Inter are 'a spectacle to watch' under Christian Chivu as Fabio Capello says new coach's tactics 'working wonderfully' for growing Serie A side

Capello has heaped praise on Chivu's Inter, declaring the team "a spectacle to watch" and crediting the new coach with reconnecting the squad and implementing a dynamic, vertical style of play. Speaking in his regular column for La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former AC Milan and Real Madrid boss hailed the transformation at the Nerazzurri, who have won four of their last five Serie A matches.

Following a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to Roma, Capello asserted that the team has now fully taken on the identity of their new manager. He lauded the visible progress and cohesive spirit, highlighting the post-match celebrations at the Stadio Olimpico as a clear indicator of the bond Chivu has forged.

"Yes, we can now say it: this is Chivu's Inter. And it's a spectacle to watch," Capello stated. "It's wonderful to see the players rally around their coach like the other night at the Olimpico, because that embrace captures the bond that has been created. But it's also wonderful to see the Nerazzurri play, because everything is working wonderfully now and the team continues to grow. From game to game, from victory to victory."

Capello was keen to emphasise that Chivu's primary impact has been on the players' mentality and unity, rather than overhauling an already talented group. The decorated coach believes Chivu has successfully won over the entire dressing room, from established stars to promising youngsters, by improving their self-belief.

"This is Chivu's Inter because now all the players, from Lautaro [Martinez] to [Nicolo] Barella, from [Alessandro] Bastoni to [Hakan] Calhanoglu and [Federico] Dimarco, right down to the explosive youngsters like [Ange-Yoan] Bonny and Pio Esposito, are perfectly in tune with Cristian," Capello explained. "Chivu has got into the players' heads and reconnected. He hasn't improved the level, because that was already very high and the value of the Nerazzurri squad is beyond question, but he has improved their self-esteem, that's true, and that's a huge credit to him."

Before Inter, Chivu had been in charge of Parma for just over a year and guided them to a 16th place finish in Serie A last season. When Simone Inzaghi left Inter for Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, he took the opportunity to return to San Siro, having previously coached the club's youth teams. As a player, he won three Serie A titles and the Champions League crown with the Nerazzurri.

Beyond the psychological improvements, Capello pinpointed a clear and effective tactical shift under the former Inter defender. He praised the move away from a dogmatic, possession-based build-up in favour of a more direct and aggressive approach that prioritises forward momentum.

"Beyond the team's spirit and resources, there's the play, and in this sense too, Chivu has more than one reason to be proud," he wrote. "Because Inter thinks vertically, always presses forward, and has finally minimized the obsession with building from the back for its own sake." This change has yielded impressive results, with Inter scoring 18 goals in their opening seven league games, the highest tally in Serie A.

The Nerazzurri's excellent form has them sitting second in the Serie A table, just one point behind city rivals AC Milan. Chivu’s side now faces a demanding run of fixtures that will test their title credentials and European ambitions. They travel to Belgium to face Union Saint-Gilloise in a crucial Champions League group stage match on Wednesday, before a top-of-the-table clash away to third-placed Napoli next Saturday. A home fixture against Fiorentina follows shortly after, completing a challenging period that could define the next phase of their season. Maintaining their new-found momentum will be crucial if they are to challenge on multiple fronts.