Friday 7 March 2008

Inter: Plans advanced to leave San Siro

Inter have found a suitable area for a new stadium of their own, club President Massimo Moratti said on Friday.

Talks about moving from the ageing Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, which the Serie A leaders share with city rivals AC Milan, have been going on for years.

"There is a project and it is at an advanced stage. We have pinpointed an area to build it," Moratti told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Inter owner said he would like the new stadium to be named after former player and president Giacinto Facchetti, who died in 2006.


The Italian champions are celebrating their centenary this week with events planned at Saturday’s home match with Reggina and a special game involving former Inter players taking place on Sunday.

The Nerazzurri were formed in March 1908 when a group broke away from Milan Cricket and Football Club, later to become AC Milan, because they wanted to open up a team to foreigners.

Moratti has been reminiscing throughout the week, telling Sky Italia television that Inter once nearly signed Pele from Santos and mentioning to Gazzetta his biggest regret was not buying Eric Cantona and that Ronaldinho was an "unrealised dream".

In 1998, then Inter striker Ronaldo told Moratti to buy Juventus' Alessandro Del Piero.

"Ronie advised me to buy Del Piero. But obviously it wasn’t possible, Juve would have never let him go," he said.

Moratti also lauded Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard as well as telling reporters his decision to let Andrea Pirlo join rivals Milan was a "very serious error".

Former forward Roberto Baggio could one day become an Inter director, Moratti told Gazzetta.

He also hailed coach Roberto Mancini ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League first knockout round second leg match at home to Liverpool.

"He is the best coach in the history of Inter together with Helenio Herrera. He will stay until he wants to," said Moratti.

Inter trail 2-0 from the first leg but Moratti is confident: "The fans will be very important (against Liverpool). We must play with character but also stay calm."

Source: Reuters

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