Late withdrawal creates tactical chaos
The build-up to the clash at San Siro was far from ideal for the Nerazzurri, who found themselves scrambling to adjust their starting eleven just hours before kick-off. Cristian Chivu revealed that his plans were thrown into disarray due to health issues affecting key members of the squad. The manager was forced to deviate from his primary strategy as several players were deemed unfit to start the high-stakes encounter against Milan.
"We were forced to make changes. Pio wasn't well, Bonny had a fever, we had to improvise with the belief that it was the right thing to do. We adapted to our emergencies, but it didn't go well, but I'm not throwing everything away," the coach told Sky Sport Italia.
Addressing the chronic slow starts
One of the most concerning trends for Inter this season has been their inability to start matches with the required intensity. This issue was once again prominent in the derby, where a sluggish opening allowed Milan to seize the initiative. Chivu expressed his frustration with this recurring problem, noting that the team failed to meet the high expectations set for such a pivotal fixture in the Serie A calendar.
"It's a painful defeat. Expectations were different, given the nature of the season and the defense we have to defend. We gifted them the approach, but then we reacted and could have equalised. However, before the half-time whistle, we gifted them another goal. We wanted to do something more than what we actually achieved, and we must work on our approaches and the determination that we sometimes lack," Chivu admitted.
Finding hunger after recent success
Beyond the tactical and physical hurdles, Chivu touched upon the psychological challenge of maintaining a winning edge. After enjoying domestic success, the manager believes his players might be struggling to find the same level of motivation that propelled them to the top. He warned that the squad cannot afford to rely on past achievements if they want to remain competitive at the highest level of Italian football.
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✅ Delivers the games with authentic Italian-language commentary for a traditional viewing experience.
✅ Complements live coverage with original Italian soccer studio shows like Inside Serie A for previews, highlights, and cultural news.
Fubo
✅ Serves as the exclusive primary streaming home, broadcasting all 380 Serie A matches live and on-demand throughout the season.
✅ Your subscription automatically includes exclusive broadcast rights to the English Premier League, securing the two biggest domestic leagues in one app.
✅ Features built-in DVR functionality so you can easily record matches airing during the Canadian workday to watch later on your own schedule.
DAZN
✅ Through a distribution deal, DAZN streams Serie A and Premier League matches by integrating "Fubo Sports" directly into its own platform.
✅ Combines the Fubo soccer feeds with DAZN's own exclusive rights, including the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and every NFL game.
✅ Perfect for heavy sports consumers who are willing to pay a premium to avoid juggling multiple streaming apps on their smart TV.
TLN (via VIVA)
✅ Broadcasts up to three live Serie A matches per matchday directly on traditional television without requiring a standalone streaming subscription.
✅ Delivers the games with authentic Italian-language commentary for a traditional viewing experience.
✅ Complements live coverage with original Italian soccer studio shows like Inside Serie A for previews, highlights, and cultural news.
Fubo
✅ Serves as the exclusive primary streaming home, broadcasting all 380 Serie A matches live and on-demand throughout the season.
✅ Your subscription automatically includes exclusive broadcast rights to the English Premier League, securing the two biggest domestic leagues in one app.
✅ Features built-in DVR functionality so you can easily record matches airing during the Canadian workday to watch later on your own schedule.
DAZN
✅ Through a distribution deal, DAZN streams Serie A and Premier League matches by integrating "Fubo Sports" directly into its own platform.
✅ Combines the Fubo soccer feeds with DAZN's own exclusive rights, including the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and every NFL game.
✅ Perfect for heavy sports consumers who are willing to pay a premium to avoid juggling multiple streaming apps on their smart TV.
"It is not easy to play every three days and always have the same hunger after winning. We need to find that determination and nastiness again. We are aware that sometimes we reflect a bit too much on the past. We must rediscover a bit of hunger and grit when certain things are taken for granted; we need to find focus and consistency once more to move forward," the Inter boss observed.
Immediate focus on recovery
The nature of the modern football schedule means that Inter have very little time to dwell on their derby disappointment. With matches coming thick and fast, the priority shifts immediately to physical recovery and correcting the defensive lapses that were exposed by Milan. Chivu emphasised the need for an immediate response from his players to ensure this defeat does not snowball into a larger crisis.
"I don't throw everything away because we also put Milan in difficulty for long periods in the first half when we increased the tempo. However, we have some blame for the attitude and for some defensive carelessness. We must turn the page quickly because we play again immediately. There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves; we have to look ahead and fix these errors in the next training sessions," he concluded.