Chivu, Interismo and triumphs: the Coach's Nerazzurri lives

Inter knew how to reinvent themselves, Chivu knew how to add something new to what was already working efficiently: the Romanian coach's 3-5-2 formation became more vertical, characterised by continuous pressing and a defence accustomed to holding a very high line. Inter's style of play was renewed, becoming even more modern than what the fans had been able to appreciate in recent seasons. All of this accompanied by Chivu's gestures, restless on the touchline, always ready to support his players with a word, a sign of gratitude, an embrace.

Words and behaviours that have characterised the style of Cristian Chivu, an example and guide for his team. The Romanian coach mapped out the way, adapting to different periods and situations, claiming a wonderful Scudetto. A title that also brings with it several records: having won three league titles as an Inter player, Chivu has now conquered Serie A as a coach of the Nerazzurri too. Only Armando Castellazzi in 1937/38 had managed it after triumphing in the midfield of Inter's Scudetto winning side of 1929/30, while the legendary Virgilio Fossati had won as a player-manager in the first league title in the club's history. Chivu is the first to achieve this feat in the modern era, a milestone shared also with two fundamental members of his staff, Aleksandar Kolarov and Paolo Orlandoni.

This is not the only impressive statistic from this achievement: the former defender is the fifth manager in Inter's history to win the Scudetto in his first season at the club, after Árpád Weisz in 1929/30, Alfredo Foni in 1952/53, Giovanni Invernizzi in 1970/71 and José Mourinho in 2008/09. The Portuguese coach is also the last non-Italian coach to have won Serie A before Chivu, his former player. But Cristian's records are not yet finished: Chivu has also become the second manager to have won the Scudetto with both the First Team and the Primavera side. The Romanian coach had triumphed with the young Nerazzurri in 2022, and like him also Invernizzi, who alongside the 1971 title had collected three Primavera Scudetti in 1964, 1966 and 1969.

Chivu thus becomes the first to win the Scudetto in each of his three Nerazzurri lives: an incredible milestone, achievable only by someone who has truly understood what the purest and deepest Interismo is, the same carried forward throughout the entire season.