Juventus: Cristiano Ronaldo scores goal within two minutes
Rivals Juventus are running away with the Serie A title once more having splashed out £105million to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid in the summer.
And Moratti says they should react to that by launching an ambitious raid for Barcelona star Messi.
"How would I respond to the signing of Ronaldo? I think that Inter would have given an idea that there was something to be done, also because Ronaldo had just taken Juve," he said.
Lionel Messi has been with Barcelona for his entire career (Image: GETTY)
The club have not won a league title since Jose Mourinho’s last season in charge in 2009/10 and are currently third in Serie A - 14 points off leaders Juve who are on course for a seventh successive Scudetto.
Ronaldo has played a huge part in their excellent season and is the league’s top scorer with 14 goals.
He has also chipped in with five assists for his team-mates and is keen to fire them to Champions League glory.
Juventus have reached two of the last three finals but have not won Europe’s top prize since 1996.
Massimo Moratti says he would have made a bid for Messi if he was still at Inter Milan (Image: GETTY)
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Cristiano Ronaldo has shone since moving to Juventus from Real Madrid (Image: GETTY)
Speaking about the prospect of facing his former club - with whom he won the last three Champions Leagues in a row - Ronaldo insists he is concentrating solely on beating Atletico Madrid in the last 16.
"Champions League final against Real Madrid? For now, I imagine a Juventus qualification to the quarter-finals,” he said.
"We must think step by step. Experience has taught me that everything is possible in the Champions League.
"Obviously, it is a dream to win the trophy for Juventus but we cannot make it an obsession."