Inter’s head coach, Cristian Chivu, believes that significant expectations were placed on his squad for the 2025-26 season. He noted that the players had insufficient time to prepare for the Serie A campaign due to the Club World Cup. Chivu also emphasized his confidence that captain Lautaro Martinez will continue to set new club records for many years to come.
Chivu Reflects on Inter’s 2025-26 Season and Lautaro’s Future
In an interview, the Nerazzurri’s tactician, who achieved a domestic double in his first full season as head coach in 2025-26, provided a brief review of his Scudetto and Coppa Italia-winning campaign.
Chivu has joined an elite group of individuals who have won the Serie A title with Inter as both a player and a coach. He stated, “As a player and a coach now, there’s a lot of responsibility knowing what the club means historically and for the supporters. It’s gratifying on both sides, as a player and as a coach.”
Despite concerns that Inter might struggle in the 2025-26 season following a heavy defeat in the Champions League final to PSG the previous year and the subsequent departure of Simone Inzaghi, Inter dominated the Serie A title race with little opposition this term. Nevertheless, Chivu feels that his players faced excessive external pressure.
“The expectations were high. Don’t forget that we didn’t have time for proper preparation because of the Club World Cup; we only had three weeks of holiday, and you could see that,” he explained.
Ultimately, he credits hard work for Inter’s 2025-26 titles. Chivu added, “(It’s a lot about) the people who do their part. With the ambitions they had, the accountability they showed throughout the season, and the hard work they put in, everything becomes easier. Easier in terms of trying to be competitive, trying to be the best version of ourselves at that moment. Step by step, we built something that allowed us to celebrate at the end of the season.”
Chivu also spoke about his captain, Lautaro Martinez. “The history of this club has always featured great strikers who gave their best for the club, writing its history. Lautaro is something special because he’s still playing for us, and he can still improve his numbers. If I look at the top scorers in Inter’s history, he’s number three, and he’s still here, still part of this team, part of this club, and I believe he will write more pages in this club’s history.”