Cristian Chivu has taken responsibility for Inter Milan’s dramatic 4-3 defeat by Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League, admitting his side lacked the balance needed to win.
The Italian giants suffered another setback in Europe after a chaotic contest at San Siro. The defeat marked their second consecutive Champions League loss and raised fresh concerns about their defensive organisation.
Despite showing promise at different stages, Inter struggled to contain a determined Club Brugge side. After the match, Chivu said he must find a better balance within his team to prevent further setbacks.
“In Champions League, we are aware that something is wrong, there is something we carry with us, but I am the first one responsible because I cannot find the right balance,” he told Sky Sport Italia.
The match offered plenty of attacking action, with both teams creating chances in an intense first half. However, Inter paid for costly mistakes and poor defensive positioning, particularly when Brugge launched quick counter attacks.
Chivu felt his players started well but failed to maintain their discipline as the game progressed. He also highlighted the damage caused by frustration and rushed decisions after the break.
“It was a good first half from both us and them, with intensity. We did the right things, then we conceded a counter-attack from a corner: a few unfavorable episodes where we could have been more organized. We managed to get back into the game, equalizing before the interval, and in the second half we started well with two important goal opportunities, then a bit of frustration and frenzy made us lose our distances. We went forward and forgot to come back, we were always late and in the Champions League you pay for this,” Chivu explained.
Chivu Urges Inter to stay Confident
Inter’s problems became more evident after they fell behind 2-1. According to Chivu, the team lost its composure and abandoned the plan they had prepared before kick off.
“From 2-1 everything went out of gear, without having the clarity to maintain calm for what was the game plan, but credit also to Bruges who, due to technical quality, intensity and determination, put us in a lot of difficulty,” Chivu admitted.
Despite the disappointing result, the Inter coach believes his team can still recover in the Champions League. However, he knows they must address their tactical weaknesses and improve their mentality if they hope to get their campaign back on track.
Chivu also accepted that his half time message may not have helped the players remain calm. He urged the squad to learn from the defeat without losing confidence in their ability.
“There is a lot to do and work on a tactical level and also from a mental point of view, where you need to find the right attitude. Perhaps what we had prepared could have been done better, perhaps I should have conveyed more serenity at halftime without loading them too much. We must improve but not lose all the confidence we have in ourselves; certain moments of the match must be interpreted better,” Chivu concluded.
