Inter Milan President Marotta was interviewed. He talked about the starting point of his career, the changes in football and the behind-the-scenes stories about Chivu and Mourinho.

About the early days of your career

"I remember that in 1983, the then president of Inter Milan, Mr. Pellegrini, invited me to come to Inter Milan as a small manager. But he liked to manage things directly, so I am sure that if I had accepted at that time, I would not be the president today. No need To be fast, you need to achieve your goals calmly and know how to manage your timing. My personal peak was reached at Juventus: I was almost 60 years old and had maximum control over my professional abilities."

About your start

"I started in Varese because of a favorable environment. : I lived near the stadium. Passion motivated me. When I was six or seven years old, I would watch Varese train in Serie A. That’s how I learned to negotiate. I asked the warehouse manager for a tracksuit, and in exchange I cleaned his shoes, deflated the balls, and helped with the laundry when I was 18 years old. , got the first management contract, gave up a small path, because although I now have an honorary degree from the University of Bicocca, I did not get a formal degree because I started working too early. I became the director of the youth training department when I was 19 years old. "

About the huge changes in football.

"Football back then was very different from today, and now there are companies listed on the stock exchange. But at that time, they were simple sports associations, led by patrons, local entrepreneurs. In Varese was Giovanni Borghi of Innis Electric, who, out of gratitude to the community, gave back to society by caring about sports in the city. It was a comprehensive sports club: Varese in 6 5.1 against Juventus. Basketball won everything. And boxing. At the end of the season, people would call the CFO to calculate the losses. Today's sports have no meaning and the patronage model no longer exists.

The organizational structure also changed, taking on the look of a 'classic' company rather than a sports association. Industrial, financial aspects started to come in. Where before the goal was to achieve sports results at all costs, today sustainability leads us to respect financial balance first. But there is also the concept of work culture, which taught me everything I know about the industry. There is a lot of ignorance, and some sporting directors are confused even by the concept of amortization... I learned a lot from Sergio Marchionne, who is the CEO of Exor, even though he has nothing to do with Juventus. He is an advocate of change policies. Leaders are courageous, persistent and have to listen."

Speaking of change, you mentioned one name: Chivu.

"I am surprised that people will be surprised by Chivu's ability. We chose him because he represents important values and we have the courage to go against the current, even at the media level. Some people even mentioned Mourinho, with all due respect... If I had not had the courage to choose Chivu, I would have regretted it."

On the paradigm shift at PSG

"The equation now is no longer 'I spend money and I win', but rather ability must be multiplied by motivation. That's what the French have done, changing the frame of reference: stop chasing superstars and instead invest in young talent."

About your experience at Sampdoria.

"I was at Sampdoria, where I came after Atalanta, where I was doing well, but I was attracted by an opportunity to lead Sampdoria back from the second division to the top ranks. So I bravely accepted Dr. Garrone's offer, We were relegated to Serie B. The coach at the time was Gianfranco Bellotto, who we had worked with at Venice. I got there, we said hello, and I told him that I didn't want to continue working with him."