Chivu: "A real match, full of competition and quality"

“We played a serious match, full of intensity and quality. We stayed focused and secured the three points, which are important. We could have done better; we were a little hasty in the first half, pressing high with a lot of energy. I would have liked to have kept possession a little more at the start, but of course, if they press you man-to-man, you have to be quick and play one-touch, and find the forwards, so we did that well. The first 20 minutes were very intense; then we tried to strike by executing the right moves, and in the second half, we managed the game better. In this Inter squad, everyone is valuable: all 22 outfield players, the goalkeepers, and the youngsters coming up from the U23. Patience is also key; players coming from another league need time to adapt, and mine have done that really well, thanks also to the teammates who have been here a while and helped them understand what it means to play for Inter. Celebration? I'm delighted with my players for what they accomplish every day. I'm grateful for this incredible group, this team, this club. I've been a part of this team for many years; now I'm back after Parma, and I try to do my best with passion and enthusiasm, and I hope to pass on the same attitude to the players, who know what it means to be Interisti and to be part of a club like this. Fabregas vs. Chivu? That's just a label. What matters to me is the team, the performance, the trust, what the players bring to the pitch, their work every day, our aims, and what we need to achieve. Everything else is just labels.”