Chivu: "Ambition and competitiveness, we want to progress even further" | OneFootball

The big day is here: more than a month has passed since the end of the 2025/26 season, in which Inter won an historic Double. Now it's time to do it all again: the new sporting season has officially begun, opened by the words of the President and CEO Giuseppe Marotta as well as Cristian Chivu in their press conference from the Inter Training Centre in Appiano Gentile.

This is what the Nerazurri coach had to say to the journalists present:

What is the most important thing to convey at the start of the new season after such a historic campaign? "Motivation. We need to rediscover it and find something extra, because you can never have too much enthusiasm or ambition. Last season was important, but we don't want to stop there. We want to do it all again."

What makes you feel stronger and more confident heading into your second year? "I've now managed more than 50 Serie A matches so, as always, I'll do everything I can to find the right motivation and pass on enthusiasm and belief. Those are essential for a team that wants to compete on every front and improve on what we achieved last season."

Any thoughts on the transfer window? "We've got a competitive squad and a core group that's been together for a long time. These players know what it means to wear the Inter shirt and what it takes to achieve our goals. Everything we've done in the market fits with our ideas for the team and the Club's ambitions going forward."

How have you found Inter's Italian internationals after they missed the World Cup? "They would have loved to be there, of course, but they're doing well and they're happy to be back. We've worked in small groups and carried out tests at different times. We had lunch together and it was great to see everyone again. They're motivated, well rested and that's a really good place to start."

What is the main area to work on? And how do you replace the experience lost with the players who have left? "We've said goodbye to some players who made history at this Club, who played a huge part in our success. We can only thank them for everything they gave. Now we have a group that combines experience with youth. We've also brought some Under-23 and Primavera players into the squad, while we're waiting for those who were at the World Cup to return. We have a competitive group and we'll do everything we can to keep our standards high and achieve our goals."

Should we expect an Inter side similar to last season's? "We're ambitious, but we're also flexible. We adapt to each opponent and to the demands of every game, even during matches themselves. We need intensity and courage, without making excuses. We'll do everything we can to stay competitive."

How do you avoid complacency? "We've got players who are used to winning and who know what it takes to work at the highest level. They understand how important it is to stay mentally disciplined and avoid making mistakes, on and off the pitch. We're still hungry because we all know how special it feels to win trophies."

What kind of season will this be for you? Which teams do you fear the most? "I've never felt I had anything to prove other than being myself and helping these players repay the trust the Club has shown in me. I still feel a huge responsibility. Every season I start again from scratch, with my doubts, my questions and my duty towards these players. They always come first. We're not looking at anyone else, only ourselves and whether we can keep improving. I'm convinced we'll have that ambition again this season. I'm calm; I don't fear anyone."

Can Stanković follow the same path Esposito did last season? "I hope so, for his sake and for ours. Aleksandar came through our youth system, so we know him very well. He made a brave decision to leave Italy a few years ago and he's had two really important seasons with Luzern and Club Brugge. He's matured a lot and I'm looking forward to seeing him out on the pitch."

How strong is the desire to go further in the Champions League? "You can't have everything in football. We got those two matches wrong, but before that we'd done very well. We narrowly lost in Madrid and against Liverpool. In the play-off I took responsibility and maybe I got a few things wrong. We showed we could compete with anyone. Sometimes you go all the way, sometimes you don't, but this Club's history teaches you that you have to fight to be competitive in every competition."

Where would you most like to see improvement compared to last season? "I'd like us to be braver, more decisive in certain moments, and never to manage games with one eye on the next fixture. Every match deserves the same level of focus and seriousness. We need to be the best version of ourselves every single day. We have, and we'll continue to have, a squad that's capable of doing that."

Will you start again with a 3-5-2? "Last season we changed the way we defended and built attacks quite often. We never really stuck to one fixed shape. Depending on the game plan and the opponent, we adapted, including the roles of players like Andy and Luis Henrique, who are more used to playing further forward. Players have to be adaptable. For me, flexibility is just as important as form. It's not only your playing style that wins matches, it's also how quickly you can adjust."

Do you have more doubts or more reassurances? "I live with doubts. They help me improve, they make me think and they stop me becoming comfortable. I haven't spent this summer thinking about the trophies we've already won. I've only been thinking about what we need to do this season. I trust this group completely and I know the people I work with. These players are ambitious and they're hungry for more success."

Which academy players will be involved with the first team? "We've got quite a few with us at the moment, but before we go to Germany we'll have a clearer picture. Right now we only have Pio available up front, alongside Lavelli, Topalović, Mosconi and Iddrissou. They'll all have their chance to contribute. It's never easy for young players, but this is a fantastic opportunity to train alongside top-class footballers. They should enjoy it, play with freedom and learn from the players around them. We'll do everything we can to help them settle in."

Will Pavard stay? "Benjamin is an Inter player. We all know what happened last season. He's back with us now, we'll see how things develop in training and then we'll make a decision."

Will Diouf begin the season as a winger or a midfielder? "I've got this slightly crazy idea of turning him into an outright winger. In a few matches he's shown the fearlessness and attacking instinct for that role, especially when he gets into the final third, like in the semi-final against Como when he caused all sorts of problems. He's done it several times, but I don't want to take away his confidence in his current role. It's up to me and the staff to convince him. There will still be games where he plays in midfield as well, but he has qualities we're missing out wide, which is why I see him there."

How much does it help knowing you have such strong support from the Club? "It's been that way for years, so it's nothing new. There are people throughout the Club with enormous experience in football, and Inter's success in recent years hasn't happened by chance. From the ownership to the players, there's experience, professionalism and great people throughout the Club. That gives us the right environment to work in, and the support we receive from our fans is the best reward we could ask for."