“The Newcomers Have Done A Good Job, You Will Definitely See Them”

Written By Onyeka Daniel

It’s been more than a week since it was officially confirmed that Cristian Chivu is the new coach of Inter Milan, replacing Simone Inzaghi on the bench as the Serie A giants look to move on from the disappointment of going trophyless last season after being on course to win a treble.

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For the Romanian, who helped Parma avoid relegation last season, he now has given his first pre-match press conference as manager, ahead of Inter’s first match of the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off against CF Monterrey in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

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Chivu, who replaced Inzaghi after the Champions League final loss against PSG, addressed a number of topics, including the availability of his two new signings, the condition of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, while also revealing everything he knows about upcoming opponents Monterrey.

He began with a brief introduction and an update on his two new signings, Petar Sucic and Luis Henrique, who are both part of the squad for the Club World Cup in the United States. “Good evening again. The team has worked well, we’ve been working fully for two days,” He said.

“Obviously there are some problems, some aches and some pains, but it’s nothing particularly serious. The newcomers have done a good job. Luis Henrique is a little behind in his condition because he had a few more weeks’ of holiday. Petar (Sucic) has come straight here from the national team.”

“He’s had a few more training sessions with us. You will definitely see them, we will have the opportunity to see them at work, either from the start or during the game.” Chivu was also asked about the potential tactics and formation he could use during his time in charge.

Then whether he will stick with Simone Inzaghi’s 3-5-2 given that he used a similar shape during his time at Parma. “I think, in Italy, we’re too tied to what systems and modulus are used,” Chivu replied. “What matters is the principle of play, which is more important than any game system.” He replied.

“Obviously Inter have benefited from this system of play in recent years, however, the most important thing is having the principles that has allowed them to achieve some important results. You can never lose the principles, you need a lot of fluidity, a lot of mobility, a lot of asymmetry, but this team has always had principles.”

“We will try to add a little more, it’s obvious that it’s not going to be easy. We need time before preparing for this match, but we will probably see something as early as tomorrow.” Chivu was then asked about how he plans to help the team bounce back from their last competitive match:

The 5-0 loss against PSG in the Champions League final. He responded: “We can’t think about the past, because we can’t change that. We have to think that this is the end of the 2024-25 season, and that this is a competition that must be honoured for a team like Inter. You have to come here and be the best version of what this team is.”

“We can’t look for excuses or alibis about physical condition, just as we can’t look at their mental condition. We are ready, we have tried to work hard over the last few days, to create a tea with mental and physical sharpness that will allow us to have some good performances.” He continued.

There was also a fitness update on Inter’s go-to centre-forwards, Lautaro and Thuram: “They’re both fine. They’ve done this ten-day journey with the national team, and we’ve left them with just a few days of rest. “Lautaro immediately joined us here in America immediately after his national team duties.”

“Marcus had a few more days of rest because he played in the second game for his national team and we will see them in this tournament, too. Chivu also explained everything that he knows about opponents Monterrey: “I know coach Torrent, and of course Sergio Ramos needs no introduction.”

We’ve played against each other a couple of times if I’m not mistaken. I know Canales, I know Ocampos, they are players who have had careers in Europe. “It’s a team that has some experience, a team that has a certain identity, and it is definitely a good team because it’s participating in this competition, and it’s a team that will definitely have ambitions.” He further added.

Meanwhile, for the fans of the Beneamata, they may get their first glimpse of new signing Sucic in the CWC Group E opener. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the 21-year-old could make his debut soon. This is because Chivu cannot count on several first-team stars for the curtain-raising fixture.

It would also be his first game in charge of the club. In addition to Hakan Calhanoglu, the Serie A runners-up will likely be without Polish star Piotr Zielinski. Furthermore, fatigue has caught up with Davide Frattesi. Therefore, Chivu has to be creative to fill the void in the engine room.

His midfield options seem severely depleted, and only a handful of players are capable of replacing Calhanoglu. Dropping Nicolo Barella deep into midfield could be among the solutions, but it looks like Chivu has other ideas as Kristjan Asllani has never been able to convince the club of his capacity to fill Calhanoglu’s shoes.

Read Also: Inter To Miss Out On Their Top Transfer Target As Fabregas Seemingly Rejects The Club Too

As such, this could be a quick chance for Sucic to register his first start in the Nerazzurri shirt alongside Luis Henrique who will feature either on the right or left wing-back position as Denzel Dumfries is said to be not at 100% fitness for now.

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