Chivu: "We'll need courage, intensity and responsibility in Bergamo"

Inter round off 2025 with a trip to Atalanta on Matchday 17 of Serie A, for what will be their final fixture of the year, scheduled for Sunday 28 December at 20:45 CET. The evening before the match, the Nerazzurri coach responded to questions from the media at the BPER Training Centre in Appiano Gentile. Tomorrow, you face an Atalanta side who have gone up a gear under their new Coach. What sort of match are you expecting and how important will the initial approach be? "It’s always been a tough match, regardless of the coach. They built something important over nine years with Gasperini and kept the same identity. With Raffaele Palladino they’ve found consistency and the right motivation. It won’t be easy: Atalanta are intense, vertical, and defend man to man. We’ll need to be brave, win second balls, and make the most of the few chances they’ll allow".

With the transfer window approaching, do you think Inter will need to buy someone, also given the injury to Dumfries? "There are still a few days before the window opens. For a coach it’s always difficult to talk about this, because it would mean disrespecting the players available. I will never say what’s missing or who I’d like to sign: those 25 players are fully aligned with my ideas". How do you assess 2025 and what do you expect from 2026? "I never talk about myself, but about the team and the journey over these five months. At the start it was difficult because of last season’s legacy, but we worked hard to become competitive again. We added something tactically and mentally. We’re not perfect; we’re trying to improve day by day. It’s a work in progress: a competitive team must have ambition and high standards every single day". Has the time come for Inter to make a step forward in terms of focus and competitive edge? "For us, every match is important. That has to be Inter’s mentality: never thinking that it will be easy. We’re working to improve in every aspect, especially motivation and responsibility. This team is strong and has the right ambition to compete until the end". Dumfries' absence has created a problem. Can Luis Henrique be a definitive solution? "The responsibility is everyone's. Luis Henrique, despite being a new arrival, has made his contribution. I haven’t seen any player who isn’t at Inter’s level. From a tactical and performance standpoint he did what was required and helped the team. Dumfries is important, but Luis Henrique has quality and needs to be put in the right conditions to express it".

Despite a few defeats, Inter are top of the league and still in the Champions League. Is there more confidence or frustration? "We have to be stronger than frustration and external perceptions. Our objective is to work hard and add something in terms of motivation and responsibility. We’re aware of what we lack and we’re working with determination to improve on this".

Have you ever thought about playing Frattesi at right-wing back? "No, we’ve never considered that. We experimented with Carlos Augusto and Diouf. We see Frattesi more as an attacking midfielder, to exploit his late runs into the box. For that role we signed Luis Henrique".

Is Çalhanoğlu ready to start again? And will there be continuity for Martinez in goal? "Çalhanoğlu has trained consistently and is available for Atalanta. Pepo Martínez gave us good signs in the Supercoppa, and with the congested schedule there will be opportunities to see him again".

What do you take away from the experience in Riyadh? "We can’t be happy about the elimination, but I saw a second half against Bologna filled with great quality and intensity. They cause problems for anyone. We were missing something, because possession alone doesn’t always win you matches. I don’t want to take anything away from this team, I want to add and do things better".

Do you need to put “someone against the wall” to get more from the team? "In the dressing room we say everything to each other’s faces, we’re self-critical and we take responsibility. Outside, I’ll never say everything out of respect for the players. This group has the courage to put itself on the line and improve"

Aleksandar Stankovic is shining for Brugge: is he on the right tracks for Inter? "I’m extremely happy for him. He’s a product of our academy, Inter through and through. He had the courage to go abroad and we’re following him very closely".

Does coaching Inter, with all of the pressure that it brings, scare or motivate you? "It motivates me. I accept criticism and labels; I know who I am and what I bring. I have a dignity that’s not for sale. I want to build a competitive team that works every day to improve and achieve its goals."