Walter Zenga on Inter Milan revival: “I see the fire”

Inter Milan legend Walter Zenga has praised the Nerazzurri’s return to form under new manager Cristian Chivu.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews, the former goalkeeper acknowledged noticing a renewed sense of confidence at San Siro.

Last season was heartbreaking for Inter as they finished the campaign without a trophy despite being in contention for the treble in mid-April.

Furthermore, Inter slipped to a 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Simone Inzaghi’s last game in charge.

However, Cristian Chivu has recovered his Nerazzurri squad from this mental blow.

Indeed, the 44-year-old’s impact at San Siro has been substantial, helping Inter get back on track after last year’s debacle.

As a result, the 20-time Italian champions remain among the most viable Scudetto contenders.

Meanwhile, they’ve been ruthless in the Champions League, winning their opening two games against Ajax and Slavia Prague without conceding.

Brimming with confidence after winning six consecutive matches, Inter will take on Royale Union SG later tonight.

Walter Zenga Hails Inter Milan Improvement Under Cristian Chivu

Asked what the psychological effect of Chivu’s early work is, Zenga replied: “It taught… what Chivu is teaching his players.

“That anger from the final must be transformed into positive strength, in Italy and in Europe.

“I see this flame.

“We talk a lot about verticality and aggressiveness, but the biggest change is in the mind and heart.

“Cristian may seem harsh, but he’s a special man, like his land.

“Winning the Scudetto is less complicated than making another extraordinary run in the Champions League.

“Serie A is the ‘closest’ goal, but a club like Inter always has high ambition, by DNA.

“Why not think about trying again in the Champions League? You can really afford to choose only when you’re at the bottom.”

However, Zenga stressed that Inter must stay focused on tonight’s match, despite the looming challenge of their upcoming game against Napoli.

“Thinking about Napoli, but it’s also vital to get points in Brussels,” he added.

“Last year, PSG was practically eliminated and then won. In this new format, there are possibilities that today can’t even be imagined.

“At the moment, Inter must think about getting 4 wins out of 4 in the Champions League, then we’ll see.”

If there’s anyone competent to talk about goalkeepers, it’s Zenga.

Widely regarded as one of Italy’s best-ever stoppers, Zenga felt compelled to defend Yann Sommer.

Indeed, the Swiss veteran came under fire after his disappointing performance against Juventus.

However, he has since returned to form, as most recently witnessed by his heroic showing against Roma.

“If you play so many matches, sooner or later you make a mistake,” Zenga claimed. “It happened to Yann, and it will happen to others.

“Today’s football wants there not to be a ‘1’ and a ’12’, but two almost equal.”

Finally, he praised Inter for injecting fresh blood into their aging squad during the summer.

In addition to bringing Francesco Pio Esposito back to base, Inter signed Ange-Yoan Bonny from Parma.

Furthermore, both youngsters have settled in seamlessly.

While Esposito scored once in his first seven matches for the club, Bonny has been on a tear.

Indeed, the Frenchman found the net in back-to-back Serie A starts.

“There’s new, fresh, young blood, which puts me in a good mood, makes the fans happy,” Zenga added.

“Bonny scored, but Pio came in with a unique maturity. In Rome, he defended every ball as if it were the last.

“The group is there also because the veterans cement it with experience, and are followed by the young ones.”