Cristian Chivu gave credit to Torino, accepted personal responsibility for the collapse from 2-0 up and firmly closed the door on any referee scandal discussion, insisting his only focus is on the three points that will deliver the 21st Scudetto as Inter were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw at the Olimpico Grande Torino.
Inter looked comfortable with a two-goal lead before a collapse in the final stages handed Torino a draw that mathematically sealed their survival.
Chivu was candid about what went wrong, and typically direct about everything else.
Speaking to Sky Sport, he opened with an honest assessment, with quotes via FCInterNews.
“There is regret. We had the match in hand but we conceded to their final assault when they found more energy. The first goal frightened us and the second followed. We tried to make it 3-2 but in certain matches you risk losing them. Credit to Torino, they never gave up and could even have gone ahead.”
On the referee scandal dominating headlines this week, Chivu refused to engage.
“I talk about football, I am a coach and they pay me to prepare matches in the best possible way and transmit serenity and the right motivation. At 2-0 I did not do my job well and I take that responsibility. But little changes. Three points remain and we want to close it as soon as possible.”
Torino 2-2 Inter – Chivu Reveals Calhanoglu & Dumfries Fitness Issues
The revelation about his team selection came when asked why certain key players were not involved or started.
“Calhanoglu was not feeling well. Dumfries is still not at his best. I thought about giving Bastoni some minutes because he has had three training sessions with us. For Lautaro it is still a long way.”
His tactical post-mortem was vivid and self-aware.
“It is never simple to go to certain grounds at this moment of the season after spending so much energy. Maybe you are 2-0 up and think it is all easy, that you have everything under control.
“Then you concede a 2-1 through an error in our build-up and the ghosts appear, the handball arrives. Then decisions go against you and you absorb a comeback that could have ended even worse.”
On Darmian’s public praise of his psychological work with the squad, Chivu was reflective and generous with his group.
“Every human being can understand. I have been in dressing rooms and I know what you go through, I understand the mindset of certain players and how they live the Inter context.
“You need to embrace them more, tell them the truth, have coherence in what you do without retreating from what you have tried to build from the beginning. You try as a coach but then you need a response from a group that believes in you.”
He then turned the credit outward entirely.
“I was lucky because the players immediately embraced what needed to be done, looking for pride and competitiveness from the start.
“We have won 25 times this season and scored over 100 goals including cups. That was not simple. All the merit is theirs. We tried to give a little and they were excellent at absorbing what we tried to do.”
Chivu: ‘Credit To Torino, We Should’ve Been Safe’
Speaking separately to DAZN, Chivu returned to the theme of giving Torino their due.
“We credit Torino because they believed in it, they found energy and put us in difficulty when everything seemed under control. The 2-0 should have given us some serenity, then when you concede a goal you also absorb it mentally.
“They put more soul into it and in the end they managed it. You can also lose these matches. We tried to bring it home until the end.”
On whether he had shielded his players from the week’s off-field noise, Chivu kept his answer in character.
“I do my job as a coach. I was aware we were facing a difficult opponent. We overcame physical problems and the players who came on did their best. We needed four points from five games, now we need three from four.
“If someone thinks that is simple, it is only simple on paper. It is never easy to approach these objectives.”
He then closed the DAZN interview the same way he closed the Sky one, with a wall of silence on the referee decision.
“I don’t talk about referees or decisions made during the match. I only think about what we do.”
Three points from four games. The Scudetto is still in Inter’s hands.
