Chivu: "It's a long journey ahead, but this is a crucial victory"

“I'm pleased with the team's attitude and determination, in fact, with everything that this team has done tonight. In the first half, we tried to play more, but in the second half, they increased the pressure with man-to-man marking. We had more space on the right in the first half, but they took that away in the second. We're still happy with the result because those three points count a lot. I'm also happy with Marcus' performance. He worked really hard, caused problems for their defenders, ran tirelessly, and applied the right pressure. When he seemed tired, we brought on Pio, and he made an immediate impact, winning the ball and providing Lautaro with that assist. It's incredible to have four top-quality forwards, to see them enjoying themselves, scoring, and contributing to our season. Pio and Bonny have found their place with us perfectly; they've earned everyone's respect, they work hard, and always give it their all, regardless of whether they're starters or coming off the bench. Nothing is certain in football. You have to prove you're competitive on the pitch. Right now we're proving that on the pitch, but it's not enough. It's only December, and the first half of the season isn't over. We know it's a long road ahead, and our goal is to stay competitive and keep working hard. Sometimes you have to challenge the idea that success is guaranteed, but the game is always the true judge of a team's character and a competition's intensity. We're taking challenges as they come. The important thing is to stay focused, face difficulties head-on, and keep pushing ourselves as much as we can. The start of 2026 has important games lined up for us, including against Bologna, Parma, and Napoli. January is going to be a demanding month. ”