Marotta: No easy opponents left in the Champions League

Inter President Beppe Marotta said ahead of the Shakhtar Donetsk match that there are no easy opponents left in the Champions League. Marotta stressed that the team must learn from its first two games in the tournament.

The Nerazzurri, who won Serie A and the Italian Cup last season, have lost seven of their last eight Champions League matches. The team reached the final in 2023 and 2025. Inter lost 2-1 to Real Madrid and then 4-3 at home to Club Brugge. In both games, individual mistakes proved costly.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Marotta said that over the last 10 years the clubs in the second and third pots have improved in organization and tactics. Saying there is no longer a team that can be brushed aside as easily as in the 1980s, Marotta noted that quality alone is not enough and that intensity and strength are also required. Recalling that they struggled for a long time against Club Brugge, Marotta said that an opponent who looks weak on paper can cause problems if underestimated.

Lautaro Martinez will be unavailable for a few weeks. Benjamin Pavard, Curtis Jones and John Stones are also receiving treatment. Asked about the lack of a leader in defense to set the tempo, Marotta said this is not an excuse, but that they have lost four players in that area. He added that replacing them is not easy at all.