Cristian Chivu reveals Inter's sudden tactical emergency after bruising Milan derby defeat
Inter coach Cristian Chivu has opened up about the tactical hurdles and late fitness issues that compromised his side's performance in the Derby della Madonnina. A combination of sudden illness and defensive lapses left the Nerazzurri struggling to maintain their typical consistency against their city rivals.
Late withdrawal creates tactical chaos
The build-up to the clash at San Siro was far from ideal for the Nerazzurri, who found themselves scrambling to adjust their starting eleven just hours before kick-off. Cristian Chivu revealed that his plans were thrown into disarray due to health issues affecting key members of the squad. The manager was forced to deviate from his primary strategy as several players were deemed unfit to start the high-stakes encounter against Milan.
"We were forced to make changes. Pio wasn't well, Bonny had a fever, we had to improvise with the belief that it was the right thing to do. We adapted to our emergencies, but it didn't go well, but I'm not throwing everything away," the coach told Sky Sport Italia.
Addressing the chronic slow starts
One of the most concerning trends for Inter this season has been their inability to start matches with the required intensity. This issue was once again prominent in the derby, where a sluggish opening allowed Milan to seize the initiative. Chivu expressed his frustration with this recurring problem, noting that the team failed to meet the high expectations set for such a pivotal fixture in the Serie A calendar.
"It's a painful defeat. Expectations were different, given the nature of the season and the defense we have to defend. We gifted them the approach, but then we reacted and could have equalised. However, before the half-time whistle, we gifted them another goal. We wanted to do something more than what we actually achieved, and we must work on our approaches and the determination that we sometimes lack," Chivu admitted.
Finding hunger after recent success
Beyond the tactical and physical hurdles, Chivu touched upon the psychological challenge of maintaining a winning edge. After enjoying domestic success, the manager believes his players might be struggling to find the same level of motivation that propelled them to the top. He warned that the squad cannot afford to rely on past achievements if they want to remain competitive at the highest level of Italian football.
"It is not easy to play every three days and always have the same hunger after winning. We need to find that determination and nastiness again. We are aware that sometimes we reflect a bit too much on the past. We must rediscover a bit of hunger and grit when certain things are taken for granted; we need to find focus and consistency once more to move forward," the Inter boss observed.
