Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published Sunday, January 18, 2026, 07:34 / Updated Sunday, January 18, 2026 07:37
His trainer InterCristi Chivu, spoke to the press after 1-0 with Udinese on the next opponent: “January is a complicated month for us.”
Even if Arsenal shows signs of weakness, 0-0 with Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening, Cristi Chivu has no doubt that on Tuesday, in the Champions League, he will have a “fiery” match with the “gunners”.
Cristi Chivu: “We have to play an excellent match”
“If we want to get the points to reach the last 16, we have to play an excellent game, knowing that Arsenal are the strongest team in the League, along with Bayern. But we are fully prepared for this competition.
We know our worth and strengths. We respect the caliber of our opponents, who will no doubt cause us problems at times. We will play with our heads held high, trying to get a win that would give us a better chance of reaching the last 16“, said the coach of Inter.
With two stages left to play in the single group, Inter are among the top 8 in the ranking, those that qualify directly for the “eighties”, but they are tied on points, 12, with Real Madrid, Atletico and Liverpool (9th place).
Cristi Chivu contradicts the journalists who claim that he did not rotate more players
At the press conference, Italian journalists asked Chivu why he fielded so few starters in Udine, knowing that the important Champions League duel with Arsenal was coming.
“Not enough rotation? Matches are only underestimated from the outside. I don't do any calculations. I don't have time to underestimate anything and we have to make decisions. Today we faced a strong, well-trained team.
The decisions we made today were based on the opponent, without thinking about anything else or making calculations. When you make calculations, you risk making the wrong decisions”, replied the Nerazzurro technician.
Cristi Chivu: “In January we have 8 matches in 25 days”
On the other hand, Chivu pointed out that “January is a tough month for us because we play every three days. From the beginning of the year to the beginning of February, we will have eight games in twenty-five days. We are aware of the challenges.
We are a more mature team compared to the first half of the season. Even in the face of difficulties and results, we managed to recover and try to be competitive”.
