Zanetti expects ‘difficult and complicated’ season for Inter
Inter Vice-President Javier Zanetti admitted 2021-22 will be ‘difficult and complicated’ for the Nerazzurri and said Antonio Conte ‘was decisive’ to win the Scudetto last term.
Conte left the club after picking up Inter’s first Serie A title in 11 years, but Zanetti believes the team will still be competitive under new coach Simone Inzaghi.
The former Lazio coach prepares for a new chapter at Inter, who have replaced Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi with Edin Dzeko and Denzel Dumfries this summer.
The club have been in financial trouble of late and are currently working to renew with Lautaro Martinez and hope to compete at the top of the table also in 2021-22, but Zanetti warned it will be a ‘complicated’ campaign.
“I cannot lie to the Inter fans, maybe others do, but I can’t,” Zanetti said during Champions under the Stars event in Biella, according to Sky Sport Italia. “It will be a difficult and complicated season.
“This must be said to be fair to everyone, but it must also be said that we will be competitive. Inzaghi is working well.”
Romelu Lukaku moved back to Chelsea for €115m this summer and has been replaced by former Roma captain Edin Dzeko.
“I was very sorry for Lukaku’s farewell, he gave us so much,” Zanetti added. “Dzeko is a different player, but he’s certainly an important signing.
“A few hours before the first game against of the championship against Genoa, I tell the fans one thing: we, once again, will give our all for the Nerazzurri shirt.”
Former Juventus hero Conte helped the Nerazzurri to the title in Serie A and Zanetti admitted he didn’t ‘have any prejudices’ when the former rival arrived at San Siro.
“When Juventus went to Serie B, I didn’t rejoice. I’m used to thinking about Inter and not what happens to the others,” he continued.
“And when Conte became our coach, I didn’t have any prejudices, I saw him work and I immediately understood that his only goal is for the good of the team he trains.
“He has a lot of merit in winning the Scudetto, he was decisive.”
Another former Inter coach became a rival this summer, as Jose Mourinho returned to Serie A to take over at Roma.
Mourinho and Zanetti helped Inter pick up the famous Treble from 2009-10 and the Argentine revealed he is still chatting with the Portuguese tactician and told an anecdote about the coach from the dressing room in 2009.
“We are still in the same chat as the team of that season,” Zanetti said. “He is one of the most active, he writes practically every day.
“He always has very clear ideas, that’s his quality. In 2009, we lost against Manchester United and went out of the Champions League. In the dressing room we were all sad and angry.
“Jose wanted to speak immediately with [Massimo] Moratti, right there, in front of everyone. He told him that signing some players would have won the cup, we looked at each other a little embarrassed at that moment, but in the end, obviously, he was right.”