Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Friday, April 17, 2026, 10:06 a.m. / Updated Friday, April 17, 2026, 10:12 a.m.
Cristi Chivu is compared by Gazzetta dello Sport to Jose Mourinho, his former coach from the 2009-2010 season, in which Inter won the “Triple”. The nickname “Special Two” was given to him by the pink newspaper, after the Romanian technician declared at yesterday's press conference that “I'm not stupid”, paraphrasing the famous Portuguese.
“Non sono un pirla”, declared Jose Mourinho in 2008, shortly after signing for Inter. Gazzzetta dello Sport has redone the cover since then to highlight a comparison with Chivu, who uttered a sentence with the same meaning (stupid), but with a changed word at the end (fesso): “Chivu alla Mou. The new Christian is always more Special”.
This is how the daily Gazzetta dello Sport appeared on the cover today
“Mourinho's 'Idiot' was sharper, more dazzling, a tribute to the flair for theatrics of the man who brought it out of the drawer. But the “fool” is also cunning and shrewd. It has a similar sound, although whoever used it yesterday must have a different personality.
“Chivu placed himself in the dynastic line of Mourinho, heir at Inter to the rightful throne acquired on the field and on the microphone”
In reality, with one effective sentence, launched like an arrow, Cristian Chivu placed himself in the dynastic line of José Mourinho, a rightful heir to the throne acquired on the field (and in front of a microphone)”. comments today on the pink daily, on the eve of the game that opens the 33rd stage, Inter – Cagliari (21:45, livetext on GSP.ro, live on Digi Sport 2 and Prima Sport 2).
Which continues his comparison between the two Nerazzurri coaches: “'I'm not an idiot…'” warned the “Special One”, bringing his bulky ego into a press room for the first time in the distant summer of 2008.
67percent of Inter's matches in this championship were wins (24 out of 32). This season, in all competitions, Chivu has led the Nerazzurri in 46 matches: 31 wins, 4 draws and 11 losses, with an average points average of 2.11
“I can be anything, but I'm not stupid”, Chivu retorted, with the same desire as the master to challenge his host of rivals. Some immediately thought it was a studied quote with reverberation”.
The Italians discovered where Mourinho's line diverged from Chivu's speech: “The Romanian coach, one of the guardians of Inter's 'Triple' team, seemed to follow a completely different path to his previous talks. It was a far cry from the bellicose communication of former Mourinho, world champion of incendiary press conferences.
Gazzetta dello Sport's comparison between Mourinho and Chivu
Then, however, the atmosphere at Appiano Gentile changed completely and, therefore, the «narrative» – another word dear to Chivu – transformed. In the Nerazzurri camp, faced with more and more external controversies, another perspective on the world has emerged.
“Took up a favorite maxim of Jose Mourinho's to mock opponents and highlight the disasters of others”
Shields were raised to defend themselves, and the choice was made to counterattack, with the same crossbows and a little salt. That's exactly what the coach focused on, in his “Special Two” form, on the eve of tonight's match with Cagliari”.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recalls the moment two months ago, when Chivu set a starting date for the new era: “February 14, 2026. “Everything comes from the period after the match with Juventus. It's a media smear campaign from every point of view, for the team and for a player (no – the coach confirmed that Bastoni, too tired, will not be summoned).
This is where the narrative changes, but I have never created controversy. I always tried not to talk about referees. If someone doesn't like what I'm saying now, staying consistent, it's not my problem…”.
Even those last words sent shivers down the spines of many nostalgic Nerazzurri fans. Even “it's not my problem” is history, one of Mourinho's favorite maxims to mock opponents and highlight the disasters of others
– La Gazzetta dello SportItalian daily
