Chivu: "A draw would have been fairer: one decision changed the match"

“A draw would have been the fair result, based on how the game developed. Early on we suffered a bit from their pressure, but then we found our feet, even after being forced into two early substitutions that affected us at a crucial point in the second half, when our energy levels dropped. Yet another decisive incident at the end — the second in our last two Champions League matches — and once again we come away with nothing. But the team fought, gave everything and had the courage to keep pushing. We needed to be sharper in the final third, but the match was clearly influenced by the changes we were forced to make in the opening minutes. I don’t like to dwell too much on refereeing decisions. I prefer to talk about respect and what we should be teaching, especially in matches like these. The referee was well positioned, saw the situation and initially didn’t award a penalty; when VAR intervenes, you have to understand the dynamics. The decision must be accepted. We need to learn to compete, even in the face of errors and unfortunate decisions, staying focused on what we can control. We expected their intensity and pressing. We could have done better at the start — we were a little cautious — but gradually we grew into the game and found our rhythm. We wanted to carry the same energy into the second half, and we tried to do so, but we dropped a little too deep as we started to tire.”