According to an interview with AS, former Internazionale president Massimo Moratti reflected on several iconic moments from his tenure at the Nerazzurri, including Ronaldo's transfer, the 2010 treble, and anecdotes involving Messi and Mourinho.
Recalling Ronaldo's move from Barcelona to Internazionale in 1997, Moratti noted that Barcelona's asking price was entirely reasonable to him: "Barcelona set a price, which they may have considered expensive at the time, but I didn't. The price was fair, and the deal proceeded smoothly. Later, they regretted it, but the agreement was already done. Ronaldo himself was eager to play in Serie A."
On the 2010 treble campaign, Moratti candidly admitted that eliminating Guardiola's Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final at Camp Nou brought him greater satisfaction than defeating Bayern Munich in the final at the Bernabéu. "I was happier when we won at Camp Nou. Eliminating that Barcelona team to reach the final was more exciting than beating Bayern 2-0 in the final. That moment was incredibly special and unforgettable."
Regarding Mourinho, Moratti described him as the finest coach he had during his time at Internazionale, and the two remain close friends. "He was the best coach I had at Internazionale, and we were very close. In just two years, he brought the team to its peak. He was obsessed with winning, had a strong personality, was excellent at building teams, and instilled a winning mentality throughout the squad." On Mourinho's departure to Real Madrid after the treble, Moratti remained philosophical: "Internazionale and Real Madrid have always had a good relationship, and they continued to get along well even after signing Mourinho. He wanted to take on a new challenge at Real Madrid—it was his choice, and I understood."
Moratti also revealed that he spotted young Messi's talent early on. When Messi was competing in U-17 tournaments before becoming a world-class star, Moratti recognized his exceptional ability and hunger to win. However, knowing Barcelona was about to secure him, he chose not to pursue the matter. "I could see immediately that he was different—full of the desire to win, and he was already an enormous threat even then. But I knew Barcelona was about to sign him, so I didn't interfere. As everyone knows, the rest is history."