And the 61-year-old Marotta wants to turn the clock back for Inter whose best decade, culminating with the treble of Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup crowns under Jose Mourinho in 2010, has been followed by the worst.

Nainggolan was suspended after again turning up late to training on Sunday following the team’s demoralising 1-1 draw against bottom club Chievo.

The heavily-tattooed 30-year-old was also dropped by previous club Roma in January after posting an Instagram video of himself drinking, smoking and swearing at a New Year’s party.

The Belgian joined Inter last summer to link up with former Roma coach Luciano Spalletti.

But he has angered club management not only by his party lifestyle but casual approach to physiotherapy as he recovers from injury.

Spalletti had brushed aside criticism before the Chievo match, in which the Belgian started but was substituted before the late equaliser.

"I can only say how he’s spent his week on the pitch. He trained well. The rest are not things that concern me," said Spalletti before the game.

But Spalletti’s future is now also on the line during the final two games before the winter break against Napoli and Empoli, with Inter having won just two of the last nine games in all competitions and crashed out of the Champions League.

Inter are third, already 16 points behind leaders Juventus, and eight adrift of second-placed Napoli, who are on a 10-game unbeaten run in Serie A.

Carlo Ancelotti is expecting a challenge against his old rival Spalletti whose side are nevertheless on a streak of six straight home league wins at the San Siro.

"I don’t know, they give me the impression of being a growing club and team," said Ancelotti.

Inter’s last win over Napoli was in April 2016 with captain Mauro Icardi scoring his only goal in 13 games played against the southerners.

Spalletti, meanwhile, leads eight to six in Italian league wins over Ancelotti. — AFP