Chivu labels Inter a 'work in progress'
Inter "are still a work in progress", according to new boss Cristian Chivu, whose team takes on Torino in its Serie A opener.
Last season, the Nerazzurri stumbled first in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, losing to city rival AC Milan, then missed out on the Serie A title to Napoli by a single point in a dramatic final day. Their season ended with a heavy Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, prompting Inzaghi to step down and join Al-Hilal.
Inzaghi leaves big shoes to fill, having guided Inter to the Serie A title in 2023-2024, two Coppa Italia triumphs and two Champions League finals.
After rejections from Como’s Cesc Fabregas and former Inter player Patrick Vieira, the club appointed Cristian Chivu — one of its 2010 treble winners and a former youth coach who successfully kept Parma clear of relegation last season — as its manager coach.
Inter will begin a Serie A season with a foreign coach for the first time since 2016, when Frank de Boer was in charge.
The last time the Nerazzurri won their opening league match under a foreign coach was in 2003, with Hector Cuper, who led them to a 2-0 home victory against Modena. Since then, they have recorded three draws — two with Jose Mourinho and one with Rafael Benitez — and one defeat under de Boer in their last four opening-day league games.
Inter, which competed at the Club World Cup, has enjoyed a productive summer in the transfer market, landing five new players, including Luis Henrique and Andy Diouf from Marseille and Lens, respectively.
Discussing his side's Serie A curtain-raiser and the season ahead, Chivu said: "We’ve worked well over these four weeks. It was a short but intense pre-season. We didn’t face too many difficulties. The team trained hard, and the players gave their all.
"As always, we did some things well and others less so. We’re still a work in progress, and we want to keep improving, both individually and collectively. We’re ready to begin, and we can’t wait.
"I’m proud to be Inter’s coach. I’m aware of the responsibility and what I try to bring to the team. When you give everything you have — time, energy, and knowledge — things become simpler."
Torino has drawn its last two season openers in Serie A.
