Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Monday, February 09, 2026, 1:55 p.m. / Updated Monday, February 09, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
Cristi's unexpectedly good course Chivu to his technical leadership Inter continues to impress the Italians. Corriere dello Sport has dedicated a new editorial to him, in which the coach of the Serie A leader is characterized using a slogan of Francois Mitterand from his campaign in the French presidential elections of 1981.
12 wins and a draw in the last 13 stages. From the undeserved failure (0-1) against AC Milan on November 28 to the “pokerissimo” against Sassuolo last night, Inter only stumbled against Napoli (2-2), having a scary goal difference for their rivals (31-6).
After 24 rounds, it has +38, exactly as Inter last season with Simone Inzaghi (Chivu's team has scored two goals less, 57), but the latest developments of the Nerazzurri give it as a favorite not only in the upcoming Il Derby d'Italia with Juventus, but also for the title: the nerazzurri are eight points ahead of Milan (they have to play the arrears with Como) and nine ahead of champions Napoli.
Cristi Chivu, in Sassuolo – Inter 0-5 / Photo: Imago Images
Those looking for a spot in a hurry will be able to cling to the four defeats suffered in the league (Juventus, Udinese, Napoli and Milan) or zero wins in head-to-head duels (ie against Juventus, Napoli and Milan). These are almost insignificant details, like those who try to sugarcoat Sinner's failure against Djokovic in Australia by pointing out that the Italian won more points than his opponent
– Corriere dello SportItalian daily
“Socialist leader Mitterrand managed to associate the concepts of stability and reliability with his figure. This is also the case of Chivu”
Corriere dello Sport published in the print edition the editorial with the title “The perfect car”, the style in which the Romanian coach managed to transform Inter being likened to the slogan used by Francois Mitterand when he launched his candidacy for his third term as president of France.
“Chivu reminds us of French President François Mitterrand's slogan from the 1980s, 'Silent Force.' The socialist leader managed to associate the concepts of stability and reliability with its image. This is also the case with Chivu, who doesn't look like a semi-novice coach at all.
The slogan of the French socialist leader Francois Mitterrand in the 1981 election
However, this is his first experience with a big team after just 13 Serie A games in charge of Parma. Inter seemed to have been caught off guard by the departure of Simone Inzaghi. He courted Cesc Fabregas in vain, then turned to Cristian Chivu.
This story recalls what happened in the summer of 1988, when Madjer failed his medical and Inter had to “make do” with Ramón Diaz. This proved to be a key player. Nine months later, that team (with Trapattoni on the bench) celebrated a record scudetto”, writes the quoted daily.
“Chivu created an unstoppable machine in Italy. He worked quietly, won back disaffected players, expanding the squad”
The Italians explain Inter's excellent season: “Chivu has created an unstoppable machine in Italy. And he did starting with Calhanoglu's storm at the Club World Cup. It looked like a group in chaos. In silence, he worked with the players. He won back the disaffected, he widened the lot.
Federico Dimarco has the best season of his career under the command of Cristi Chivu at Inter / Photo: Imago
Yesterday, he entered Sassuolo's pitch with Bisseck, Luis Henrique, Sucic and Zielinski in the starting line-up. Bisseck was on Inter's blacklist as the main culprit behind last season's failure in the title race. Zielinski was a ghost at Appiano Gentile.
Both made a full recovery for the cause. The German defender scored the first goal yesterday. Not to mention Federico Dimarco, the player with the most decisive contributions in the league so far, along with Lautaro Martinez.
He has 13 assists in 22 games, not counting the six goals scored (one in the Champions League). A year ago, he was in the midst of an identity crisis. It seemed to have no more than 60 minutes of battery life. Yesterday, he got the assists for Bisseck, Thuram and Akanji.”
