Inter CEO and chairman Giuseppe ‘Beppe’ Marotta has spoken to the press after the conclusion of the draw for the 2025-26 league phase of the UEFA Champions League.
Inter will face off against Liverpool, Dortmund, Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Slavia Prague, Ajax, Kairat Almaty and Union Saint-Gilloise.
Speaking to Sky, with quotes via FCInter1908 , Marotta was relieved the Nerazzurri were drawn at home to Kazakh side Kairat, “We’re very pleased to face Kairat at home. A seven-hour trip is a big ask. I saw that Real Madrid will have to go there, so we are certainly happy to play them at San Siro.”
The Inter chairman was also asked about the club’s summer transfer market and if fans of the Nerazzurri could expect one more signing in the closing days of the window, “We’ve already completed our market by implementing a different model. We’ve invested in five young players – four purchased and one proudly promoted from our youth academy. The average age of these acquisitions is 21.4. We are proud of this; we are following the guidelines of the ownership and of the club itself. The squad, for now, is absolutely aligned with our ambitions.”
Marotta was also full of praise for new head coach Cristian Chivu and how the coach’s experience as a player will help guide the club through the new campaign. Chivu was signed to replace Simone Inzaghi, who left the Nerazzurri to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal just after the Champions League final.
“We represent Italy consistently – we are one of the ones who have represented it the most in recent years in the Champions League. Chivu has experience. He’s won the Champions League, he knows how to face tough opponents. This new format is difficult, so the important thing is to meet our opposition at a moment where we are in top form.”
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