Article by Andrei Niculescu – published Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 13:26 / Updated Wednesday, June 18, 2025 13:27
Any onset is complicated. That word, the first time is the first time. Any match with which a coach begins his mandate on the bench of a team has special attention. Because it's about Inter, this special is multiplying by two. And because it is about this inter, which no three weeks was losing how the Champions League final was losing, multiplied by 3. and because the coach's name is Cristi Chivu, it multiplies by 4.
Maybe we should start telling Cristian, as the Italians do. This diminutive, Cristi, is quite Romanian for a coach who is rather Italian, especially if you hear him speaking. To clarify from the head of the place above.
Why did I say that the coach's name makes the degree of attention to increase?
Because, although Cristian is told in Italy, Chivu is also Cristi, the Romanian. Former Inter's player, yes, but the Romanian Cristi Chivu, brought to the Bank of Vice-Champion (Italy and Europe) in an emergency regime and with a sensation not at all concealed that he was chosen because there was no other solution. But Chivu knew very well what he was in, he knew as well that an opportunity as this could not be refused, he knew he had such a battle and as a player and managed to erase certain prejudices. And he knew it was his great chance.
The bad luck made his debut happen at an official competition.
This world of clubs, which intervene due to Simone Inzaghi's performances, has become a kind of chore because of Simone Inzaghi.
For now, let's point that Chivu's debut on the Inter's Bank and the onset of “Nerazzurilor” at this tour were broken by Mexicans from Monterrey (city twinned with Iași, I do not know if this information shudders), with the old Sergio Ramos in the forehead, including as a marker, but also with this talent in the middle such as Ocampos or Oliver Torres in the field.
And with a Catalan coach, Domenec Torrent, who in Europe stayed on the bench of Galatasaray at one point, but who, this is an information you did not know, was one of Pep Guardiola's assistants at that semifinal with Chivu's Inter (and Mourinho, obviously) from 2010. Italians, because football in Mexico is not trivial, on the contrary.
In addition, this as a parenthesis, we are now witnessing a kind of reverse of the medal towards the traditional world clubs played in December, when the South American or Mexican teams, as the case may be, became polished in front of the Europeans. At this moment the Europeans are polished by powers, and the others are in full fuel, see also the good matches made by River or Boca.
Cristi Chivu, in a hydration break on Rose Bowl, giving tactical indications to Inter Players in the match with Monterrey (1-1) / Photo: Imago
The need for disconnection
Let's get back to Chivu. Cristian Chivu. An analysis of his debut is a little random, I think. However, he had very little time available. An attempt was seen to change certain things, without doing revolutions, especially at the moments without the ball, of defense as they would say. Including the defense of the fixed phases, where the human marking will probably be renounced. But this is about details, which jump too little in the eyes of the viewers and need time to be in love.
As well as changing the way at the moment the Victoria's goal was sought, with two people behind the “new” Marcus Thuram. There are two more matches, the one with River is already extremely complicated, but my feeling is that Inter Players now need holiday and disconnection than such a tour.
What is Cristi Chivu's chance, however? Cristian, Pardon. Well, it comes from the media impact caused by the story of Simone Inzaghi's departure to Al-Hilal. Which departure, was a result of a disclosure from the Saudi area, which does not seem to me an escape, but rather a swelling of the muscles, was alleged before the final of Munich.
It is a little help that Simone Inzaghi makes without wanting Cristi Chivu, because the general attention has already moved to this subject. At the “betrayal” of Simone Inzaghi and the impact he had on the locker room at the match with PSG. This is the direction to which the press will focus in the coming days, because between us, the Inter has been unrecognized in Munich and it is practically impossible not to have a connection. Enough excavations will be made in this regard and we will probably find out new things.
Thus, the pressure on Chivu's shoulders decreases a little. Which would have been viewed otherwise, including by the players, if they had come to the place of a Simone Inzaghi, not instead of a Simone Inzaghi who betrayed that leaders who had further confidence, despite the failure. And the way the locker room reacted is eloquent and you can try a comparison with the dismissal of Postecoglu from Tottenham.
A few players of Spurs, in front of Captain Son, posted various messages “Big Ange”, which did not happen. It is possible that the lot may have felt betrayed, which, for example, was not the case at Mourinho's departure in 2010.
That just does not believe that Jose understood with Real Madrid the day after that final with Bayern and that things had not been established long before. I believe that Materazzi's tears would have occurred since then if the Bavarians won that match.
Cristi Chivu, Pardon, Cristian, was then at Inter. He also played that final. He saw and put some things in his head. Which he can now use because it is quite clear that Mourinho is a model for the former captain of “tricolors”, both at the tactical level and of the position of the locker room.
Which he can now win precisely because players need someone to trust. It is a much more important aspect than Acerbi's lack of marking at Ramos's goal.
