Chivu's record in the Bodo/Glimt debacle » “His first European experience ended prematurely in the worst possible way”
Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 10:48 / Updated Wednesday, February 25, 2026 10:49
Cristi Chivu failed the European exam, and the continental vice-champion left the Champions League after 2-5 overall with Bodo/Glimt. Inter fails to qualify for the “eighties” after four years, the Romanian coach reaching the highest percentage of failures in the League (50%) among coaches with at least five games in the history of the Nerazzurro club!
Inter has already said goodbye to the Champions League and does not catch the spring of the competition for the first time in the 2021-2022 season, the first with Simone Inzaghi.
However, if at that time the Nerazzurri were eliminated by Liverpool (0-2 at home and 1-0 at Anfield), after in the groups they had only lost to Real Madrid, the future champion, now the elimination occurred unexpectedly in front of Bodo/Glimt.
5goals scored by Inter in the last edition with Simone Inzaghi in 12 matches until the semi-final with Barcelona. With Chivu as coach, the Nerazzurri have collected five only in the “double” with Bodo/Glimt in the play-offs
Cristi Chivu, Inter coach // PHOTO: Imago Images
For four years, Inter had not missed qualifying for the “eighth” of the Champions League, but they were eliminated by Liverpool (1-2 overall)!
Cristi Chivu showed her lack of European experience and also set a negative record. If he had just become the coach with the best debut season in the history of Inter, on Tuesday night he clicked, confirming that in the Champions League the music is completely different than in Serie A.
After 1-3 near the Arctic Circle, where he invoked frost and synthetic turf, the coach of the Italian championship leader also lost “Giuseppe Meazza”.
It was the fifth failure in the last six games with Inter in the Champions League. The Nerazzurri have only won five times, the first four of which came in the only group they finished 10th, outside the last 16 direct zone.
Cristi Chivu's Champions League results
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2-0 with Ajax Amsterdam (away)
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3-0 with Slavia Prague (home)
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4-0 with Royal Union St. Gilloise (displacement)
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2-1 with Kairat Almaty (home)
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1-2 with Atletico Madrid (away)
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0-1 with Liverpool (home)
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1-3 with Arsenal (home)
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2-0 with Borussia Dortmund (away)
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1-3 with Bodo/Glimt (travel)
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1-2 with Bodo/Glimt (home)
No coach in the club's history who has won at least five games in the Champions League has had such a poor success rate: five out of ten, that is 50%.
Chivu's side took a big step back compared to last season when Simone Inzaghi's team conceded five goals, but against PSG and in the final of the competition in Munich.
Inter – Bodo/Glimt // photo: Imago Images
Gazzetta dello Sport: “Inter made a laughingstock, being a predictable and not very dangerous team. Chivu has no alibi”
The team that played two big-eared cup games in the previous three seasons (the first had been lost to Manchester City, score 0-1) was left to fight only on domestic fronts, the championship and the cup.
Chivu's side are 10 points clear at the top of Serie A with 12 legs to play and will face Como in the Coppa Italia semi-final in a doubleheader.
No apologies. Inter made a laughingstock, being a predictable and not very dangerous team. Chivu has no alibi and his team offered very little and exited the Champions League after another ugly performance against the Norwegians, who advanced to the round of 16. The Romanian's first European experience ended prematurely and in the worst possible way!
– La Gazzetta dello SportItalian daily
