"Branca and others convinced Moratti to continue without me. Even Barca would be in confusion with four different coaches."

At Inter for 30 years and the team is obviously in his heart even if he is out of the team and suffering in silence. But since it is impossible to remain silent forever, Lele Oriali has finally came out and spoken about it. He had never done anything like this since he left the club. He talks about Moratti and Branca, Benitez and Gasperini, Mancini and Ranieri. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank, through the Gazzetta, the fans who showed me great affection by displaying that banner at the San Siro. And I am determined to talk to them and all other messages that they have sent me wondering why I am no longer at Inter."

You have never explained this...
"Because I don't know the real reasons because after 30 years at Inter where I thought I had earned more respect and credibility. Instead I was ousted and I don't know why. All I know is those that ousted me at Inter."

Who wanted you to leave?
"After the departure of Mourinho, the president was persuaded by Branca and other directors who wanted a new project without me."

Benitez brought with him to the bench Carboni: so it also depended on him as well?
"My place in the management team was not taken by Carboni. If someone thinks that I was angry with him, they are wrong."

You didn't ask Moratti for clarification?
"I spoke with Moratti before and after. Even a few days ago he said some nice things about me on TV. Perhaps he has understood more now in time but he couldn't go back to the past."

You used to work with Branca, so can you continue working together?
"Given the results of these last 16 months, I am happy not to have been part of this project."

Gabriele Oriali was born in Como on November 25, 1952. The former player (played for Inter and Fiorentina), was the sporting director at Bologna, Parma and Inter.

1982 - With the shirt of Italy, he won the World Cup in Spain.
1994 - After leaving football, he became the sporting director of Bologna and in 1997 bought Baggio from Milan.
1999 - After a year at Parma, he returned as Inter director where he remained for 11 good years. Left in 2010 after the arrival of Benitez.

So what are the mistakes?
"The mistakes are in the inexperience and overconfidence in the planning stage of the process. Directing at Inter is not easy and nobody can think that they understand everything if they don't have the experience."

But what was the biggest mistake?
"Benitez was a new coach and supported by those who know the environment at the club very well. And then you can not change four coaches in less than two season. I have nothing against Gasperini but everyone knows how his clubs play. So instead of hiring Ranieri who was available in June, time was wasted. These changes create so much confusion not only in terms of tactics but the players would lose points of reference in their head. Even the champions at Barcelona would be confused if they worked with four different coaches in such a short time."

If Moratti calls you, would you return?
"Inter are always in my heart and perhaps one day. But now the conditions are not there and I am not the type that provides ultimatum. I am not even going to the stadium although Moratti kindly gave me the card just to avoid creating problems with my presence. And since I am always a big fan of Inter, I hope my break can help the team to find itself again."

What could the target for this year?
"We must be realistic. In the Champions League, the level is higher. In the league the minimum target would be finishing third. But for now we must forget about it because the standings are worrying and it is better to score points as quickly as possible in order to leave the bottom zone."

Who will win the title?
"To Milan or Juventus. I also like Napoli very much but there's Champions League for them. Then watch out for Lazio and Udinese, really wonderful clubs that should not be overlooked."

And what do you do in the meantime?
"I have three, four offers. But last year, from January to June, I preferred to go to Manchester with Mancini and take the opportunity to take a course in English. Mancini has been very good at changing the mentality and the way of coaching the English players. And the idea of returning working with him, I would not mind."

The Nerazzurri slipped down the Serie A standings after a recent run of seven games without a win and the former Italy international now believes a top-three finish is beyond them

Former Inter defender Marco Materazzi has revealed that his heart is bleeding for his old club, admitting that he cannot foresee Claudio Ranieri's men qualifying for next season's Champions League.

"My heart bleeds," the former Italy international told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I cannot bear to see an Inter like this.

Materazzi believes that Inter's current predicament is down to the expensive mistakes he feels sporting director Marco Branca has made in the transfer market in recent seasons.

"To think that [Ricky] Alvarez was the new Kaka, [Luc] Castaignos the new [Thierry] Henry and Jonathan the new Maicon was doing an injustice to them," he argued.

"[Inter president Massimo] Moratti has always spent money there, but he is not one that wants to do it all himself.

"I, for one, believe that all the compliments must go to Branca given he guessed everything.

"However, there might come a moment when one will have to say that one was wrong."

Inter technical director Marco Branca spoke to Sky Sport Italia before the match against Atalanta. Inevitably he was asked about Inter's current difficulties but also about what the future holds for the team. As always, Branca was sincere and forthcoming in his answers to both questions.

"We've been working for some time already on what could be our future but at the moment we're obviously concentrating on the end of the season. Should I bear the most blame for this negative year? I never shirk from my responsibilities: if there are people who want explanations for the way the season went, I'll provide them, maybe even in a press conference once the season is over. I've heard lots of things, some of which were true but others that were inherently false or that were, or which seemed to be, biased. I prefer to get behind my team, and our fans must do the same because we're eight points off third place; we have lots of teams around us and we have some crucial games coming up. Let's just concentrate on working as best we can; there'll be time for explanations later."

The Nerazzurri technical director was then asked if he felt the need to respond to recent comments made by Lele Oriali: "No, I don't have to reply to him because even when he was here - and he was never involved with transfers apart from the first two years I was here – he didn't know the club's business in the same way as I did and as my president did."

The former Nerazzurri striker has come in for criticism for his alleged mistakes in the transfer market in recent seasons and was involved in a verbal scuffle on TV on Sunday.

Inter president Massimo Moratti has jumped to the defense of Marco Branca after the director came under public attack from Lele Oriali.

Former Nerazzurri technical director Oriali, who has recently been linked with a return to the club he left two years ago, was involved in a heated exchange of words with Branca on Italian television after Sunday's 0-0 draw with Atalanta at San Siro.

Oriali accused the former Inter forward of playing a major role in the club's decline since the treble-winning campaign of 2009-10.

Moratti was left enraged by Oriali's accusations, telling reporters on Monday evening: "I always find it annoying that a person who has left the club says those type of things. And if I am holding on to Branca, it is because I consider him good [at his job]."

Inter is currently seventh in Serie A, seven points behind third-placed Lazio, and has already been eliminated from this season's Champions League.

Inter's first training session ahead of the league game against Juventus (Sunday evening in Turin) lasted 90 minutes. The squad began with some fitness work, before moving onto intensive ball work – drills aimed at developing ball possession – and finally a mini game with tactical elements. Cristian Chivu and Fredy Guarin trained with their team-mates, while Ricardo Alvarez and Dejan Stankovic did individual sessions to recover fitness. Julio Cesar had a personalised strengthening session in the gym, while Wesley Sneijder underwent physiotherapy. Lorenzo Crisetig is with the Primavera team in London for tomorrow's NextGen Series semi-final.

The week's second training session takes place tomorrow morning, as ever at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti.