08.12.2016 15:37 h

Chievo chief in 'Fozza Inda' jibe at Inter

Luca Campedelli
Luca Campedelli

Chievo president Luca Campedelli has questioned the football passion of Inter Milan's new Chinese owners, claiming in a cheeky jibe that their commitment comes down to paying wages and shouting 'Fozza Inda'.

Chinese commercial giants Suning bought Inter from Indonesian Erick Thohir in the summer in the hope of lifting the 2010 Champions League winners back to the heights of European football.

But with the Nerazzurri stuck in mid-table at 15 points behind leaders Juventus, the club once able to attract a steady stream of global stars including Brazilian legend Ronaldo is struggling just to keep pace in Serie A.

Inter, along with Juventus, were among the Italian top flight's biggest spenders in the summer transfer period.

But Campedelli, whose side are only two points behind Inter in 13th, said money can't replace proximity and passion.

"The Chinese have the advantage of (having) money, but the disadvantage of being far away," Campedelli was reported as saying by Sports Mediaset on Thursday.

Mocking the Chinese accent and their way of saying 'Forza Inter' (Go Inter), he added: "The new Inter owners only say 'Fozza Inda', and in league meetings (Erick) Thohir attends a lot less than me."

Despite selling Inter, Thohir remains on the club's board. He initially bought Inter from the club's long-time president and owner Massimo Moratti in November 2013.

Campedelli, speaking at Chievo's annual club lunch, said Chinese investment in Italian football was less about passion and more about making money.

"Moratti was also a fan, the Chinese are managers. I go to the training ground practically every day, it's important. It's not enough just to pay wages," he added.

Campedelli's comments pale in comparison to some of those faced by Thohir after he bought Inter from long-time Inter owner and president Massimo Moratti three years ago.

Sampdoria owner Massimo Ferrero was slapped with sanctions by Serie A chiefs after calling for the "little Filippino" to be kicked out amid claims Moratti had been mistreated in the deal.

Thohir was also targeted by Evelina Christillin, the former president of the organising committee for the 2006 Torino Olympics.

In a column for the Huffington Post in October 2014, she questioned the extent of the Indonesian's financial clout and used language with racial undertones to describe him.

Chinese investment in Italian football, however, is not over with AC Milan on the verge of a Chinese takeover.

Club owner Silvio Berlusconi and Sino-Europe Sports (SES) announced Wednesday they had agreed a new date of March 3 to conclude the sale of the club, which was valued at 740 million euros (then $825.4 million) when preliminary agreements were signed.