Inter president Beppe Marotta has voiced concern over the current state of Italian football, describing Serie A as a “transitional” competition. Speaking after receiving an honorary degree from the Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca on Thursday, he stressed that the league is struggling to retain top talent and needs modern infrastructure to restore its prestige.
According to Marotta, Italian clubs face a significant challenge with outdated venues and insufficient entertainment standards. He argued that these shortcomings reflect the overall decline of the league, stating that “our product has decreased in value.”
Stadium dilemma in Milan
Both Inter and Milan are awaiting a decision from the local authorities regarding the possible sale of the San Siro site, home to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Should the transaction go ahead, the two clubs reportedly plan to demolish the majority of the existing structure—around 90%—in order to construct a new, state-of-the-art facility.
Marotta highlighted the importance of investment in infrastructure by recalling his time at Juventus, where the opening of the Allianz Stadium in 2011 coincided with a dominant period of seven straight league titles. He underlined that the Turin venue continues to secure the club’s financial stability and pointed out that Milan also requires a modern stadium to remain competitive.
“One true Champion” in Serie A
Turning to the subject of players, Marotta admitted that Serie A has become more of a stopover than a final destination for many footballers. In his view, the division currently boasts only one player who can be considered a true world-class figure: Luka Modric of AC Milan.
Marotta noted, however, that Modric arrived in Italy at the age of 40, reinforcing his argument that the league is failing to attract elite players in their prime.