Marotta sees ‘uphill climb’ for Italy World Cup, but Inzaghi’s renewal ‘a formality’

epa11699763 Inter Milan’s coach Simone Inzaghi looks on before the Italian Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Venezia FC at Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan, Italy, 03 November 2024. EPA-EFE/NICOLA MARFISI

Inter President Beppe Marotta feels Italy are ‘growing in every game’ but will face an ‘uphill climb’ for World Cup qualification, while Simone Inzaghi’s contract extension is ‘a formality.’

The Nerazzurri director spoke to Radio Anch’Io Lo Sport, discussing the latest issues for Italy’s national team and Inter.

Italy have been eliminated from the Nations League quarter-finals, which means they have been placed in a slightly trickier World Cup qualifying group with Erlin Haaland’s Norway.

“An uphill climb for the World Cup? I would say so, but these are all good experiences,” Marotta said via Inter’s official website.

“This Italy side is very young and inexperienced, but they have a lot of quality. Spalletti’s work will be tested more in June when we will have some more important tests for this youthful team that are growing every game.”

Inter are the only Serie A club still involved in three competitions.

Marotta sees ‘uphill climb’ for Italy World Cup, but Inzaghi’s renewal ‘a formality’

“Inter has set great standards in history, achieving amazing feats that we are aiming to follow, and so it is normal that there is this sort of tension and pressure,” said the Inter President.

“It’s part of the game, but we must be ambitious from a sporting point of view. We need to be up for it, as we are right now, for the various competitions that we are playing in.”

Inzaghi is expected to sign a new deal until 2028 in the coming months.

“We are very happy with Inzaghi, his contract renewal is a formality,” Marotta confirmed.

“He has worked really well over these years and he is a role model for the whole club from a technical point of view. He is one of the best managers around, and he also has the advantage of being a once great footballer. We are very happy to have him with us and I think that, when all is said and done, we will get together with the club and renew his contract.”

Lastly, Marotta spoke about Inter’s attacking department as recent reports in Italy suggest the Nerazzurri will sign a new centre-forward next summer.

“I must say that, seeing our statistics, we have the most prolific attack in the league, so we have no issues there,” he noted.

“Maybe we didn’t manage to score in one match. In all of the others, we found the back of the net. I would say there isn’t an issue, Inzaghi’s set-up works well, as a team ready to pounce forward. Isaksen? He’s a good player, but every day people say we are interested in some player or another.

“We already have a great partnership up front, Lautaro and Thuram, I think they’re the best in Italy and they are up there with the best in Europe. It’s clear that we are making a plan, we’ll sort it in depth with Ausilio and Baccin and we will bear in mind what the market has to offer, in order to create the best squad as possible that will help us achieve our goals that we have laid out for ourselves.”