Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 08:06 / Updated on Tuesday, 20 January 2026 08:07
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has spoken about the changes he has seen at Inter since Cristi Chivu took over.
Mikel Arteta met Inter before, in the last season of the Champions League. Then, in the 4th stage of the single group, his Arsenal lost in Milan 1-0, following a goal scored by Lautaro Martinez from the penalty spot.
Now, upon his return to “San Siro”, the Spanish technician will have to deal with almost the same players, but on the Inter bench it is no longer Simone Inzaghi, but Cristi Chivu. And that seems to be Arteta's big concern.
Mikel Arteta: “Inter's players have talent, skill and mentality”
The manager of the “gunners” said what he saw differently at Inter compared to the duel on November 6, 2024. “With Chivu, Inter is more aggressive. They have talent, ability and mentality”, commented the Spanish coach, who also said what impressed him about the Romanian technician: “Every coach wants to establish his own identity. Inter's parameters are similar to last season, but he has given them a different touch“.
Unlike Cristi Chivu, who, at the insistence of journalists, gave something from the house, Mikel Arteta did not want to say anything about his players. Asked if he would make any changes to the starting eleven, he avoided a clear answer: “We will see. We will decide after a night's sleep”.
Cristi Chivu: “Arteta is a young manager with great ambitions. Experienced, despite his age”
Chivu also spoke about Arteta: “He is a young manager with great ambitions. Experienced despite his young age. Arsenal have a great identity and focus.” At the same time, he also referred to the danger that the English represent with fixed shots, their main weapon.
“Our way of defending from set pieces and especially from corners is the best way to handle Arsenal. If you mark them man-to-man, you're going to be in trouble. We have to take individual responsibility for certain things, but that goes for Arsenal and everyone.
Our opponents are distinguished by their physical structure, by their ability to create their trajectories. They score a lot from set pieces, but so do we, and they should also be worried,” explained the Nerazzurro coach.
