Chivu: “An entertaining game and an incredible feeling at the end”

It was a memorable night for Inter, who produced a remarkable show of strength and character. Two goals down after being caught cold early in the second half, the Nerazzurri refused to buckle and, roared on by a fired-up San Siro, completed a stunning comeback. It was a display of character that left Cristian Chivu proud as he reflected on his side’s performance after the 3-2 win over Napoli, a result that takes Inter to nine points from their opening three games.

It was an entertaining, thrilling game. When the third goal went in, you ran over to join the team’s celebrations. What was going through your mind at that moment?

“It was a great game to watch, really entertaining and a fantastic advert for Italian football. Even at 2-2, both teams kept going for it rather than sitting back, and there were some huge chances at both ends late on. In the end, we were the ones celebrating because we scored the 3-2, but Napoli deserve a lot of credit. They’re a strong side, full of players who can make the difference, and they’re very well coached.”

At such an intense stage of the season, there was another setback like the one in last season’s home game against Napoli, but this time the reaction was outstanding. Can this match be seen as a reflection of what this team has become?

“We could have managed the situation better after going 1-0 down, while the second goal came because we were still dwelling too much on the first one we had conceded. I really liked the reaction. The team stayed together, kept playing and raised the tempo, creating situations that caused Napoli problems. The goal to make it 2-1 gave us belief and also gave us time to make some changes, taking off a defender and bringing on an attacker. In the end, we were rewarded. I started running because I wanted to give the players some instructions. It was absolute chaos in the closing stages and we were struggling to find the right balance, but San Siro gave us an incredible push and drove us on to win the game.”

There was a contentious incident in the Napoli penalty area. What did you make of it?

“I want to praise the way the referees have managed games in the first three rounds. The game is allowed to flow, it’s entertaining, there’s far less time-wasting and players who go to ground know they risk being left out of the play. The officials have been consistent in their approach, and I think that’s something everyone appreciates. I’d rather congratulate them than focus on individual incidents.”