Chivu: "We have given ourselves the chance to dream"

Is there a question you wish we had never asked you? “You’re so good that nothing comes to mind. Sometimes even I’m surprised because I don’t expect certain questions. Maybe next year, reflecting on my experience at Inter, I’ll be able to answer that in more detail.”

How is Bastoni? Could it be the right day for Sucic? “Bastoni has trained and is feeling better, but he still has some discomfort. He’s a trooper — this week he’s done conditioning work alongside treatment to help him feel looser. We’ll see tomorrow; today he trained with the group. At the same time, Sučić is doing well. Over the past few months he had a triple fracture in his hand and we never said anything because we didn’t want opponents targeting it. Credit to such a young player for making himself available when we were short in midfield. It affected him for quite a long time. Now he’s fully recovered and no longer limited by the cast — he can even use that hand again as part of his physical game.”

In the last four matches there’s been a clear difference between first and second halves. Why? “I could say we’ve scored more than 100 goals, 78 of them in the league, and yet everyone talks about what has happened recently. These matches aren’t everything. They’re simply phases in the growth of this team. At the start of the season the perception was the opposite; now you say we’re better in the second halves. The team has always taken responsibility. Our goal difference is huge — maybe we could have scored even more and conceded fewer — but we’ve always tried to perform while understanding our ambitions and dreams. Recently we’ve shown more pride, becoming more efficient, more clinical and more pragmatic, while respecting our opponents and managing our energy levels.”

Your goals conceded are similar to other teams, but there’s a clear difference in goals scored. Does that tell us something about the Inter you want next season? “I never focus only on defensive numbers. Goals are scored and conceded when you play proactively and press high with the defensive line. The key is the whole team’s intensity and the willingness to accept duels knowing you don’t always have cover behind you. With the qualities this team has, it would be a shame not to exploit our attacking strength. The days when leagues were won purely by the best defence are over. Football now is more dynamic and intense. We’re in a good position but we can still improve. The other night we saw Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid — modern football is about transitions: more vertical, faster and more intense. You have to adapt.”

How is Lautaro? Will Sommer play tomorrow? “Lautaro is improving with his rehabilitation work. Next week he should return to training with the group. As for Sommer, we’ll decide tomorrow.”

In ten years’ time, how will you remember this group? “In ten years as a coach? I don’t know if I’ll make it that far! I’m fortunate to coach a team I know well in an environment I also know well. Nothing surprised me from what I expected from the outside, but the human side impressed me even more — the professional level was already obvious. These players have always tried to do extraordinary things. Sometimes they didn’t reach their goals and received unfair criticism. What I take from them is their will, their sense of belonging and the unity of a group that knows how to stay together despite everyday difficulties. When they realised they could remain competitive — going against the narrative at the start of the season that a cycle had ended — they rediscovered the right motivation to be what they’ve been over the past five years. It’s no coincidence that we’re top of the table and in the Coppa Italia final. We certainly could and should have done better in the Champions League, but I take responsibility for that specific match. I truly love these players and keep them close. Perhaps placing a young, inexperienced coach like me in charge created some discomfort for them, because everything that was said risked destabilising them. But they know who they are and what our ambitions are.”

Aleksandar Stankovic: is there the idea of bringing him back, like Pio Esposito? “Let's not get carried away – we were supposed to talk about tomorrow’s match and instead we’re already discussing next year. We follow Stanković closely. I’ve known him since he was four or five — he’s almost like a son to me. We know his value. We’ve watched his development over the last two years in Switzerland and Belgium with an important club that has played in the Champions League. It was a conscious decision for his growth. We’ll certainly think about him when the transfer window discussions begin.”