Moratti Touches Inter Milan Fans Again: His Favorite Player Seizes Opportunity for Promotion

The emotional pain from Inter Milan's exit from the Champions League is still fiercely brewing. Few good news items, such as Fabian's goal changing the top-four landscape, are insufficient to shift the mood. However, as we decide to look forward, let's detach from the negative emotions post-exit and talk about other news. For instance, Moratti has once again moved the hearts of Inter fans across the country.

In 1962, Angelo Moratti, the “Father of Grande Inter,” founded Saras, a company primarily engaged in refining. During his tenure at Inter, due to changing international circumstances and the ever-increasing expenses and insatiable appetite of Inter fans, the Moratti family continually reduced their stakes in Saras to raise funds. In 2024, the Moratti family sold 35% of Saras Group shares to the Swiss-Dutch energy company Vitol, officially bidding farewell to their family legacy.

In Inter's history, Saras's name is indelible. During the Moratti father and son's eras—or more accurately, the two most glorious periods in Inter’s history—this company was Inter’s behind-the-scenes supporter. Now, an era has ended. Financial media are discussing a key issue: since 2006, when the Moratti family divided their assets, with Massimo Moratti receiving 16.67% of Saras shares, how much revenue has he accumulated from the oil company? It’s estimated that the Moratti family has earned approximately €3.3 billion over the years, with Massimo’s share being around €1.6 billion. Against this backdrop, evaluating his remarkable feat of investing €1.3 billion into Inter through shareholder capital injections shows his undeniable true love for the club. “I never regret the investments I made for Inter,” Moratti stated. “My father (Angelo) felt the same way. The future? Whether my son will one day control Inter again? You never know what the future holds. I was 50 when I bought Inter back; my son still has time.”

Italian media are pondering: Massimo has been away from Inter for ten years, and there are no former players from his era left in the current squad. If we were to pick a player from the current team who best represents Moratti’s preferences, who would it be? The popular choice is Davide Frattesi. Moratti admires Frattesi’s passion, energy, and fighting spirit. For the past two years, he has been urging Inter to sign the player. This season, in several interviews, he has been advocating for Frattesi to be a starter. As the "number one Inter fan," Moratti has high hopes for Frattesi.

Currently, Frattesi has a great opportunity to rise in the team's ranks. Henrikh Mkhitaryan's form has noticeably declined recently. At the beginning of January, the Armenian player scored in three consecutive games, but he has only managed one assist in the last 11 matches (in Inter’s 4-0 victory over Atalanta), showing a significant drop in effectiveness. In the two-legged clash against Atlético Madrid, he received low ratings from numerous media outlets. It’s not necessary to criticize him harshly; the issue troubling the veteran is not ambition or attitude but age. This should have been anticipated by seasoned observers. After all, Mkhitaryan is 35 years old. His excellent performance in the first half of the season was largely due to his early retirement from the national team, giving him time to recharge during international breaks. However, from December last year to March this year, without international matches, Mkhitaryan’s “relative advantage” disappeared. In pure endurance and stamina, the veteran’s decline is in line with competitive norms. Against Atlético, Mkhitaryan fought for 110 minutes, exhausting his energy. This weekend's clash with Napoli is a match where Frattesi must step up. Pre-match training suggests Frattesi will replace Mkhitaryan, which is Inter’s plan for this high-stakes match. If Frattesi fails to seize this opportunity, the upcoming international break will be another “recharge period” for the veteran, making it significantly harder to compete with him in April.

All of this serves as a reminder to Inter: this season, veterans like Mkhitaryan, Acerbi, and Darmian, have been overused like “workhorses,” straining themselves excessively. While they can handle regular matches, they face potential injuries or performance declines in critical Champions League knockout stages, showing their endurance limitations. This also indicates that Inter’s over-reliance on older players needs improvement. Next season will be even more challenging with the European Championship and Club World Cup, and the Champions League expansion will make endurance issues even more critical. Younger players have better stamina; whether they can play a bigger role is strategic.

Frattesi’s emergence as a key figure for Inter isn’t just due to Moratti’s affection for him; it’s also because rotation players have become one of the biggest attractions for Inter as the season progresses. With Inter’s Champions League exit, the team won’t have any midweek matches until the end of the season. Even with the five-substitution rule, the space for substitute players will significantly decrease compared to the double-match weeks. Rotation players will face much greater difficulty in shining. Many substitutes have uncertain futures and questionable retention, and their ability to make the most of limited opportunities will not only impact this season’s points tally but also influence the summer transfer strategy and the club’s long-term plans. Let’s see what kind of drama the players on the bench will bring.