Chivu's press conference

Inter are preparing to return to action following the international break, with the Nerazzurri set to face Parma at San Siro on Saturday 10 October at 18:00 CEST.

Ahead of the game, Inter head coach Cristian Chivu previews the Serie A Matchday 6 fixture, answering questions from journalists in the press room at the Inter Training Center in Appiano Gentile.

Good morning, Coach. The team’s positive run was interrupted by three weeks without a game. How are you approaching the return to Serie A after the break, and what can the team bring to tomorrow’s game against Parma?

Two or three weeks make little difference to me. What changes is the wait and having to train with only a few players available. The situation is very different for those away with their national teams: they go into camp, stay in hotels, and play four matches every three days, while everything else carries on as normal. We have all been back together for two days. Today was our only training session with the full squad available. Tomorrow, we get going again, and we’re all happy because the wait has been a long one.

The international break took several players away, many of whom played a lot of minutes. Could the Parma game be an opportunity to assess the depth of the squad?

We certainly have to take into account the minutes played by those who went away with their national teams. We don’t want to put them at risk or compromise their physical condition. We have players who are used to playing every three days and would rather do that than spend an entire week training. We have to assess the situation, the opposition, the balance of the team and the stage of the season we’re in. From now until the next international break, we’ll be playing every three days.

Has the time come for Provedel to start in goal? Will there be the rotation you spoke about?

I don’t know. We’ll see what decisions I make tomorrow at 18:00 CET.

What can you tell us about Spence? You’ve had him training with you over the past few days. Is it time to see him in action?

Djed has been training with us for a week. He’s been following the team’s programme since Monday, without restrictions or any other issues, and he’s completed five good training sessions. We mustn’t forget his rehabilitation period and the holiday he had after the World Cup. He’s been away from the pitch for two months. Now he’s available and will be in the squad. We’re delighted to have him back. We’re finally seeing his smile again and getting to see his qualities.

We saw the national team play a 4-3-3, with Bastoni at centre-back and Pio leading the line. If you were to play Pio through the middle with Lautaro and Thuram behind him, could Inter operate with a back four?

Given the way we’re built, we always end up coming back to the same old preconceptions, which have nothing to do with us. There’s no guarantee that playing with a back four will win you something, just as there’s no guarantee that a back three will. For me, what matters is our playing principles, the way we play rather than the formation. I want to reiterate that this team has been built to play a certain way. I don’t focus on the formation but on our principles, what we need to do, the movement we have on the pitch, and the solutions we can find both in and out of possession. I adapt to what this group is used to doing and to the individual characteristics of the players. If the need arises in the future, this team can also play with a back four. We have no intention of looking for something that doesn’t fit the way we work and see football.

How is Calhanoglu physically? There has been some discussion about his absence from the national team.

Hakan also returned to training on Monday. He’s been training without restrictions for a week and is available. I know reports came from Turkey, so I’d like to clarify things. It was said that he didn’t want to go and see his teammates, but it was his first training session with the group and he wanted to be there. Otherwise, I would have been the one to give him the day off so he could go and watch his team. He had a problem that prevented him from being selected for the national team, and he needed time to recover. I was the one who decided not to give him the day off because I wanted him with the group for training. He’s an important player for us because of his qualities. We finished late, and there was no time for him to join up with his national-team teammates.

Is there a risk of underestimating Parma? On paper, there’s a significant difference in technical quality, but they’re a side that know how to fight and have just changed their coach.

I think that over the years we’ve learned not to underestimate our opponents. We saw the maturity this team reached in that respect last season. We lost the derbies and some other important games, but we didn’t get anything else wrong, and that’s why we won the league. On paper, matches tell you nothing. They don’t reveal the whole truth, and we’re well aware of that. We try to turn up on Sunday as the best version of ourselves. We have to work hard and give everything to win every game, with the right confidence to go out and earn whatever the day has to offer.

After the game against Roma, there was discussion about the team’s play in possession and out of possession, with some suggesting that things hadn’t worked as well defensively. Have you worked on that during the break?

I don’t need to spell out what we’ve done. We’ve discussed it often, including individually, and I’ve spoken to many players on the phone. Our ability to recognise what we need to do and what we need to add at certain moments comes down to attitude, application, and the desire to put mistakes and moments of disorganisation right. It’s not about dropping into a low block, although that can be useful at certain points in a game. It’s about recognising those moments. We have a good understanding of what’s happening, but we need to find the right energy to do what’s best for the team without putting the identity of our game at risk. There are details we can improve individually, which will in turn help us collectively in the defensive phase. At the same time, though, I can’t overlook the team’s reaction, which shows maturity, determination, and an awareness of our own strength. I don’t want to lose that ability to react. I want to add greater maturity in recognising the different phases of a game.

Let’s talk about fairness in terms of the standards required to build what you want.

Calhanoglu is one of the most important players for the team’s defensive balance. Will we see him on the pitch?

Everyone knows how important Calhanoglu is, but we’re also keen to see Stankovic, Sucic, Mkhitaryan and Barella. When we discuss an individual player, I don’t want to undermine anyone’s confidence or belief in themselves. I’m careful about what I say because I don’t want to hurt anyone. We’re all important. When we don’t have the ball, maintaining the right distances and going into duels with the right determination is what makes the difference. Pressing and counter-pressing are small details, but they matter. We’re talking about a sophisticated team with intelligent, high-calibre players who have the responsibility to make the right decisions defensively too.

Gasperini has publicly declared himself a contender for the title for the first time. Will Inter’s main challengers emerge from Como vs. Roma or could other teams currently further down the table come into the picture?

Why don’t we talk about the team chasing Roma, Como, Juventus or AC Milan? Why is it always about who can stop Inter? We know what we are, but to turn our competitiveness into success, we have to fight. We don’t need anyone to remind us that we want to wear the crown. We have to fight to earn it. It’s far too early to talk about these things. We have 13 points, and there are teams on eleven. It’s too soon to talk about who is chasing whom. We want to remain competitive and achieve our objectives at the end of the season. That’s all we can talk about right now.

Serie A has released figures showing that the league has changed over the first five matchdays, with more time in play, more attacking football and more action. Do you think this is just a five-matchday trend, or is Serie A genuinely changing direction?

I don’t think you can change the problems of a system or a football culture in two months. It takes time to understand where things are heading and where they’ll end up. We’re seeing greater intensity and a better tempo in the way teams play. With the new rules, there’s less incentive to waste time. If you go to ground because someone has barely touched you, you know that if you stay down and the medical staff come on, you’ll leave your team with ten men for a minute. Goalkeepers now have to pick up the ball and restart play quickly rather than take their time adjusting their shin pads, otherwise they risk conceding a corner. The game is moving faster. If I’m not mistaken, these changes have added five minutes of playing time, which is a lot. Players are expending more energy, and that’s important. Things will improve, but we have to adapt to the reality of modern football and the new rules.

You mentioned Calhanoglu earlier and the need to consider the minutes played by the various international players. Zielinski has played a lot. Could this be the right time for Stankovic?

Aleksandar has come on twice so far. He could have played more, as I also said the other day. Perhaps that’s my fault, because we’ve had a relationship for many years, going back to when he was a child. I’ve watched him grow up, and I’m pleased with the person he’s become and the maturity he’s reached. He also knows he’s part of a sophisticated team with great ambitions. There’s no need for me to explain all that to him. I’m pleased to see him working seriously to show that he belongs at this level. The self-belief and confidence he shows every day will eventually allow him to demonstrate what he’s made of. He’ll have the chance to show his qualities as soon as possible, as well as his mistakes, because nobody is perfect. Making mistakes is part of growing as a player.

A few days ago, Boban gave his opinion on Sucic, saying he felt the midfielder wasn’t getting enough minutes. Would you like to respond?

You know that I rarely comment on other people’s opinions because, to me, that’s all they are: opinions. However, I have great respect for Zvone, and I understand the context in which he made those comments, following a difficult defeat against England that was hard to take. I don’t want to make too much of the discussion about Petar’s playing time, because last season he was one of our most-used players. Reducing everything to whether someone starts is not an argument that works for me. What matters is that a player understands the importance of his role, whether he starts or comes on as a substitute. Petar has had opportunities to play, and we’re happy with what he did against Monza and Roma. He was a little behind in terms of fitness, and we know why: he played at the World Cup. When we were in Australia, I sent him home so he could celebrate the birth of his son, which meant he missed a week. There’s no need to create controversy where none exists. Petar is an important player, and we know what he can offer now and in the future. We’re happy to have him and with what he brings to the group.

What did you make of Diouf’s performances at left-back for the national team?

I watched him, and I liked what I saw. Perhaps he was a little hesitant, but that’s normal. He joined up with the French national team and found himself in a position he’d never played in for us, or previously for the national team either. I’m pleased when a player understands that he shouldn’t be tied to one fixed position and recognises how important versatility is in helping the team. It’s about embracing that role mentally and changing your habits and your mindset when it comes to carrying out a particular job. I’m speaking as someone who has played at left-back, centre-back, as a playmaker and as a defensive midfielder. Under Mourinho, I even played as a winger, only to be taken off after 27 minutes. Against Barcelona, I started on the left wing and ended up in midfield after Thiago was sent off. I enjoyed that kind of challenge, but other players aren’t me, and helping them adapt to the needs of the group is a long process. Still, for him to have played two games like that for one of the best national teams in the world is a big achievement. I think he was happy to play alongside top players such as Olise, Dembélé and Mbappé, just as he’s happy here with Lautaro, Thuram and Akanji. He’ll come to understand that being tied to one position limits your options. The more things you can do, the greater your opportunities to develop, play more minutes, and earn a place in the national team.