Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Saturday, January 24, 2026, 1:06 p.m. / Updated Saturday, January 24, 2026 1:07 p.m.
crystal Chivu he didn't miss Jose Mourinho's veiled attack on inexperienced coaches who ended up managing top teams. “My experience tells me that a match lasts 100 minutes and I can understand very well the conviction of my boys,” said his coach yesterday Interat the press conference after the match with Pisa (6-2).
Jose Mourinho (62), Benfica's coach, made a controversial statement during the press conference before the Champions League match with Juventus.
Mourinho: “The surprises are when technicians without a name behind them have the opportunity to coach the best teams”
The Lusitanian technician expressed surprise that many inexperienced technicians are given the opportunity to coach big teams in Europe, and Italian journalists interpreted that “The Special One” he also referred here to Cristi Chivu, whom he trained at Inter between 2008-2010.
Cristi Chivu and Jose Mourinho won the Champions League together in 2010, but “Mou” failed in his first duel with Milan (0-1) / Photo: Imago
Not only to Alvaro Arbeloa, appointed by Real Madrid after the dismissal of Xabi Alonso, or to Liam Rosenior, brought from Strasbourg to Chelsea after the removal of Enzo Maresca, another young coach.
When Milan named Max Allegri, Juventus named Luciano Spalletti or AS Roma named Gasperini, there were no surprises for me. For me the only real surprises are when technicians with no name behind them get the opportunity to coach the best teams in the world
– Jose MourinhoBenfica's coach
Only three days away, Cristi Chivu remembered him and the Italian journalists also interpreted in Chivu's words after the match with Pisa a counterattack by the Romanian, after they had deciphered Jose Mourinho's allusion to his former pupil from the Nerazzurri team.
Cristi Chivu: “I take the conviction of these boys, despite the noise made not only by enemies, but also by friends!”
“The reaction was great and I had no doubt we would come back from 0-2 down. But my experience makes me understand that the game lasts 100 minutes.
Cristian Chivu at Udinese – Inter / Photo: Imago Images
Although my experience is accumulated in the youth sector and someone can challenge my experience”, was the first answer, which, according to the Italian press, “seems to refer to Mourinho”.
“The second line is even harsher: “I take the conviction of these boys, despite the noise not only from enemies, but also from friends”.
Jose Mourinho only uses Italian teams as an example. He did not mention Napoli, who are coached by Antonio Conte. Instead, he mentioned three teams that changed their technicians last summer. However, he did not specify Inter, who a few months ago replaced Simone Inzaghi with Cristian Chivu
– TuttomercatowebItalian agency
