Cristian Chivu To Stick With Back-Three Defensive System As Inter Milan Coach | OneFootball

Cristian Chivu will maintain the back-three defense used by Simone Inzaghi and Antonio Conte as Inter Milan coach.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews.

Inter Milan are on the verge of making the appointment of Cristian Chivu as their new coach official.

The 44-year-old will replace Simone Inzaghi after the latter’s departure to join Al-Hilal.

One of the big questions that has come up in Inter’s search for a new coach to replace Inzaghi has been how this would affect the system of play.

Under Inzaghi, Inter very rarely deviated from the 3-5-2 shape. That was also the formation that Inzaghi’s predecessor Antonio Conte had favoured.

Therefore, a departure from a back-three system would have a significant impact on Inter’s squad.

The entire transfer strategy could have changed quite a bit depending on who arrived as coach. Particularly had it been Cesc Fabregas to replace Inzaghi.

Cristian Chivu To Stick With Back-Three Defense At Inter Milan

PARMA, ITALY – MAY 18: Cristian Chivu head coach of Parma calcio during the Serie A match between Parma and Napoli at Stadio Ennio Tardini on May 18, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Inter Milan’s choice of Chivu as their new coach should mean continuity in terms of the back three defense, reports the Gazzetta.

The 44-year-old went with a back-three at Parma. That was a change which got the best of the Emilians’ defensive personnel, improving their defensive record.

Therefore, it appears clear that Chivu will go with something similar at Inter.

Of course, that will not mean that the Romanian’s approach will be identical to that of Inzaghi. Any more than Inzaghi’s team played identically to that of Conte.

At Parma, the focus of Chivu’s system was defensive solidity. Organization without the ball, physicality, and winning the ball back aggressively were his most important principles.

Moreover, wingbacks Emanuele Valeri and Enrico Del Prato were very defensive options at wingback. They were certainly not attacking wide players like Inter’s Federico Dimarco and Denzel Dumfries.

Therefore, the Gazzetta note, Chivu can be expected to make adjustments at Inter. The expectations are certainly much different than they had been at Parma.

However, Chivu has shown that he can build from the base of a back-three defensive system. And that is exactly what he will do with the Nerazzurri.