Among the exceptional spectators of last night’s match in Dortmund there was also the president of Inter Beppe Marotta, special observer of Italy’s match and the Inter players in blue. Surely, Tuttosport reports, the Nerazzurri number one had something to rejoice at the performance of Nicolò Barella and his associates, given that, for better or for worse, they wrote the script for the match against Albania: “They did (almost) all the Inter fans. For better or for worse, as was also evident on Albania’s goal scored just 23” after the kick-off (a record – certainly not one to be proud of – in the history of European championships) due to an injury Of Federico Dimarco who, on a throw-in, delivered the ball to Nedim Bajrami. A grimace there transfigured Marotta’s face, on his first official outing in a stadium as president of Inter. With four of his players starting in Italy’s debut at the European Championships (there would have been five if Francesco Acerbi hadn’t ended up knocked out due to groin pain), it was almost a necessary act.”
After the initial shock, Marotta enjoyed the interests thanks to the networks of Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolò Barella: “For the Inter vice-captain – immediately reinstated as starter by Luciano Spalletti – a sensational week ended in glory, in which his renewal until 30 June 2029 was also announced with great fanfare. To close the circle, the post centered, again in the first half, from Davide Frattesi who judiciously remains in line behind Mkhitaryan for the Nerazzurri, while for the national team he is a regular starter also because Spalletti greatly appreciates his qualities as a raider. The choice to rely on the Nerazzurri block bore the desired results, considering that Italy – especially in the first half – showed patterns of play that are only seen in club teams and not so frequently in the national team (the action that led to the 1-1 goal with Bastoni freed by the blocks and movements of his teammates on the cross of Lorenzo Pellegrini who knew with his eyes closed where he would find his companion). Marotta, who has always been convinced of the theory according to which whoever wants to build a championship-winning team must necessarily focus on an Italian block in the locker room (this he also did at Juventus) saw his ideas rewarded with the championships won by Conte first, then Inzaghi and He also did a great service to the Italian cause.”
