Cristian Chivu warns will probably be ‘a battle to the tip for each single level’ for the Scudetto after Inter turned Winter Champions ‘What counts is being there in Might.’
The Nerazzurri knew they’d an enormous alternative to interrupt away on the prime of the desk after , within the different Week 16 fixture rescheduled from December for the Supercoppa Italiana commitments.
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It appeared for a very long time as in the event that they too could be annoyed by one of many sides battling towards relegation, particularly when a penalty was awarded after which revoked following the VAR evaluation.
Nevertheless, Francesco Pio Esposito got here off the bench and was in the appropriate place to fulfill the rebound from Falcone’s save on Lautaro Martinez on the 78th minute.
Chivu and Pio Esposito labored collectively for years
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 14: Francesco Pio Esposito of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his staff’s first aim along with his Head Coach, Cristian Chivu, through the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Picture by Marco Luzzani/Getty Photos)
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Chivu ran up from the touchline to hug the striker, and their bond goes again a good distance.
“I keep in mind this little seven-year-old child, we virtually grew up collectively,”
“I do know him inside out, his household, his ambition, his work from the youth academy. He was my captain within the Inter Primavera squad and I’m pleased for him, simply as I’m pleased for the entire staff, as a result of this was a very difficult sport.”
It took a very long time to interrupt Lecce down and the primary half was disappointingly sluggish from Inter.
“I anticipated it to be troublesome, as a result of while you expend as a lot power as we did within the sport with Napoli on Sunday and didn’t get the complete consequence, that weighs on you. I keep in mind as a participant that going through one other sport 72 hours later was one of many hardest issues to do,” defined the coach.
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“Regardless of the difficulties discovering a approach by and the appropriate sharpness to make sure selections, this staff had the appropriate angle, it believed to the tip and had the guts to hold house the victory.
“These are video games the place it’s extra possible you lose than win. These lads deserve success, as they did all the things to convey the consequence house.”
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 14: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, seems on previous to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Picture by Marco Luzzani/Getty Photos)
Chivu shocked so lots of the media in Italy by giving his staff a time off within the build-up to this match, regardless of having performed on Sunday. Seeing the poor first half efficiency, did he suppose possibly it wasn’t a good suggestion?
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“Or we may flip the query round and say possibly we received due to the time off,” he replied.
“It’s all relative, I don’t need to justify my selections. I make these choices due to my expertise, of what I see in coaching, what I see within the eyes of those gamers. Possibly Italian soccer isn’t used to the way in which I do some issues and so they may appear unusual, typically they repay and others they don’t, however all that doesn’t curiosity me. What pursuits me is the subsequent 5 months of this season.
“I belief these lads, no person ensures that you simply win with a coaching retreat. Contemplating all of the coaching retreats I had as a participant, I ought to’ve received each match. I belief the maturity of my gamers.”
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 14: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, reacts through the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Picture by Marco Luzzani/Getty Photos)
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As a result of this was technically a Week 16 sport, it means Inter at the moment are formally the Winter Champions of Serie A, as they’re prime of the desk on the halfway stage, six away from Napoli.
Milan may nonetheless shut that hole, however they’ve a tough match of their very own away to Como tomorrow night time.
“I had received this semi-title of Winter Champion earlier than in my profession, nevertheless it counts for nothing, what issues is being there in Might,” famous Chivu.
“What this implies is that we’re aggressive, however as I mentioned the opposite day, it’ll be a battle to the tip for each single level.”
Inter have famously not crushed any of the opposite massive golf equipment this season in Serie A, however not like these groups, they’ve an nearly faultless document towards the much less prestigious opponents.