SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 20: Head Coach Cristian Chivu of FC Internazionale speaks with the media during the Press Conference ahead of their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group E match between FC Internazionale Milano and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 20, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot - Inter/Inter via Getty Images)

Chivu: "A match to win, with more cynicism and clean movements’’



FIFA Club World Cup

Jun 20th 2025
3 MIN READING

The words of the black and blue coach on the eve of the game against Urawa Red Diamonds


SEATTLE - Lumen Field, the lights are or on the upcoming game of Inter’s campaign in the FIFA Club World Cup. At the Seattle Sounders and Seattle Seahawks stadium journalists gathered for the press conference on the eve of Inter – Urawa Red Diamonds. Cristian Chivu, black and blue coach, answered the questions from the journalists to introduce the second game in Inter’s Club World Cup. The game will unfold here, at the Lumen Field, on Saturday at 12 in Seattle, 9pm in Italy. How are you approaching the game against Urawa Red Diamonds and what type of opponent do you expect?"Before we analyse tomorrow’s game, we always have to remember that we are at the end of the season, the team has been through 9 months of battles. We need to find the right energies to face a match like this, against an opponent that displays order in terms of technique as well as tactics, on top of that they feature both European and South American elements. It will be a tough game, as the others’’ What’s Pio Esposito condition and when will he be able to be back on the pitch? "I’ve known Pio since he was just over 13 years of age: we grew up together, I had the honour to be his coach, he was the captain of the Under 20, under my guidance. In the last two Serie B seasons he’s had some great experience that allowed him to grow both on a physical and a mental point of view. He’s only trained twice with us, we will have the chance to see him out on the pitch, maybe from the start or as a sub’’. What will be the most important factor in tomorrow’s game and what players do you admire from Urawa? "The second game of the group phase is really important, considering also the results of the first one, we need this to go through to the next round. I like Japanese football, I find it tidy and disciplined, on a tactical point of view Urawa are precise and neat technically. Gustafson is a player I like, he’s got good physical and technical qualities’’. What do you take away from the game against Monterrey?We’ve shown our pride as well as a nice reaction. We were slightly slow in the movement, I would like to improve on this front as well as in the finish in goal’’. Are you thinking about any chances in the module in particular? "This isn’t a summer training camp for us, we can’t remove all the certainties that a team relies on to play on the pitch, a consolidated dynamic that produced a lot, thanks to experienced players. It’s all down to how you see this matter: how do you consider the midfielders, and what about those who find space…’’. Can you tell us about Yuto Nagatomo? "Yuto is a friend of mine, there are many nice memories we share. I’m happy he still plays, I like to hear about him, I have often talked about him at Parma with Zion Suzuki’’. How does your preparation change after having moved to another city: from the sun of Los Angeles to the lower temperatures of Seattle? ‘’It was nice back in Los Angeles, we trained well at the UCLA facilities. We had a training session here in a likewise spectacular facility. It’s true it is colder here, but that doesn’t make a difference, we are here to play. I want to thank the organisers who made available for us such nice facilities’’. What would you like for Inter from now on?"We would all want a team that can dominate, that can bring out their technical qualities, as well as the eagerness to keep the game under control, pace the game and find solutions. This is the dream of any coach. This is what we want to achieve, we will need time and now we haven’t got much but we’ll try starting from tomorrow’s game.

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 25: Francesco Pio Esposito of FC Internazionale celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between FC Internazionale Milano and CA River Plate at Lumen Field on June 25, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot - Inter/Inter via Getty Images)

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