Former IMF Director Blasts Ex Inter Milan Owner For Rejecting InterSpac: 'If Zhang Had Welcomed Us, He'd Still Be There'
Former IMF Director Blasts Ex Inter Milan Owner For Rejecting InterSpac: 'If Zhang Had Welcomed Us, He'd Still Be There'
Former IMF Director Blasts Ex Inter Milan Owner For Rejecting InterSpac: 'If Zhang Had Welcomed Us, He'd Still Be There'
InterSpac President Carlo Cottarelli blasted former Inter Milan owner Steven Zhang for turning down his proposal.
Cottarelli offered his assessment of Zhang's downfall in the build-up to tonight's game against Bayern Munich via FCInterNews.
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Simone Inzaghi's charges are on course to feature in the Champions League semi-finals for the second time in three years.
Indeed, they boast a 2-1 lead heading into the return leg, thanks to Lautaro Martinez and Davide Frattesi.
However, Lothar Matthäus still believes the Germans will turn this tie on its head, though Cottarelli shares a different view.
'He said Bayern will win? I really don't think so,' he stated. 'It's true they lacked something in the final third during the first leg, so everything is still to play for…
'Who will be decisive? I'd risk offending someone if I picked one player over another, so I'll say Inzaghi.
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'This Inter side plays well because of him.'
Yet, tonight's game was only a pretense for the press to ask Cottarelli about his busted attempt to do business with Steven Zhang.
Indeed, his company, InterSpac, tried to convince the ex-Inter owner to embrace his fan ownership project.
However, Cottarelli's appeals fell the Indonesian businessman's deaf ears as Zhang rejected his model.
InterSpec Founder Carlo Cottarelli Blasts Former Inter Milan President Steven Zhang
TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 18: FC Internazionale board member Steven Zhang Kangyang looks on prior to he Serie A match between FC Torino and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on March 18, 2017 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by)
Cottarelli's project, similar to the Bundesliga model, aimed at allowing the Nerazzurri fans to buy shares in the club.
Yet, Zhang had turned him down four times.
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Fast forward two years, Zhang is part of Inter's history, with Oaktree Capital Management seizing the club as collateral.
'As far as fan ownership is concerned, it remains one of the sources of inspiration,' Cottarelli said.
'However, it's not the only one of course, given that in Germany, there are clubs that by law are supported by fans.
'I don't want to go into details, we are open to talking with anyone, we did it with Zhang, we are ready to do it with the new owners of Inter.
'If there's an opening from their side, we'll move to organize a fundraising campaign.
'We can't do it without them. Honestly, wherever I go, I meet fans asking me about Interspac.
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'The main difference is that in Germany, all those clubs were born with fan ownership.
'With Zhang, it wasn't possible to move forward with it. If it had been, he might still be there.
'He didn't want it ,, and now he's out of the picture.
'He would have had enough revenue to stabilize the club's situation and improve the financial accounts.
'Indeed, with fan ownership, the books get better.'
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