Chivu: “We need to work on maintaining our balance”

“I thought we responded well to their opening goal in the first half. We maintained a high level of intensity and quality and equalised before the break. We started the second half well and created some big chances, but then we became a little too frantic. We lost our balance and shape when pressing, and falling 2-1 behind drained our momentum and composure. We began doing things that you would not expect from a mature, ambitious side with our quality. We must give our opponents credit because they played well, showing intensity, personality and technical quality, as well as pace out wide. I cannot be satisfied with the number of goals we conceded. There are things we need to reassess because, particularly in the Champions League, it is difficult to come from behind given the technical quality and speed of the teams involved. We need to focus on our balance, our duels, second balls and maintaining the right distances when we press. We need to work on these things, but we already knew that. We are aware of what has not been working in the Champions League. We also need to work on our mental preparation; perhaps we are carrying some baggage with us. I take responsibility because maybe we’re not finding the right balance in certain types of matches. These two games hurt because of the expectations surrounding them. We all wanted them to turn out differently, but it is also true that we have a great deal of work to do, both tactically and mentally, to rediscover our energy, balance and the right approach. Perhaps I should have conveyed more calm and composure at half-time ahead of the second half. You also need to be clinical in the Champions League, and perhaps we will have to change something. European football is different from the league in terms of intensity and technical quality, but we need to find the right balance. Details and individual moments make the difference in the Champions League, and we must remain calm without losing the qualities that define us. Above all, we must not lose faith in ourselves. There is regret and disappointment, but we still have six matches remaining and must focus on performing better than we did in our opening two games”