Thiago Motta: I was unhappy at Inter

Mar 9, 2012 2:24:00 PM

The Italy international made the move to the Parc des Princes from San Siro in the January transfer window and claims he feels much more at home in the French capital

Thiago Motta has defended his decision to quit Inter for Paris Saint-Germain in January, revealing that he was not happy at San Siro.

The Italy international was considered an integral member of the Nerazzurri line-up but it became clear towards the end of the last transfer window that he was angling for a move to the French capital, with his agent claiming that the player was still upset about not being offered a new contract last summer.

Motta has refused to go into his exact reasons behind his dissatisfaction with Inter, yet he has admitted that he was desperate to leave for PSG.

"At Inter, regardless of the coach [Claudio Ranieri], I was playing, but there were things that I did not like and quite simply I wanted a change," the midfielder explained in an interview with L'Equipe.

"On the penultimate day of the transfer window I sent an SMS to the president [Massimo Moratti] to insist [on a move] and finally he let me [go].

"I was treated as a person, not only as a player. But in Italy many people have said that I had not been good to Inter - that's wrong."

Motta is being utilised in his preferred position at the base of the midfield by PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti, and the former Barcelona man admitted that he felt uncomfortable in the trequartista role he was asked to perform by Italy boss Cesare Prandelli in last week's friendly defeat by the United States.

"[I prefer] the one with PSG," he declared. "I feel good with the way the coach lines out the team. It's the position I prefer.

"Sure I can move to another position, but I feel better in front of the defence. I touch the ball more, I have the game in front of me - I like it."

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old has come out in praise of Barcelona, saying that his former employers taught him everything he knows about football.

"With Barcelona, I learned football. I learned how to attack, how you attack, I discovered another vision of football."

Motta joined Inter from Genoa in 2009 and was a key member of the side that won the treble the following year.

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