Chivu: “Bastoni is an asset to Inter and Italy. No one should question Calhanoglu. Is the Champions League a dream or an opportunity?”

"We know we have to play seven matches and get the maximum from them to qualify. Bruges are a team with an identity, who take the initiative and have a certain level of quality. It will not be easy; no match in the Champions League is.

In the matches we play, we need energy, determination and the right attitude: we make our selections on that basis. We made different choices against Parma from what some might have expected. We have a strong squad whose players put their individual qualities at the group's disposal."

"Calhanoglu? No one should ever question his value; he has shown it over the years. We'll see how we manage him. We need everyone because we play every three days. What we must not do is put the players' physical health at risk."

"Champions League: a dream or an opportunity? We all need to be careful with this question: if you answer 'dream', you put 'objective' in the headline, and that is not the same answer. It is right for Inter to have the ambition to go as far as they can, dreaming that they can go far."

"Without losing sight of the effort, the work, the journey. No amount of money can buy you a trophy this important. There are no players or managers you could reach. The only certainty you have is the desire to dream, but what matters is the work you put in to achieve that dream."

"We'll make a few changes. Calhanoglu is fine. He was seen with ice, and I didn't know about it because, as far as I was concerned, he came off uninjured. He took a minor knock and applied ice, but he's fine."

"Spence is improving his fitness. I'm pleased he's letting go of some of the pressure and anger. When he first arrived here, he had physical problems that prevented him from being involved in the first part of the season. His self-esteem and confidence have grown enormously, and I'm happy."

"I'm not going back over the injustice he suffered and what happened with the national team too. We all know Ale's worth. He has shown his individual worth to us and to Italy, but he didn't have to prove anything to anyone. He has always been a player of considerable quality. From time to time, I'm not saying we need to pamper the players we have in Italy, but we do need to take a little care of them. Ale is an important asset to Inter and Italy."

"We have developed a mentality that allows us to take the field with a great sense of responsibility, sometimes with the right attitude and determination, sometimes by being dominant, although we can always improve. There is room for improvement because, within our approach, there are things we can do even better. The group of players is of the highest quality. There is competition that raises the standard in training and raises our ambitions. Our club has that ambition, and that is why it builds a competitive squad which, in fact – and this is not meant as criticism – can always be improved."

"There are seven matches, but we're focusing on the first one. We can't afford to look too far ahead because we play every three days. Bruges are organised both on the ball and when they defend. It won't be an easy match."

"It's not about what we won last year; it's about what he did in his three years at Inter, the professionalism, the seriousness and the respect he showed towards Inter, the fans and the club. We must thank him for three wonderful years in which he won major trophies and reached big stages too."

"We don't decide in advance what we have to do. We have our own identity, and our opponents force us to make certain choices. In the first 20 minutes in Madrid, we almost dominated and conceded nothing. Then we conceded a goal and the match changed. This group's aim is to maintain a strong mentality and a proactive approach. If I say before a match, "today we'll play cautiously and see what the Lord up above gives us", how can I be consistent? On the pitch, you get what you deserve. Sometimes you can turn matches around, sometimes you can't. What matters to me is that, if we have to lose, we decide for ourselves how we lose and don't depend on others."

"I don't like talking about starters, first-choice players, second-choice players or status. I like to think I can choose from the group based on energy levels, the opposition and the mental state of the many lads who have been away on international duty, facing different pressures and expectations. There are many things people talk about, but for me this is a group of players who aim to be competitive and who compete, position by position, with whoever might play in their place. I would also stress the importance of the five substitutions, which are fundamental. Everyone is important, the season is long and there are a lot of matches."