Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio expresses regret at losing Marco Palestra to Chelsea and reflects on his failure to acquire Sandro Tonali for Brescia, highlighting the difficulties posed by the ownership dynamic.
Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio admits he was 'snubbed' when Marco Palestra went to Chelsea and suggests Oaktree was to blame, but admits he was 'caught off guard' by Sandro Tonali. Various club representatives have all flocked to Rimini this evening for an event marking the start of the Serie A transfer market, which is located at a hub in a hotel in the seaside resort. Ausilio spoke to journalists and, inevitably, was asked a question regarding the failure to secure Palestra from Atalanta, given that when a deal seemed to be down to the details, Chelsea swooped in offering double his salary and an extra €10 million for the price tag. "I was snubbed in the way I haven't been snubbed since I asked a girl out at school," confessed the Inter CEO. "That is a negative answer. We did what we had to do, our maximum offer was less than half of what others could provide. It is a snub and we must take note of it." It has been said that the reason why Inter took so long to conclude the Palestra deal was the hesitation of current owners Oaktree, who are based in the United States. When asked how it felt to have to deal with patrons so far away, Ausilio implied there was some truth to the rumors. "It's a bit unusual and it's important to have an intermediary like Marotta who works with both the sporting and management sides. Sometimes we manage to convey our ideas well, sometimes less so." There was an unexpected confession when Ausilio was asked what his biggest regret was in the transfer market, because it wasn't the failure to buy Palestra, but a much earlier deal. "A situation in which I could have done more was that of Tonali when he was still at Brescia. In that situation I was caught off guard." Instead, Tonali moved to rivals AC Milan in the summer of 2020, only to move after three years to Newcastle for a fee in excess of €60 million.
Charlie Davies writes a heartfelt letter to Ismaël Kone, who suffered a serious injury during the World Cup, offering support and encouragement.
Nico Paz made his World Cup debut with Argentina, expressing that it was a dream come true. He showed his qualities on the pitch and spoke about the support he received from his coach and teammates.
Algeria and Austria faced each other in a 2026 World Cup match that raised suspicions of collusion. Both national teams categorically denied that the 3-3 draw was the result of an agreement.