Chivu: "A quality performance; it's important to keep growing"

PERTH – The derby between Inter and AC Milan at Optus Stadium in Perth ended as a draw. Dimarco opened the scoring with the finish to a superb team move before Nkunku converted a late penalty to level the match.

Cristian Chivu reflected on Inter's second outing of the Internazionale Summer Tour, which concludes on Saturday with the Nerazzurri taking on Juventus.

Regardless of the result, how pleased are you with the team's performance? "I can see the team improving. The players are working very hard and we've trained intensely over the past few days. Right now we're not too concerned about the results of these matches. Our focus is on working well and, above all, improving our fitness. Some of the players got valuable minutes under their belts, and we're pleased with the quality they showed, even though they're not yet at their best physically and their legs aren't as strong as they'll be later on."

Unlike the match against Manchester City, the team seemed to grow into the game as it went on. "We found it a little difficult at the start to occupy the spaces properly. We made a few more mistakes in possession and while playing out from the back, and at times we rushed things. Credit where credit's due, our opponents made life difficult with their pressing. As the game went on we improved, found more ways to play through them and, overall, I think we played quite well."

How useful are matches like this against opponents you'll also face during the Serie A season? "At the moment, our main priority is the players' wellbeing, keeping everyone healthy and continuing to improve our physical condition. At the same time, we're working to reinforce the principles we're trying to instil while adding new elements to what this team has already shown it can do over the last few years."