Former Inter striker Christian Vieri says that while he has forgiven Massimo Moratti’s stalking, he remains frustrated at the decision to sell Ronaldo in 2002.
Speaking on Sky Sport Italia’s ‘I Signori del Calcio’ show, to be aired on Saturday, Vieri also claimed “everything would’ve changed” had Inter won the Scudetto in 2002 and rued only playing alongside Ronaldo 14 times due to their respective injury problems.
Former Inter striker Christian Vieri says that while he has forgiven Massimo Moratti’s stalking, he remains frustrated at the decision to sell Ronaldo in 2002.
Speaking on Sky Sport Italia’s ‘I Signori del Calcio’ show, to be aired on Saturday, Vieri also claimed “everything would’ve changed” had Inter won the Scudetto in 2002 and rued only playing alongside Ronaldo 14 times due to their respective injury problems.
“We were obliged to win and we weren’t equipped to do so: Juve and Milan were better than us,” he explained.
“We lost just the one Scudetto, on May 5, 2002, and that was very hard to take. I think, if we had won on that day, it would’ve changed everything, but Ronaldo left, [then-Coach Hector] Cuper did four months later and so did many others.
“It hurt us, us being fit at different times. We never played 20-30 games together, but we were the couple of dreams, the perfect couple.
“Ronaldo’s sale? I’d said to the President: ‘Don’t sell him, don’t sell him! He’s just won the World Cup and you want to sell him now? We’re expecting him and you want to sell him now? What am I doing here?’
“It was either him or Cuper. Still, what Ronaldo and I were to Inter remains and will remain forever! That is, the two best that Inter have ever had!
“Moratti’s wiretapping? There was no just reason for it: I didn’t do anything! Everyone said Vieri went out at night, but I only did so on Sundays, like everyone else, so there was no reason for them to intercept or tail me.
“Therefore, I look at those six years from the part of when I played, my teammates, my goals, even the defeats. Everything is always nice because playing for Inter as a starter is always an important thing.
“Now I don’t think about [Moratti’s treatment]. Have I forgiven him? Yes, he was my President for six years, he bought me 90bn lira and made me Inter’s highest-paid player, so I’ll always be grateful for this.
“I scored 132 goals and I sold many shirts with the No 32! For this, my conscience is clear.”