Cristian Chivu admits Bodo/Glimt had 'a lot more energy' than his Inter team after stunning Champions League upset

The defeat marks a significant low point for a club that reached two finals in three years under previous management, but Chivu was honest about the gap in physical condition between the two sides. The Inter boss noted that Bodo/Glimt, whose domestic league is currently in its off-season, appeared far fresher than his squad, who have been battling on multiple fronts. Chivu pointed to the relentless schedule as a primary factor, noting that it is difficult to maintain top levels when the games are coming thick and fast in Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

Speaking after the shock result, the former defender was clinical in his assessment of why the Nerazzurri fell short. "We tried everything we could from the start," Chivu told Sky Sport Italia. "We were up against a very well-organised team with a low defensive block, keeping 10-11 players behind the ball. Probably the fact we didn’t break the deadlock gave them extra psychological comfort, knowing we needed to score two goals just to get it to extra time."

The absence of key figures Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu proved critical as Inter struggled to convert their dominance into goals. "Our objective was to be competitive, we always said that, and we never intended to think too far in the future for things we are unable to control," the coach added. "Unfortunately, we were not able to be competitive in the Champions League. We had started well and won four games in a row, then unfortunately we dropped a few points despite good performances. It’s a high level here, if you don’t manage to convert your chances and make the right choices, you will be punished at the first mistake."

While Bodo/Glimt have been solely focused on their European campaign, Inter have been fighting to maintain a 10-point lead at the top of Serie A. Chivu refused to blame his players' effort, instead highlighting the physical advantages held by the opposition. "I have nothing to reproach my players for, as they tried everything they could with all the energy they had, and in the second half Bodo had a lot more energy than we did," the coach continued. "We gave all that we had, tried to break the deadlock in every way, but then after the restart they scored two goals."

The discrepancy in match fitness was a recurring theme in Chivu's post-match analysis. "There is a lot of disappointment, as unfortunately we were against a side that had a lot more energy than us, they were very well-organised, knew that they had to do after the 3-1 first leg result and did it brilliantly. We can only congratulate Bodo/Glimt, they are a team who deserve to be in the next round. It’s hard to find the energy when you play every three days. I cannot ask for more from my lads, as they tried everything this evening. If we’d managed to break the deadlock, it might’ve sparked more enthusiasm, but it was so difficult when they defended with 10 men."

Italian legend Fabio Capello questioned the tactical set-up in the studio, asking if Nicolo Barella should have played a deeper role. Chivu defended his approach, explaining his desire to stretch the play. "We tried to force our way through the midfielders and strikers behind their defensive lines, I had asked them to move the ball around quicker, more cross-field passes to destabilise the dense and well-organised 4-4-2. The few times we got into the box, there were important situations, but we didn’t find the right pass or manage to shrug off the markers. There were many corner kicks, but with more efficiency we could’ve scored there. We have certain strengths and weaknesses, it’s a pity we didn’t score earlier, as that would’ve put a lot more pressure on."

Ultimately, the Inter manager acknowledged that the better team progressed over the two legs. "There is great disappointment, as we wanted to at least be competitive in Europe, but we were against a team that played four games in the last three months, all of them in the Champions League. We turn the page, we go forward, this is the Champions League, we have to give credit to our opponents and what they achieved," Chivu concluded. The Nerazzurri must now refocus their efforts on clinching the Scudetto and their upcoming Coppa Italia semi-final against Como.