“Without passion there is no way”. Interview with Marco Branca

Marco Branca he was the architect of a historic enterprise. Before Inter, after Inter, no Italian team has ever won the Scudetto, Coppa Italia and Champions League in the same season. How many stories in history, hidden fragments. Branca is jealous of his past, certain pieces of life will remain forever. Like in that Sampdoria where he wrote enchanting plots. Pagliuca, Vierchowood, Mancini and Vialli. “An enthusiast of life – Marco Branca tells us – Luca was always there for anyone who was facing a period of suffering. Ready to help, a hug”. Vialli scored and never stopped, a legendary Scudetto. Because Serie A is increasingly the land of big predators. Like Inter. His, in 1995, was experiencing a period of transition. Yet there, having crossed the threshold of 30 years, Branca reached his peak: 17 goals in 24 appearances, against a modest seventh place in the standings. Djorkaeff, Zamorano, Simeone, Recoba and Ronaldo the Phenomenon would soon land at San Siro. “So I told Moratti that I no longer felt up to Inter and that I wanted to go to England – Branca recounts – I didn’t hear from him again for a year and a half or two but, when I stopped playing in 2001, the president called me to offer me the position of chief observer”. It’s already time to return to Appiano, wearing a jacket and tie. With Massimo Moratti the relationship is really special, there is a sort of mental connection between the two. “He followed me in every step – underlines Branca – One day he summoned me to his office: ‘Marco, I want you as head of the technical area, are you up for it?’ With terror in my heart, I accepted. I knew I had to learn everything in a few months and that I had to manage on my own because, due to my young age and my new role, few liked me”. Surely among these was Moratti, his trust was total and time proved the club’s former number one right. In 2009 Inter have been champions of Italy for four consecutive years. A clear growth path, on the field and in the balance sheets. Of course, it was still a kick away from the restrictions of Financial Fair Play. “If they had introduced him in that season I don’t know if we would have managed to stay in it – explains the former Nerazzurri director – We certainly came from years of victories and trophies and I had taken several players paid below their real value, raising him considerably in the following 4 -5 years”. It was the summer of the transfer of Ibrahimovic to Barcelona for around 45 million euros plus Eto’o’s price tag. An artistic market operation that facilitated the arrivals of Lucio, Sneijder, Thiago Motta, Pandev and Milito. Treble shots. A tough lust to absorb over time. Cycles that fade away, like that of Branca who three years later passed the baton to Ausilio. “I favored his entry in 2010 because Piero had been at Inter for a very long time – recalls the Cigno di Grosseto – He showed passion and attention to detail. If you work hard, you have less chance of making mistakes. I’m happy for him because that transition must have been difficult to manage.”