Rebranding just the latest Inter change

The rebranding will be just the latest change for Inter, who have been completely transformed since winning the Treble in 2010.

The Nerazzurri are set to unveil a new logo and club crest in March, following in the footsteps of Juventus and Roma.

This club was on top of the world in 2010, winning the Scudetto, Champions League, Coppa Italia and the Club World Cup.

The President at the time was Massimo Moratti, whose father Angelo had already owned the club from 1955 to 1968.

Massimo Moratti sold up to Indonesian investor Erick Thohir in 2013, the first foreign President of the club called Internazionale.

That spell lasted just three years, before Chinese company Suning Holdings Group bought out Thohir, with Zhang Jindong as the patron.

His son, Steven Zhang, is now the President of Inter, with Treble-winner Javier Zanetti as the Vice-President.

In 2016, Suning were one of several Chinese companies investing in football clubs all over the world, part of a trend for widening their portfolio into soccer.

However, times have changed and the COVID-19 pandemic along with limits placed on investing overseas by the Chinese Government saw the funds dry up.

Inter are now in advanced negotiations to sell at least some of the shares to BC Partners, with other companies also interested.

With the logo change in March too, it looks like the end of yet another era for Inter.

Their constant transformation was on the field too, as since Jose Mourinho won the Treble in 2010, there have been 12 different coaches on the bench.

That includes Stefano Vecchi, who had three matches as a caretaker manager in 2016-17.

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Pirlo wary of Napoli ‘pace and technique’

Andrea Pirlo warns Napoli ‘pace and technique’ can make the difference in the Supercoppa, but Juventus want to ‘prove we’re not the team we saw’ against Inter.

It kicks off on Wednesday at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia at 20.00 GMT.

“Napoli are a very strong team with a lot of pace and technique in the side, so we must be wary of them,” said the coach in his press conference.

“They have a defence that works very tightly, so we must make the most of the scoring opportunities that we create.”

Merih Demiral is the latest player to miss out, along with Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado, Alex Sandro and Matthijs de Ligt, and the Bianconeri are already smarting after a 2-0 defeat to Inter on Sunday evening.

“Gigi Buffon has a few problems, so Wojciech Szczesny will start in goal. It’s an important match, a Final, it comes after a bad defeat in Serie A, so we are eager to get back out there with determination and hunger to bring home the trophy.

“When you lose like that, you wouldn’t repeat anything, so it’s all a learning experience. We’re determined to turn over a new leaf, cancel out Sunday’s game and fortunately we’re back on the field straight away, so we can prove that we’re not the team we saw at San Siro. I didn’t say we were afraid of Inter, just that we were timorous compared to the attitude we should’ve had.

“This is a difficult moment, there are many over the course of a season, especially after losing an important game. It’s an advantage for us that we are immediately back on the pitch challenging to bring home a trophy.

“I am disappointed for the players, especially as some were attacked unfairly. I’d prefer for the critics to attack me rather than them. There’s no turning point, no crossroads, there’s just a Final to win and that’s why we are here.”

With Dybala injured, there are reports Dejan Kulusevski could be chosen rather than Alvaro Morata in the starting XI.

“It depends on how we want to play and approach the game. I have an idea in my head, but we’ll see how the players recover and who will start.”

Pirlo shrugged off questions about Juventus perhaps feeling sated after nine Scudetto titles in a row.

“If a team won nine years in a row, that’s not a coincidence. It was earned with hard work and we have the same ambition, because Juve will always challenge for trophies, and we have the same hunger to win a 10th consecutive title.

“The project is to get the best out of every individual player and for Juventus. There have been a few slip-ups, but that’s inevitable.”

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Danilo: ‘Juve prove ourselves in Supercoppa’

Danilo insists the Supercoppa against Napoli is the opportunity for Juventus to ‘prove not what we want to be, but what we are.’

It kicks off on Wednesday at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia at 20.00 GMT.

The match comes just days after the 2-0 defeat to Inter in the Serie A Derby d’Italia.

“We must be different to the performance against Inter. We must be concentrated from the first to the 90th minute, because we need to play these games with courage and playing the ball,” said Danilo in his press conference.

“We’ve already shown this season that we can step up for the big games and have a strong team. It’s a great opportunity to prove not what we want to be, but what we are.

“We are the first to be disappointed by the performance at San Siro. It was not worthy of Juventus, but tomorrow we can show what we can do and that is to win.”

Merih Demiral is the latest absentee due to injury, joining Paulo Dybala, Matthijs de Ligt, Juan Cuadrado and Alex Sandro in the stands.

“We have a competitive squad with lots of talented players, so we’re not looking for alibis. We have the players who can do well and win the match tomorrow.

“We’ve had to deal with absentees all season. Clearly, we’ll miss Demiral and De Ligt in defence, but we have Giorgio Chiellini back now, and he did really well against Inter, and Leonardo Bonucci too.”

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Mancini defends Pirlo: ‘It’s normal’

Italy CT Roberto Mancini defends Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo after the derby defeat to Inter. ‘It’s normal to have difficulties at the beginning’.

Inter secured a 2-0 win over the Bianconeri on Sunday and currently sit seven points above the Old Lady, who have a game in hand.

Mancini was pleased to see Italy international Nicolò Barella score and said he enjoyed watching ‘a good game’.

“It was a good game, and I was very pleased to see that goal from Barella,” Mancini told La Domenica Sportiva. “It was a good win for Inter, for Juventus these things can happen.

“Even the Bianconeri can occasionally have a bad night.”

He then defended Pirlo, who has been criticised for the slow progress of the Bianconeri.

“At the beginning it’s normal to have some difficulties, even if you played at a very high level,” Mancini continued. “Being a coach is a completely different thing.

“Then, slowly, you’ll learn and get better. Everything is quite normal, even if you are lucky enough to start at the top level.”

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Joy for Barella on and off the pitch

Nicolò Barella had a perfect night on and off the pitch, as the midfielder helped Inter beat Juventus at San Siro and then his wife gave birth to Matilde.

The former Cagliari midfielder’s wife Federica Schievenin posted the news on Instagram: “Welcome to our beloved Matilde”.

Barella scored and assisted during the 2-0 win against Juventus in the Derby d’Italia on Sunday, before he became father for the third time.

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