Inter coach Cristian Chivu praised his team’s character and desire in overcoming a 10-man disadvantage to beat AS Monaco 2-1 in a friendly match.
According to coach Cristian Chivu, Inter Milan’s 2-1 victory over AS Monaco in a friendly match was a testament to the team’s character and desire. Despite being down to 10 men for over an hour after Hakan Calhanoglu’s red card, Inter showed determination and grit to turn the game around and secure a win.
Chivu was impressed by his team’s response to the adversity, saying that the players showed great character and desire to turn the game around. “It was an August friendly, our legs still weren’t going the way they should, but it was a good test,” Chivu said after the game. “We don’t have much time, because there are only 17 days until the start of the Serie A season.”
The match was a challenging one for Inter, with the team conceding a goal within 80 seconds and then having Calhanoglu sent off in the 35th minute. However, the team showed great resilience and managed to equalize after the restart through Lautaro Martinez and then take the lead with a brilliant goal from Ange-Yoan Bonny.
Chivu emphasized that he was not particularly interested in the result, but rather in the team’s progress and development. “I am not particularly interested in the result, I don’t want to win some summer trophy,” he said. “What interests me is that the team gains confidence and puts fuel in the tank for what awaits us in the future.”
The coach’s vocal and demanding approach was evident throughout the match, as he loudly screamed instructions and criticism towards his players.
However, Chivu clarified that he would have had a similar approach even if Inter had lost the match. “I am the coach of Inter, these are strong players who can always do better in every respect, individual and collective, which is what I try to explain every day in training.”
Inter’s late start to pre-season due to their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup means they have limited time to prepare for the new season. The team has only a few friendly matches left before the start of the Serie A season, including matches against Monza on August 12 and Olympiacos on August 16.
Despite the challenges, Chivu remains focused on building the team’s confidence and preparing them for the upcoming season. “What I will take from this are the character and desire shown by my players, who were determined to turn it around despite being a man down,” he said.
