Inter Milan suffered a 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League playoff, with the Norwegian side taking advantage of their artificial pitch to score a quick-fire double in the second half. 

Cristian Chivu said the pitch conditions were poor and affected Inter’s gameplay, but he refused to use it as an excuse, saying, “It’s not an excuse, but I can’t be too harsh on the players.”

Chivu praised Bodo/Glimt’s speed on the break, stating that his team was “surprised by their speed on transitions”. The Nerazzurri will need to regroup quickly, as they face a tough task to overturn the two-goal deficit in the return leg at San Siro next week.

Read Chivu’s thoughts 🎙️

👉 https://t.co/w6nz4diXtl pic.twitter.com/jTaZJcZIdy

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) February 18, 2026

The match saw Inter’s Lautaro Martinez struggle with an injury. Chivu described him as “lost” during the game and suggested he may be out for a while. The Romanian coach emphasized that his team has “a few issues” that need to be addressed.

Chivu refused to blame his team’s performance on a lack of determination, instead pointing to specific moments in the game where they were caught out. “We asked for pressure on the markers, but that was not the problem,” he said.

Although Bodo/Glimt have a commanding lead going into the second leg, Inter will feel like they have a chance of coming back at the San Siro.