Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Saturday, February 14, 2026, 1:26 p.m. / Updated Saturday, February 14, 2026, 1:29 p.m.
Amantino Mancini (45 years old), the former teammate of Cristi Chivu at AS Roma and then at Inter, made an analysis of the Romanian coach before Il Derby d'Italia (today, 21:45, livetext on GSP.ro, live on Prima Sport 1 and Digi Sport 2) and found only one weakness.
Alessandro Faiolhe Amantino, known as Mancini, played the most in Italy for AS Roma, 222 games, with 59 goals and 39 assists in the giallorosso shirt. At the Capitoline club, the Brazilian winger won only two Italian Cups and one Super Cup.
It's very easy for me to talk about Spalletti. He was the coach I worked with for many years in Rome. He changed my playing style and he understands football very well. He has a very particular character, but he is a good man
– Manciniformer Inter and AS Roma left winger
Mancini: “Chivu spoke a lot during training, analyzed the actions. It was clear that he was a leader, a coach on the pitch”
The transfer to Inter in 2008 completed his record with two Scudetti and the Champions League, even though in 2010 he was on loan at AC Milan.
For the Nerazzurri, Mancini managed one goal and four assists in just 36 appearances, partnering Chivu, with whom he shared the dressing room between AS Roma and Inter for five-and-a-half seasons.
“He was serious during training and sessions and would talk to you first about any kind of problem. He had a strong personality. We attended the school in Coverciano together and you could see how involved he was during the course.
Federico Dimarco has the best season of his career under the command of Cristi Chivu at Inter / Photo: Imago
He was always saying important things and you could see that he had the qualities and aptitude to become a coach, which was not surprising at all.
What? It doesn't surprise me, because when he came to Rome, you could already see the coach on the field, right from the first training sessions. He was someone who talked a lot during training, analyzed actions and clearly showed that he was a leader
– Mancinithe former left winger of Inter and AS Roma
“I told Chivu to lay off the cigarettes. He smokes like a snake!”
His flaw? I don't know if he quit smoking today, but he used to smoke too much.” Mancini confessed on Sky Calcio Unplugged.
In August 2007, Victor Piţurcă, the Romanian coach at the time, revealed in a TV show: “I told Chivu to put the cigarettes down. He smokes like a snake.”
Exclusive image published by Libertatea with Cristi Chivu smoking in July 2010, after the season in which he won the Treble with Inter
A year later, when he found out that he would become a father, the former captain of the national team announced that he would give up smoking after the birth of his daughter.
I smoked three cigarettes in a row and told the boys what I had to say. It's a lot of disappointment, we didn't deserve to lose but unfortunately we haven't brought home much lately
– Cristi ChivuInter's coach, after Atletico – Inter 2-1, in the Champions League
