Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has warned coach Rafael Benitez that failure is not an option at the Club World Cup next week.
Inter leave for Abu Dhabi on Friday and play their first match next Wednesday against either hosts Al-Wahda or Seongnam Ilhwa of South Korea.
But with last season’s treble winners sitting a lowly fifth in Serie A, 10 points behind bitter city rivals AC Milan, and having finished second to Tottenham in their Champions League group following Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat at Werder Bremen, Moratti has told Benitez to show his mettle.
“I don’t want to create problems either before or during the Club World Cup but after we’ll see,” he said.
“Benitez has to have character because otherwise we won’t win a competition like the Club World Cup.
“Psychologically I felt bad about the defeat (to Bremen) but I didn’t say anything to the players.
“When you lose you feel betrayed but that doesn’t mean I think the players did it on purpose.
“I think we don’t have enough character to overcome obstacles.”
