Chivu takes responsibility

Inter coach Cristian Chivu faced questions at his pre-match press conference about the club's poor start in the Champions League. Inter have lost their first two league-phase matches, against Real Madrid and Brugge, and Chivu said he was the one who must answer for those results. He said he analyses the reasons behind each setback and looks at his own role first rather than blaming individual players. He also compared his relationship with the squad to the way he speaks with his own children, saying his affection does not change even when he raises his voice.

“We are aware that we have lost four games in a row, there is no need for them to keep reminding us.”

Less talk about the past

Chivu argued that the team should concentrate on the next match rather than on earlier defeats, which he said are discussed too often. He insisted that the club has never claimed it must win the Champions League, and that winning the next game is the priority. He also said that a single defeat should not become a national drama for Inter, and criticised the pressure placed on the club to win every match. Asked about the record, he noted that Inter have trailed six times this season and turned the result around in four of those matches.

Bastoni on the Champions League target

Defender Alessandro Bastoni, speaking before the same game, urged the squad to stay grounded after recent results. He described the Champions League as a dream rather than a target, and said the players must accept responsibility for individual mistakes, which he linked to a mental issue rather than to tactics or formations. Bastoni said that 90% of the goals Inter conceded came from their own errors, a problem the squad has discussed and needs to correct. Inter have lost seven of their last eight European matches, a run that puts the squad's limits in Europe under scrutiny.

“The Champions League has always been a dream, but not a goal.”

Shakhtar Donetsk and the stakes

Chivu described Shakhtar Donetsk as a strong side that plays in the Champions League, with experience, intensity and quality, and a coach who sets the team up well. Inter host the Ukrainian club at San Siro in Milan on 21 October, with kick-off at 21:00. Chivu said the match should not be taken for granted, because opponents with less pressure on them can be dangerous. He wants his players to enjoy difficult moments and respond to adversity. Reports from the press conference said a defeat would effectively end Inter's hopes of qualifying, with consequences that could also be felt in Serie A.

Questions over form

Chivu appeared more irritated than usual when journalists pressed him on the defensive decline compared with recent seasons, the approach that often forces comebacks, and what he said to the squad at half-time in Bologna. He had taken over from Simone Inzaghi and lost his voice after the Bologna half-time talk, missing the post-match interviews. Asked about the team's problems, he replied that people talk too much about nothing and look only for the negatives, while insisting that he is an optimist who also looks at the reaction after conceding goals.