Inter lose 4-3 at home to Bruges at San Siro in their second match of the Champions League league phase. The defeat hurts badly after their opening-match loss in Madrid. Inter sit near the bottom of the table on zero points, and the manner of it is just as troubling: Bruges were hardly irresistible, yet they exposed all this team's flaws. Cristian Chivu, after his seventh defeat in his last eight European matches, gave his thoughts on the game to Sky Sport.
AFPTranslated by
Inter, Chivu: “Too much haste and frustration – I’m responsible. I got the players too fired up at half-time; we’ll have to change something”
Frustration and frenzy
"It was a good first half. We were caught on the counter-attack from a corner, when we could have been better organised. We did well to go into half-time level. We started the second half well and had two chances when we could have scored. A bit of frustration and haste led us to make mistakes. After it went 2-1, we lost all our clarity, calm and game plan, rushing forward without getting back. Credit to Bruges, who made things difficult for us."
A defence that concedes too many goals
"14 goals conceded? I couldn't say I'm not worried. There's something to reassess, especially if you fall behind in the Champions League, where it's hard to come back because of the quality and speed of the opposition. We're thinking about our balance, second balls and winning the ball back when we press."
I’m the one responsible
"We are aware of what is going wrong in the Champions League. We are improving our mental preparation, but there is something we are carrying with us, and I take responsibility for it. We do not find the right balance in certain matches. These two defeats hurt, given the expectations. We all wanted to do things differently. We finished last season with just one win and many defeats, and I am responsible for the mental side too."
I should have conveyed more calm.
"One team was running and the other was walking? I said it before; I don't need to watch it again. My feeling is that frustration got the better of us and we lost our intensity. We pushed too far forward, forgetting to get back for the second balls. We lost our balance and pressed at the wrong times. We never managed to match their pressing and were always late. Perhaps I should have conveyed more calm and composure at half-time without getting the team too fired up. Sometimes you have to be more clinical in front of goal; perhaps we'll have to change something."
Balance
"We have to find more balance because every small mistake costs you. The Champions League is decided by details, by individual incidents. We must not lose confidence or enthusiasm, but we need to read certain moments better."
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