by anything else."

Q: But in a sense, aside from Inter, you also won a Serie A title in the South?

Moratti said: "Right, that was with Cagliari. Because my father didn't want Juventus to get Gigi Riva, whom they almost signed. So those of us who cared about Sardinia secretly bought the club in a matter of days. In the end, Riva didn't go to Juventus."

Q: So you treated Avvocato Agnelli rather unfairly?

Moratti said: "But he was a true gentleman, he certainly understood what happened, but never told anyone about it. Besides, he wasn't a very talkative person anyway."

Q: Your father Angelo was president during the era of Grande Inter. What memories do you have of Inter playing Napoli in those times?

Moratti said: "As a child, I was always afraid of one player: Nördahl. For me, he was like Bluebeard. I got goosebumps when I saw that huge figure in midfield during the derby. When Napoli came to visit, I was mesmerized by Pesaola and Luis Vinicio. They were very charming and approachable. So at the first opportunity, in 1966, in the last year before we sold Inter, we signed 'Leo' Vinicio from Vicenza. Perhaps it was also to prevent him from going elsewhere. But I still remember his goal against Foggia as if it were yesterday."

Q: What are De Laurentiis's merits?

Moratti said: "I admired Napoli during the Maradona and Careca era; it was a team that could work miracles, and they had Diego, who I believe is one of the greatest players in the world. But at the time, it seemed like just a phase linked to the Argentine's presence. In fact, as soon as the Maradona cycle ended, a long period of decline began. De Laurentiis made it clear from the start that he was building a cycle that didn't depend on individual players, but rather on a healthy club structure, and therefore could be lasting and successful. He has run Napoli firmly for over 20 years and never given the impression that he wanted to hand over the reins."

Q: Allegri versus Kiwu, what do you expect?

Moratti said: "Allegri is very experienced, a mature coach who knows the secrets of this complex world. The team he coaches is, in my opinion, one of the strongest in Serie A, and he knows how to win. Kiwu surprises me because he can handle various situations that might be extraordinary in a very ordinary way. He knows how to control his team and gets everyone on his side. Allegri's experience is exceptional, and his calm start doesn't surprise me; it's his usual state. And he knows how to keep everyone in line."

Q: Kiwu was one of your heroes who won the treble.

Moratti said: "Unforgettable. Mourinho loved him too because he had strong leadership qualities: he was like a coach on the field. After the skull fracture in the match against Chievo, I was worried about his health. But he reacted to it all like a rock: with a hole in his head, he immediately showed enormous courage. Less than a month later, he was back on the pitch. But I remember him telling me in a private conversation that every time he headed the ball, everything went dark for two or three seconds."

Q: Napoli made no major signings in this transfer window, while Inter did the opposite.

Moratti said: "Perhaps De Laurentiis is right. Relying on a team that knows each other well, maintaining continuity, can also be a way to try to win without spending money waiting for new signings to adapt. I could never have done that: in that respect I'm 'weak.' If I liked a player, I would go and get him. But that's not necessarily the right approach."

Q: If it were now, which player would you not hesitate to spend money on?

Moratti said: "I've always liked Premier League players, so Inter's transfer market was well thought out. But Nico Paz from Como, I wouldn't have missed out on."

Q: Did you foresee Conte leaving Napoli?

Moratti said: "I know his character, so I would say no. And I would add: Conte's absence from a Serie A bench is a major advantage for all competitors, as it makes the title race more balanced. Seeing the league without him really does have an impact. Because everyone knows: Conte is either first or nowhere."

Q: Are you surprised that Gasperini is coaching Roma?

Moratti said: "No, he's always made his teams play very well, and this Roma is also very entertaining, always looking for vertical passes. But he didn't have much success when he worked with me, and he was unlucky: he didn't win a single game, not even a friendly. What could I do? That's how seasons go: like Allegri's season at Milan, for example."

Q: What kind of game do you expect in Saturday's Inter versus Napoli match?

Moratti said: "When such a match takes place so early and the weather is so hot, there's a risk that fear of making mistakes will dominate the field. Sometimes fatigue causes players to avoid brilliant technical displays and concentrate on basics. In any case, I hope it's not a boring game. Obviously, it's not decisive, and it can't be: but nobody wants to lose such a big match. After all, the last two years of Inter versus Napoli is the main storyline of Serie A."

Q: McTominay won't play.

Moratti said: "I'm sorry, because I've always liked British players. He comes from a football school that has always impressed me. But Napoli also has De Bruyne: he's elegant, with excellent touch. His level was developed in the Premier League. He's adapting to the pace and tactics of Italian football."

Q: Are you happy with the changes to VAR?

Moratti said: "Undoubtedly, the less it intervenes, the better everything works. These emotionally anxious waits and agonizing minutes will also decrease. Of course, until the next mistake—hopefully that mistake won't take us back to the past."

Переведено ИИ.

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