Both were glasses and are astute businessmen. (Moratti is wealthy and he cannot be that stupid Juve fans. Yes he inherited wealth, but money can be lost easily). One is bald and smokes cigars. The other smokes cigarettes and is in bad need of a Dentist. One dresses conservatively, the other in a variety of colours. (I still do not see why Moratti wears deep blue suits) However, one was born into wealth (or continued on his father footsteps) becoming an oil barron.




The other was born poor (compared to Moratti), was a railway station caretaker (well he had a cushy government job) and worked his way up to become head of the GEA group, a company of sports agents and managers. One went to the University of hardknocks. The other was educated in elite schools and supposedly holds a doctorate of some sorts. Among these differences, both had a high passion of calcio and the overall desire to win for their respective squads they represented. Moratti: Inter. Moggi: Juventus. Now let’s focus on Moratti and Inter.

From 1989-95 Inter fans were in a state of depression. Their neighbourhood foes, AC Milan, were on a roll and well financed by Berlusconi and Juventus were influenced by the powerful Agnelli family as Inter were in a limbo. However, a saviour stepped up to the plate for Inter: Massimo Moratti. He was the son of Angelo Moratti and under his tenure Inter won many awards.




Inter fans saw this as a great omen and the good old days were coming to the curva nord again. Moratti was as mentioned before, an oil barron. He has the money and influence to buy players, coaches and with that, the possibility to make Inter great again. Songs of praise sprung forth and Inter fans were happy again. They had an owner who had a vision, plan and the there M’s (men, money and materials) to make the dream into a reality. All of a sudden it was good to be an Inter fan again. So it seemed.





Players did arrive and he did use heavy handed tactics plus breaking the transfer fee record to bring Ronaldo from Barcelona to Inter. He did this twice. The other being: Christian Vieri. This duo could have been a deadly combination, but it never occurred. Inter spent and did everything in their power to bring the Holy Grail home to no avail.




Flop after flop occurred and it seemed that the only thing an Inter fan got was heartache. Massimo quit then came back then quit and came back and finally relinquishing his post to Facchetti. In 2006, after many years of disappointments he was willing to sell Inter, but really, who could buy such a team. The asking price was so high. In the end he stayed and this summer he got his just reward: a Scudetto.




Moratti is viewed by many to be a cordial, sincere man who cared for Inter greatly as a fan not as a businessman. However, he has a mean side. He fires coaches like there is no tomorrow and he vented his anger publicly when Inter lost to Milan 6-0. All of the first team had to go to his flat to apologize. I do not think it did any good. Not that they won after or they were docked pay. I will mention one good thing about the Inter organization. They pay on time. However, he is not such a failure. Where is Cragnotti, Tanzi? Inter are still a squad with healthy finances.




Moggi came to Juventus in the early 90’s and imprinted his stamp on the club in early 94. The triad: Bettega, Giraudo and Moggi came to reform Juventus. Yes, la Vecchia Signora was suffering too. Nine years without a Scudetto and the Agnelli family had enough. Moggi initiated an era of success and the Stadio delle Alpe which saw so little success was the place to be again. Lippi was brought from Napoli to Turin to aid in the turn around. And what a turn around it was.




In his first year, Lippi won the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia and lost the UEFA Cup final to Parma. If they won it, Juve would have been the first team to have won a treble. A cycle of success came. 1996 marked a Champions League triumph over Ajax and the first final to be decided on penalties. In all Lippi would bring Juve to 4 Champions League finals and 5 semifinals. He left Juve after a bad spell and Ancelotti did his best to bring Juve to a fourth consecutive final.




They failed after due to defensive errors. Carlo tried for two years to bring silverware to Turin but was denied by Lazio and Roma. Moggi had enough. Hence, he rehired Lippi after he did some penance and soul searching. Moggi was not known to fire someone quickly, but he did when he had to and he did let Marcello leave in midseason. Perhaps Luciano knew he would fail at Inter.




Under Moggi’s and the tirad’s reign, Juve won, won and just won. Every year, they had a team competitive to win it all. However, no matter what just like Barca, the Champions League eluded them. However, they were bride’s maids on three occasions. Three times second, once third, and one below 5th place. In 2004, many thought the cycle of success was ending, but Moggi was a shrewd man. He always had an ace up his sleeve.

His goal was to bring the best men. And that he did. They never broke the bank, but they still were feared and respected. He had a knack to find talent and to bring talent to Turin. He showed his prowess when he brought Vieira to Juve from Arsenal. Moreover, he brought Capello over from Roma to Turin, a man who vilified Juve in the media. However, he had his ways and more than once he succeeded. With Capello, Luciano promised him a team to contest for the Champions League, but Juve’s laziness did them in yet again.




Yes, there are those who say he is: mean, lucky, buys, sells and loans out far too much and he should have kept Miccoli and Maresca and should have never have brought Legrottaglie to Juve. He has had his bust ups with a few players and he has been known to coerce players who dissent from the ranks. Take Ibrahimovic for example. The man has his faults and he probably regrets that Juve were not a European force and ponders why he sold Henry.




However, with all his faults, he was rather successful and many wanted his services from Milan to Inter and others as he states. Luciano also was rather good to separate Juventus from the Agnelli Empire running it as an independent division. Yes Agnelli called him frequently, but Moggi was very imaginative in finding ways to finance Juve for the higher ups in the Agnelli Empire were not so open to open the wallets and he did have run ins with Elkan. Massimo, too often visited and talked to the players, but his presence is seen as a hindrance more than a good. Moratti often had second thoughts when he spent money on players, Moggi never did. He knew what he and most importantly Juve needed. He used his brain not his heart.




Now The Serie A scandal widens and it is now seen to be a farce. It seems that Inter are no longer saints and they tapped phones. Moggi is spending all his available time defending himself. Perhaps he should write a book or make a movie. Will there be justice? It seems that ever day Inter is involved in more dubious dealings and they seem to have orchestrated Juve’s downfall. Justice for Inter if found guilty? Serie B? Who knows and frankly who cares.




This is the story of the two M’s that influenced Italian football over the years. For better and worse, they shaped the game and the media that covered the stories. May history continue to write on or as one song stated, rock on.