Chivu: "I'm proud of the boys' work"

“It’s all thanks to these players: they’ve embraced the reality of this league, put last season’s disappointments behind them, and kept working to show their strength and determination to compete on every front. I’m proud of how they prepare mentally for big games, how they read key moments, how they suffer together and find the right humility to respond. I’m very proud of them and the way they keep pushing through difficulties. A match after the international break is always unpredictable, since many players return tired. But I’m happy with how we approached the game tonight — winning here in Rome is never easy, and it won’t be for anyone. You can’t always press high; in the first half we did it quite well, but then we dropped off a bit. That’s normal: when you press, you can leave gaps through the middle. In the second half we tired physically, but we defended well and managed to hold firm while looking to counter. Lautaro’s substitution was based on several factors: managing his workload with a busy run of fixtures ahead, and also some physical issues. He’d only just returned, had been down with a heavy cold, and trained with the group for the first time yesterday. Even so, as a true captain, he made himself available and gave everything he had. Lautaro deserves huge credit for his humility, work ethic, and sacrifice. You can see the results: he scores, he leads, and he does it both on and off the pitch. We knew this was an important match, one that could shape our season. We’ve come away with a big result, and with greater happiness and belief than before.”