Chivu digs at Juventus and AC Milan: “They finished a long way behind”

Cristian Chivu has responded to criticism regarding Inter's struggles in high-profile matches last season, where the team managed only three points from a possible twelve against AC Milan and Juventus. The manager addressed the definition of "head-to-head" clashes with a touch of irony.

"I hadn’t missed these two words… And what does 'head-to-head clash' even mean? Facing the traditionally big teams in general, or only the teams who finish in the top four? So where do we put AC Milan and Juventus, given that last year they finished so far behind? Aren’t those head-to-head clashes any more? Are Napoli and Como head-to-head clashes instead? In reality, for me they are all head-to-head clashes, even against the sides at the bottom…" Chivu asked.

The previous campaign saw Inter struggle in traditional heavyweight fixtures, including two defeats to city rivals AC Milan and a challenging run against the league's top sides. Chivu noted that for him, every match carries the same weight, regardless of the opponent's historical reputation.

This difficulty in securing points against direct rivals has been described as an Achilles heel for the team. While Inter performed consistently against other mid-table sides, the inability to dominate the top-tier clashes remains a point of contention for both the manager and supporters, despite the trophies won during the period.