Keen awareness, or maybe a slightly exposed nerve? The phrase "head-to-head" still sticks in the throat for Cristian Chivu and his Inter, despite the double triumph of the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia. Tomorrow, Max Allegri's Napoli stand in the Romanian's way at San Siro. In Diavolo guise, they won both derbies last year, leaving Inter with scraps because they never managed to lay a glove on them.
Getty Images/CalciomercatoTranslated by
Chivu, swipe at Juve and AC Milan: "Head-to-head clashes? They finished a long way behind". Last year, 3 points out of 12 amid the Bastoni chaos
Three points out of 12
Against their city rivals and Juventus, Inter came off badly in the traditional clashes last year, to put it mildly: two defeats to AC Milan, a bitter 4-3 loss as early as the third round against Tudor, who was then sacked, and the controversial win at San Siro marked by Kalulu's red card and Bastoni's non-dismissal. Three points from the 12 available, which probably still disturb Chivu's sleep, despite the conquest of two trophies.
Achilles heel
In his first season as Inter manager, there is no doubt that the Achilles heel for the former Parma man was the matches against sides of a similar level, at least on paper: not Como and Roma, with Fabregas and Gasperini beaten four times out of four, but Napoli once and, on three occasions, their historic rivals, along with defeats in the Champions League against the so-called big sides.
"So far behind"
Chivu answers with irony, and a trace of bitterness, when the question comes: "I hadn’t missed these two words… And then what does 'head-to-head clash' even mean? Facing the traditionally big teams in general, or only the teams that finish in the top four? So where do Milan and Juve fit in, given that last year they finished so far behind. Aren’t those head-to-head clashes any more? Are Napoli and Como head-to-head clashes instead? In truth, for me they are all head-to-head clashes, even against the teams at the bottom…"
The year of judgement
This season, armed with a year of experience, a Serie A title and a Coppa Italia in the trophy cabinet, and after a transfer window that brought in major signings such as Stones, Spence and Jones, three England internationals, Inter now have practically two very strong squads that are almost on the same level, like PSG and Bayern Munich. The spotlight will fall squarely on the marquee matches, starting with Napoli and continuing against Real Madrid and Roma, and on the elite Champions League ties. Inter will have to manage the two competitions well, with the minimum objective of the Champions League quarter-finals, after their exit in the round of 32 against the Norwegians of Bodo, as well as retaining the Serie A title, which also means coming through Juventus and AC Milan,
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