Inter Milan boss Cristian Chivu discussed his in-game management after a painful 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Speaking to Prime Video via FCInterNews, Chivu explained why he subbed off Ange-Yoan Bonny and Piotr Zielinski.
After winning their opening four matches, Inter had an opportunity to make history in this clash.
Indeed, the Nerazzurri could have won their first five Champions League games for the first time in the club’s history.
However, the game didn’t start well for the visitors as Julian Alvarez put Atletico Madrid in front in the ninth minute.
French referee Francois Letexier first disallowed the goal for Alex Baena’s handball in the build-up.
Yet, he changed his decision after consulting with the side-pitch monitor.
Despite trailing the Spanish giants by a goal, Inter never seemed to be on the back foot.
Chivu’s side created several decent chances before Piotr Zielinski restored parity at the start of the second half.
When it looked like the sides would share the spoils, Jose Maria Gimenez propelled Los Rojiblancos to a last-gasp win.
As a result, Inter lost back-to-back matches for only the second time under Cristian Chivu.
Cristian Chivu Breaks Down In-Game Calls After Atletico Madrid 2-1 Inter Milan Defeat
“I smoked three cigarettes one after the other,” Chivu confessed after the match. “I told the team what needed to be said.
“There’s a lot of regret given the circumstances of this match. We didn’t deserve to lose, but lately we’re taking home almost nothing.
“I saw a lot of bitterness in the players, but that’s football; we have to react and do everything possible to get through it.
“There are moments when the wheel turns, in life as in football; luck will come back to you to help you win a match.
“We could have managed the counterattacks better and the final pass in the last ten minutes, and understood when to hold the ball more in build-up.
“These are things we’ll review on video. Then they score from a corner with the tallest players in the area.
“Unfortunately, it happens; we had the best jumpers, but we should have avoided that corner.
“We had the chance to break forward, but we lost the ball, and the corner came from that. Lots of disappointment.”
Finally, he explained his decision to take Bonny and Zielinski off the pitch.
“Zielinski had a thigh problem; he told me he could only last another five minutes.
“I took Bonny off because I needed fresh legs. I needed Thuram and Esposito.
“One to push the team forward, and the other, with his speed, to help us exploit the counterattacks we should have had.”
Against good teams out team is simply not good enough to win.
it’s time for a shakeup those who want to play and die on the pitch for the badge of inter let them play. I miss the inter that play against Torino it’s time for inzaghi ball to die.
From the start we were looking into this season as Chivus adaptation. So I am not too angry about how the results are looking. The only thing Im annoyed about is Chivu not implementing his own football tactics and style but copying Inzaghis tactics. Biggest fukn L mindset right there.
we need players with grits to play 90mins on d field without holding back. bring back stankovic from bruge , go again for kone or get a player with kante n casmiro grit of aggression, a creative midfielder whose visionary pass is exceptional. if thuram continues like dis it’s better we sell him cos he doesn’t not feel like playing n giving his all for d team
It is partly his fault and partly managements fault. His fault trying to play a system he clearly doesn’t have the players for and managements for not getting him the players he needs.
unlucky loss
that’s football. hardly anyone wins there and we played pretty well compared to the last time we were there.
we just need to iron out the final pass and finishing and we will smash some ‘big’ teams.
so unlucky.
I agree we played well and with the overall analysis that we need to sort the final pass and finishing amd we’d be good this season. The performance was good but clearly we’re missing certain aspects.
Negatives:
1.Augusto on right is a waste of time on right(we need a attacking RWB, in january)
2.Lautauro needs to be dropped.
3.Thuram needs to run more and be more incisive in the game and be involved
Positives
1.Zielinski looks like he’s finally catching form
2.Our defence overall played well considering they we’re playing against quicker players
2.We did not look inferior in their stadium looking at the game and the number of shots etc which shows we’re a big team
2.Our midfield performance was good, yes lack a top midfielder who can do everything (gerrard/veira) but we have, what we have and we performed. Its just we’re not taking our chances and the opponent is taking their few chances. Onto the next. Nothing is out of our hands and overall both the milan and athleti games we’re about our game less so the opposition and that shows we’re on the right track
one thing I forgot to mention is all of our subs were awful. That’s not on Chivu but on the players. Pio tried yes, Sucic, Thuram, Frattesi, Henrique were bollocks.
Ok so zielinski needed to come off ….
But Bonny, Dimarco, Hakan? These were the players along with barella that grabbed the game and got us back in it. We were the better side until the subs – we lost all control and had no outlet or creativity.
That IS on the coach.
Thuram is a nightmare right now, he doesn’t do anything and is just smirking all the time.
Poor pio having to do all the running and try and link play with that diva.
He’d have been better off with Bonny.
Lastly – we need a right sided creative player, Dumfries can be streaky but without him we are absolute trash
its not chivus fault… it’s stinky first half of the season lautaro. It takes him 5 months to warm up and then he’ll show up. strikers need to do more, while not entirely to blame because our midfielders just can’t connect with them either and 80 percent of the time rather connect with the wingbacks. that why we need actual wingers to link plays up better.
Now it’s clear it’s not Chivu fault. I’m glad that he also talked about the chances Inter had on counter attacks that were ruined by final passes or poor individual decisions. The loss was very unlucky but the overall performance matters a lot
This guy knows what he is doing. He deserves to have better/younger players in his disposal to play high press/high intensity matches