“Without Mourinho? The draw says something else” » The first reaction from Chivu's team after the League play-off draw

Ashley Davis30/01/2026

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Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Friday, January 30, 2026, 2:16 p.m. / Updated Friday, January 30, 2026, 2:17 p.m.

Javier Zanetti (52 years old), one of the greatest players in the history of Internazionale Milano and vice president of the team prepared by the Romanian coach Cristi Chivu (45 years old), offered a first reaction from the camp of the leader in Serie A, after the draw for the Champions League play-off matches.

Inter had plenty of luck in the draw in Nyon, Switzerland, and escaped a fiery duel with Mourinho's Benfica, going on to run into Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt, which is why the San Siro outfit leave as heavy favourites.

“We must dress thickly, for we have seen the temperatures there. It will be very cold.” That's how Javier Zanetti's interview with Sky Sport began, with a joke, immediately after the draw in Nyon, which determined Inter to face Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League play-offs.

Inter remain on the ground after the draw

Javier Zanetti, former Champions League winner

In his analysis, the vice-president of the Inter club then pointed out that the Norwegian opponent is not only a team that plays in difficult conditions in terms of temperature, but also a strong one from a technical point of view.

“We will have to be very careful. Even in the last match, with Atlético, they managed to win on a difficult pitch. We have to be very cautious and prepare the match as best as possible”said Zanetti, quoted by fcinternews.it.

Asked about the mood of the team, the former captain, who played 19 years for Inter between 1995 and 2014, reaffirmed the ambitions of the Cristi Chivu-trained club.

“Inter wants to be a protagonist in the Champions League as well. Unfortunately, we missed that point with Liverpool that could have taken us straight to the last eight, not here. But we accept the situation and we will face this team, which should not be underestimated in any way,” added the Inter official.

Chivu escaped Mourinho on the way to the last eight

Journalists noted his reaction when he realized that Inter avoided a confrontation with José Mourinho, the coach of Benfica, in this play-off, the Portuguese team going to play Real Madrid for a place in the round of 16 of the competition.

“Without Mourinho? No, I think we could have met Benfica, a team coached by a great technician like Mourinho, whom we know very well. We have great memories of him, but the draw says something else. Now we will prepare as best as we can for these two games. We will see what comes next,” explained Zanetti.

The “nerazzurro” official also stated, after the draw, that Inter will pay special attention to the details for the match in Norway.

“We will analyze every aspect. We must not neglect the fact that we will be playing on a synthetic pitch, where traps can occur. We will have to be very focused,” added Javier Zanetti.

Finally, Zanetti was asked about possible transfers in the mercato period.

“Piero [Ausilio] and [Dario] Baccin is working on this chapter. If any opportunity will arise… But the team is already proving that it is strong. We want to be competitive both in the championship and in the Champions League,” he concluded.