Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu handed summer arrival Ivan Provedel his Nerazzurri debut for Sunday's Serie A clash against Fiorentina. Chivu also selected veteran midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan to start at San Siro as Inter look to keep pace with league leaders Lazio.
Provedel handed Inter debut for Fiorentina showdown
Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu made a significant selection change between the posts, handing second-choice goalkeeper Ivan Provedel his Nerazzurri debut against Fiorentina at San Siro. Provedel joined Inter in July 2026 on a three-year deal from Lazio.
The 32-year-old replaces Spanish stopper Josep Martinez, who had started every game for Inter so far this season.
Inter enter Sunday's fixture needing a win to draw level with Lazio at the summit of the Serie A standings.
Chivu praises Provedel following birth of child
Speaking to DAZNprior to kick-off, Chivu revealed that Provedel earned his starting berth through consistent application in training following a special week for his family. “Provedel deserves to start after this week, when his child was also born, and for the work he’s done these months, supporting Pepo too,” Chivu stated.
“From here to the end of the season, he’ll help us rotate.”
“It’s a hard game. Fiorentina are a well-trained team... We can’t choose; we must leave everything we have on the field,” the Romanian manager added.
Mkhitaryan rewarded after Champions League heroics
Alongside Provedel's debut, Chivu handed veteran playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan a starting berth in central midfield following his decisive impact in Wednesday's 1-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk. Mkhitaryan provided the assist for Carlos Augusto while Inter were down to ten men.
Chivu dismissed questions regarding the Armenian's age when explaining the decision to partner him with Nicolò Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu.
“I don’t look at the ID, nor at who was born earlier or later,” Chivu declared. “The last few times he was on the pitch, he added something we missed, and he deserves to start.”
Nerazzurri look to maintain pressure on Lazio
The fixture marks a milestone for Provedel, who famously scored a dramatic open-play equalizer against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League during his time at Lazio in 2023.
Chivu's side aim to claim all three points at home to close the gap at the top of the table.
Inter host Fiorentina at San Siro before turning their focus to upcoming Serie A encounters.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
