Cristian Chivu has praised his Inter Milan players for raising their individual and collective standards at the most important moment of the season, pinpointing the tactical and mental adjustments made at half-time as the key to unlocking Friday’s 3-0 victory over Cagliari.
The Inter head coach spoke to Radio Serie A after the match, offering a characteristically precise breakdown of what changed between the two halves and what it says about the quality within his squad.
“In the second half we raised the level and the speed of our passing,” Chivu explained, with quotes via FCInterNews.
“We made some adjustments on how to attack a low block, we also raised the intensity and looked more between the lines and in forward play, and we managed to break the deadlock.”
Inter 3-0 Cagliari – Chivu Highlights Collective & Individual Growth As Title Run-In Arrives
From that point, Chivu suggested, the squad’s mental release did the rest.
“Once this team unlocks mentally, once it starts to find a certain mental comfort, it really raises its level, both individually and collectively,” he said.
Indeed, the pattern he describes has been one of the defining features of Inter’s second-half performances in recent weeks.
Furthermore, his satisfaction extended beyond the tactical.
“We are all aware of what this moment in the season means, of the importance of these matches. It is obviously pleasing to see correct plays and quality. It is pleasing to see players who have raised their level and who are really doing very well.”
Therefore, the message from the coach is one of quiet confidence, a squad that has found its rhythm at exactly the right time.
