After the international break, Cristian Chivu and Inter Milan will be back in action for their first big test. They head to the Stadio Olimpico to face Roma, one of Serie A’s top teams and one of the best defensive teams in the league. The Romanian player will discuss his team’s opponents and the status of injured star player Markus Thuram.
In his pre-match press conference, Cristian Chivu covered a wide range of topics, including fitness updates, tactical challenges, praise for Gian Piero Gasperini and the development of young striker Pio Esposito.
The Inter coach initially confirmed, via FCInterNews, that his team had returned from international duty in good condition.
“The national team players have come back healthy without any problems,” coach Chivu said.
“Obviously, there were some players who played a lot of minutes, so we gave them some extra rest. We’ve been carefully managing everyone to give their best performance tomorrow.”
Kivu talks about Roma and its defensive strength
The manager paid tribute to Roma’s defensive organization and the structure that Gasperini has refined since taking over from Claudio Ranieri.
“What I like about Roma is that it gives continuity to Ranieri’s work,” Chivu pointed out.
“Then Gasperini added the man-mark system. They found the right balance while maintaining robustness.
“They defended well and read the game. Svilar was great.
“We need clarity and strength to make the most of the opportunities they give us and sharply break through their organization.”
When asked if Ange-Yohan Bony would be preferred over Pio Esposito in attack, Chivu declined to say.
“I have three good forwards,” he replied.
“Everyone can interpret their roles according to the other person and improvise if necessary.”
Roma vs. Inter Milan – Chivu: “Every game is a final”
But what caught Kivu’s attention was momentum and mentality.
Inter have won five games in a row in Serie A and Europe, and the manager insisted that stability is key as the schedule intensifies.
“We want to pick up where we left off against Cremonese,” he explained.
“We need to continue to build and understand our strengths. I expect to move forward, not backward. We will treat every match like a final. It doesn’t matter who our opponents are or how famous they are.”
“We’re focused on ourselves and our desire to be dominant. This team can go as far as we want, so we want to remain competitive in every aspect.”
The 44-year-old looked introspective afterwards when asked about his feelings facing Gasperini, whom he briefly coached during his playing days at Inter.
Gasperini’s influence and mutual respect
“Although it was a short experience, he left a strong impression on me,” Chivu recalls.
“At Bergamo he revolutionized football. All of us young coaches have been inspired by his philosophy. I have always admired him, both when he was my coach and now.”
He also recalled his brief time under Gasperini in 2011.
“We changed the system to his famous 3-4-2-1 and I was a left centre-back. The training was very intense so I felt in incredible physical condition, probably the best in my career.”
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get results and he was sacked too soon, but since then he has shown his values and ideas. I’m glad he is setting an example for his generation of leaders.”
When pressed about what exactly he took from Gasperini’s approach, Chivu emphasized courage and innovation.
“It’s about interpreting football that way. His courage gave him international success in the Europa League.
“He did something that others would struggle to do, and he did it brilliantly. His methods are unique, but we can all learn from coaches like him and apply our own beliefs.”
“You always have to steal from the greats.”
On managing expectations with Pio Esposito
With Francesco Pio Esposito receiving widespread attention, Chivu was asked if the hype surrounding the youngster has become too much. His answer was a balance of pride and pragmatism.
“That’s a good question,” he admitted.
“He plays for Inter and Italy. Pressure is part of the game. It bothers me because the comparisons are meaningless.
“Pio has a great personality and mentality, but we have to manage him carefully.
“He’s a young player whose life changed in two months. That’s what he wanted. Now he has to dance on stage.”
Kivu said the key is to help the 19-year-old learn to grow through failure.
“He is already an international-level player and is highly regarded everywhere, but he needs to accept his mistakes with the will to improve.
“You have to take him for the good and the bad. He’s ambitious and he’s learning every day.”
Team news: Summer starts, Thuram stays
The Inter manager also clarified the line-up.
“Summer is playing it,” Chiv confirmed simply, before adding with a smile, “Thuram? I don’t know.”
The French striker continues to recover from a thigh problem, but his rehabilitation is progressing.
Asked if it was guaranteed that Lautaro Martínez would start up front, Chivu again deflected: “Who said Lautaro will play? We have three forwards and we will find out tomorrow who will start.”
On his return to Rome and his time with the Giallorossi
Chivu’s career has come full circle this weekend, returning to the city where his Italian adventure began. His memories of Rome are deep and fond.
“I spent four important years there,” he recalled.
“I joined the best league in the world at the age of 22 and worked under great coaches such as Capello, Spalletti, Voller, Prandelli, Conti and Delneri.
“Those were formative years. I fell in love with Italy. It is a country that has given me so much and I am still here.
“Roma has helped me grow as a person and as a player, and I will always be grateful.”
On Roma’s progress under Gasperini
Chivu concluded by stressing that despite Roma’s strong start, there is still room for improvement.
“We’re only in the seventh round,” he pointed out.
“Regardless of ambition, every team has room to grow. It’s only October and the season is long. I’m confident that Roma will continue to grow with Gasperini as coach.”
As Inter prepare for important away matches (Roma, Napoli, Champions League tests), Chivu’s message was clear. The foundations of success are persistence, focus, and collective belief.
“We know who we are,” he concluded.
“We want to stay at the top and show that Inter can fight to the end in any competition.”
