“No, please, let`s not start talking about `Chivulism` now,” the coach laughs, dismissing the notion that the match against River Plate in Seattle marked the definitive birth of his Inter side. “No, but we played a serious match, with character and a desire to win. In the first half, we were a bit surprised by their aggressiveness, they were arriving at the second balls with a lot of ferocity. Then, at halftime, we fixed that.”
Chivu continued, explaining the tactical shift: “We also added intensity, the will to win duels and tackles, because we are strong too, we are also capable of playing this kind of game. Yes, it was an excellent match. River is a great team and did everything to win, but we adapted to the right reality, managing to match what they proposed. We defended well, tried to go man-to-man, but we understood the moments of the game.”
With the team now progressing to the knockout stages of the Club World Cup, the tournament takes on new significance. “I`ve been in training camp here in the USA for 14 days. If the guys respond in this way, it`s because they want to honor the tournament. If we are here, it`s because we want to try to go all the way,” the coach stated. “This makes me proud. But the credit goes to the lads, who are also accepting a change in methodology from me and my staff. They are always trying to add something, and then they show it on the field: this is a sign of an important spirit.”
On Pio Esposito
Chivu also spoke about the impressive performance of Pio Esposito: “How do you keep him calm after a game like that? Well, we are trying not to make the same mistakes with him that we made with others… Yes, his was a great performance, he adapted to a not-easy reality. He was up to the task, it`s a reward for his intelligence, for his work. He is a boy who chose to go and play in another category, he had two great seasons at Spezia, he has grown and matured a lot.”
“He has great potential. I know he is aware of all this, but we need to continue working with him. However, I know him, and I know he will keep his feet on the ground. Who does he resemble? I have never made comparisons with him; I have known him since he was shorter than me. People think he is only good in the box, but that`s not the case; he is good everywhere, he holds up in duels in all areas of the field. Compliments to his family, who have raised three high-level boys. I had even thought about playing him and Sebastiano together; I asked them if they had ever done it, and they said no, so I had considered it, but Pio was too tired. It will happen again…”
