Inter Milan Coach Cristian Chivu Reflects on ‘Lucky’ Win against Venezia
Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu acknowledged his team’s ‘luck’ following their victory over Venezia, asserting that he would have preferred to make wholesale changes during the half-time break. The Nerazzurri secured a 2-0 win against a struggling Venezia on Wednesday, capitalizing on two own goals from their opponents.
Chivu expressed his thoughts during a post-match interview with Sky Sport, stating, “We lacked energy and were slow in certain aspects, and were a little surprised by their low block, even though we were expecting it. We moved the ball slowly, but that can happen when you play every three days.”
The match, held at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, saw Inter face challenges in their performance as they dealt with Venezia’s defensive strategy. Chivu remarked, “We were lucky to come away with the win today. What matters is that we stayed in the game and kept believing, but we were lucky too.”
He acknowledged the tendencies teams exhibit through the season, indicating, “These are the kinds of games you get through the season, two or three a year, when you go into them without enough conviction.” Despite their struggles, Chivu credited their opponents for effectively limiting his team’s opportunities. He recognized key contributions from goalkeeper Provedel, who played a pivotal role in securing the victory, noting, “Our experience and quality helped us find a way to win.”
Defender Carlos Augusto, who started in a three-man defense, was instrumental in creating one of the own goals from Venezia. Chivu expressed satisfaction with Augusto’s performance, sharing that the Brazilian has already netted four goals and provided two assists this season. Chivu added, “He wasn’t feeling great either; he has a stomach bug, but that’s no excuse. He always gives everything.”
With 25 points from the first nine league matches, Inter sits at the top of the Serie A table, level with Lazio. Chivu emphasized the need for improvement, stating, “It’s never easy to begin a season like this and show that level of commitment. You must never lose it after a season in which you’ve won.”
The team is preparing for an important derby clash against AC Milan next Saturday. Chivu concluded, “We’ll do our best to recover physically and mentally. I would have liked to replace everyone. We know derbies are stories of their own, and we’ll be ready.” AC Milan, coming off a 4-2 loss against Bologna, currently holds 18 points this season.
