'It wasn't pretty' - Christian Chivu admits Inter were sub-par in bore Como draw as Cesc Fabregas insists his side should have won semi-final clash

Chivu offered a blunt assessment of his side's performance following a turgid 0-0 draw against Como. In a match defined by tactical caution, the Nerazzurri struggled to impose themselves on the hosts, failing to register a single shot on target in the entire match. Speaking after the final whistle, the Romanian was quick to admit that the display did not meet the usual standards expected of the Milanese giants as they navigated a difficult evening disrupted by key absences.

The visiting side lacked their usual spark, leading Chivu to be honest about the quality of the encounter. "Every match we have some emergencies, I had to make some changes and for the first time I put two attacking midfielders behind the striker," Chivu explained during his post-match analysis. "We must make a virtue of necessity. But it wasn't an Inter match and it wasn't even pretty to watch." 

While Chivu was reflective, Como boss Fabregas was adamant that his side did enough to take a lead into the second leg, which is scheduled for April 22. The Spaniard praised his players for frustrating the Serie A leaders and felt the narrowest of margins separated them from a famous win. "Chess match? It is what it is," Fabregas remarked. "In the global sense of the match, maybe we could have scored a goal, but it was a very tactical match."

He continued to highlight his team's brilliant execution of their game plan against a formidable opponent. "Against the most dominant team in Serie A we played the game we wanted: very compact and we had three opportunities. In the last four or five years they have been very dominant and they had one shot. A match that leaves you satisfied but with a bitter taste, it could have been 1-0." 

Looking ahead to the decisive return fixture at San Siro, Fabregas highlighted the contrasting realities of the two clubs while maintaining a sense of immense pride. "The only thing I know is that we are Como and they are Inter. There is a different mentality between the two teams and the two clubs," he stated. "We have earned the merit of playing the Coppa Italia semi-final at San Siro: two years ago no one would have said that. Unfortunately, there's still a long way to go before the return leg."

When pressed about his future and the ongoing project at the club, the former Arsenal midfielder emphasised continuous improvement. "The idea has always been to grow, we have to keep going. Right now my focus is on Serie A, there's a long way to go. The dream is to continue to grow and, when we're ready, fight for a bit more.  Let's slowly raise the bar and see where we end up," he added.

One of the primary concerns for Inter remains the fitness of captain Lautaro Martinez. The Argentine forward was a notable absentee from the matchday squad, having sustained an injury in the Champions League loss to Bodo/Glimt, and Chivu's update suggested he will not be returning to the pitch in the immediate future. The lack of a clinical edge was evident throughout the scrap with Como. Chivu acknowledged the difficult situation and the extremely limited time to prepare for the upcoming crucial derby match.

Off the pitch, the match was marked by a hostile atmosphere for Alessandro Bastoni, who was whistled by sections of the home crowd in the wake of his controversial dive against Juventus. Despite the rivalry, Fabregas took a moment to defend the Italian international. "Why does it happen? Because he plays in the strongest team in Italy," Fabregas said. "I don't know him, I've studied Inter a lot in recent years and for me he's a top player. A great guy, I think it's something for the fans. We have to protect him.  Was he wrong that day? Definitely. It's something that happens, it can happen, I also made a mistake when I did what I did at San Siro. You have to apologize , they're young guys. You can always learn, he'll get over it."