Inter coach Chivu reunites with Ajax in Champions League clash of cultures | OneFootball

Inter coach Cristian Chivu reunites with his former club Ajax on Wednesday, in a game that could see the Nerazzurri rehabilitate their season after two consecutive Serie A losses, writes Richard Hall.

We are so often drawn to the grand narratives, the returns of a prodigal son, the clash of past and present. Culture, too, can be talked about. Yet, so it is, on a crisp Wednesday night in Amsterdam, that we find ourselves.

The Johan Cruyff Arena, a cauldron of noise and history, awaits the return of a man who once commanded its central defence with a rare blend of elegance and aggression. Cristian Chivu. The name, for those of a certain vintage, evokes memories of a time when Ajax, and indeed the Eredivisie, were a force to be reckoned with. The boy from Romania who became a captain, a leader, a star.

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MARCH 11: Champions League 02/03, Amsterdam; Ajax Amsterdam – FC Valencia; John CAREW/VALENCIA, Cristian CHIVU/AMSTERDAM (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

On Wednesday, the prodigal son will return not as a player, but as a man in the dugout. A man tasked with restoring the lustre to a grand old dame of the European game, his beloved Inter. The Nerazzurri, a club he served with distinction, a club with whom he lifted the most prized of all trophies, the Champions League, in 2010.

The narrative, then, is a rich one. Chivu’s tactical DNA, forged in the attacking laboratories of Ajax, has been tempered by the pragmatic realities of Italian football. At Inter, he learned the art of defending, the beauty of a perfectly executed tackle, the steel of a back-three. Now, as a coach, he must blend these two philosophies. Will he unleash the free-flowing football of his youth, or will he favour the Catenaccio of his Italian education?

The early signs are mixed. Inter, in this nascent season, have shown flashes of brilliance but also moments of vulnerability. A high-pressing, 3-4-2-1 or more normally 3-5-2, formations, are supposed to be a clear departure from the Inzaghi era, many thought. But are they? No, this is a transition, this is both the incentive and the motive but how possible is it?

The intent is clear: win the ball high, and attack with speed and precision. Against a formidable Ajax side, will this be enough? Just how different is this from Inzaghi? What is Chivu’s real aim?

MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 31: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of Internazionale, looks on prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Udinese Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on August 31, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Ajax, on the other hand, are a team in form. Unbeaten, confident, and playing with the swagger that is their birthright. Their 4-2-3-1 formation is designed to dominate possession and exploit spaces. The likes of Steven Berghuis and Oscar Gloukh will be looking to pull the strings, while Wout Weghorst provides the physical presence in attack.

Chivu’s challenge, then, is a complex one. He must not only outwit his tactical counterpart, but also manage the emotional weight of the occasion. The crowd will be a factor, a sea of white and red, welcoming back one of their own. Once the whistle blows, sentiment will be set aside. This is not a homecoming, but a Champions League fixture.

The lineups, as ever, will tell a story. Inter’s 3-5-2, with a potential midfield diamond, could be a sign of a more cautious approach. Josep Martinez (tactical), Yann Bisseck, Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni in defence, a trio of proven quality. Nicolò Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu will be key in the engine room, while the partnership of Marcus Thuram and either Ange.-Yoan Bonny and Francesco Pio Esposito will be crucial up front, as Lautaro Martinez didn’t train with the rest of the team on Tuesday.

Ajax’s team, meanwhile, is a blend of experience and youth. Ko Itakura and Youri Baas in central defence, Kenneth Taylor and Kian Fitz-Jim in midfield. The youthful exuberance of this team could prove to be a double-edged sword: a source of energy and an occasional vulnerability.

TURIN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 13: Hakan Calhanoglu of Internazionale celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and FC Internazionale at on September 13, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

So, as the lights of the Johan Cruyff Arena illuminate the Amsterdam night, we await the first act of this European drama. A story of a man, his two loves, and the tactical battle that will shape the opening chapter of their Champions League journey. This is more than just a game; it is a tactical test, and a clash of two footballing cultures.

This is where the ‘Catenaccio’ of old meets the ‘Velvet Revolution’; it’s a clash of cultures more than just a game for the Champions League. This is a game where Inter need to rehabilitate their season, and what Chivu has to realise is which culture he would like to be part of. He is his identity, and what is his philosophy? It is the game where he can really establish that as he takes on his old school.

@RichHall80