Inter manager Cristian Chivu has expressed “regret” following his team’s 2-2 away draw with Torino. However, he also conceded that the situation “could have ended even worse” for his side given Torino’s late comeback attempt.
The Nerazzurri were still riding high from their midweek Coppa Italia semi-final victory against Como, where they staged a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to win 3-2, securing a spot in the final against Lazio. This potential double-winning season in Chivu’s first year at the helm faced a setback as they let slip a two-goal advantage against Torino.
“There’s regret. We had the game in our hands, and we suffered their push in the final minutes,” Chivu stated in an interview with Sky Sport Italia. “The first goal rattled us, and the second was a direct consequence. We attempted to react and score the third, but in doing so, you also risk losing these matches. So, credit to Torino: they didn’t give up and believed until the very end.”
Federico Dimarco’s assists for goals by Marcus Thuram and Yann Bisseck were ultimately nullified by strikes from Giovanni Simeone and a contentious Nikola Vlasic penalty, awarded for a handball by Carlos Augusto. This result narrows Inter’s lead at the top of the league to 10 points.
The post-match atmosphere was further disrupted by news that refereeing chief Gianluca Rocchi is under formal investigation for sporting fraud, with accusations including favouring Inter in referee assignments. Chivu, however, maintained his focus on football matters.
“I talk about football; I am the coach, and I’m paid to prepare for matches in the best way possible, instilling serenity and motivation,” Chivu said. “Evidently, I didn’t do my job effectively when we were leading 2-0. I accept responsibility, but it changes little. We need three points, and we aim to secure the title as soon as possible.”
Regarding player availability, Hakan Calhanoglu and Alessandro Bastoni were absent from the squad. Denzel Dumfries began the match on the bench, and Lautaro Martinez remains sidelined through injury.
“Calhanoglu wasn’t fully fit. Dumfries is still not at his best. For Lautaro, it’s still a long way off,” Chivu explained. “I considered giving Bastoni some minutes in the second half, as he had trained with us three times, but it’s never easy to enter the game at a critical juncture after so much effort. When you’re up 2-0, you tend to think everything is straightforward and under control. Then, you concede a goal due to a mistake while playing out from the back, and doubts begin to creep in; nervousness sets in. You start to realize it won’t be as easy as you thought, especially when a few decisions go against you. In my opinion, the comeback could have resulted in an even worse outcome.”
Inter are poised to clinch the Serie A title next week with three games to spare if they defeat Chivu’s former club, Parma, at the San Siro. When asked about any special emotions regarding this potential title clincher against his old team, Chivu responded to DAZN, “Zero. I am solely focused on my job and my duty. I don’t think about emotions. I must prepare for the match as effectively as possible and provide the right motivation. It’s our dream. It began nine months ago. I am thinking about achieving one of the season’s objectives. I must convey serenity and ambition, along with desire and the appropriate attitude; the rest is irrelevant.”