Chivu: "A deserved win, and an important response from the team"

“The match was far from simple – we were facing an organised, well-prepared side, so we can be pleased with the focus, maturity and patience we showed today. You always need hunger, and we’ll need it again on Wednesday. We’re Inter: we have a duty and a responsibility to fight on every front. Today we showed the desire to react. Pisa came into this game unbeaten in six and hadn’t conceded at home since September. We knew exactly what kind of challenges we’d be facing, and we approached the match with structure, patience and maturity. Of course, there were moments where we could have done better, but we’ll take the positives. This group deserves credit because every day they show the willingness to push themselves and build throughout the season. Lautaro’s quality and ruthlessness in front of goal were decisive. The substitutes also shifted the game in the second half: more quality with Zielinski, more physical presence with Esposito, and more drive to get the result. We know the value of our players, especially our captain. There’s noise around him, but we know how important he is and how much he gives to this team. I hug him every morning – shame there’s no camera to capture it, but it’s just my way; that’s how we communicate. It’s something new, but it shows how closely we work every day. I’m happy for him: strikers live for goals and always want to help the team. And I’m happy for the reaction the whole group showed today. A coach makes changes to help the team, to bring fresh energy. But good work isn’t measured only by substitutions — it’s about how you manage the group as a whole. We have 22 quality players, and we can rely on all of them to keep Inter performing at the highest level. I know who I am, and I know the commitment I put into this job. Coaching a club like Inter is an enormous honour. I’m fully aware of the responsibility – towards the Club, towards the fans, and towards these fantastic players who give everything when they play in these colours.”