Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu held a pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of the club’s Serie A encounter with Parma on Saturday afternoon. Chivu provided updates on player availability and shared his thoughts on the team’s readiness following the international break.
Inter currently sit level on 13 points with Roma and Lazio at the top of the Serie A table after five league matches, having secured four wins and one draw.
Squad Updates and Player Returns
Among the key updates, summer signing Djed Spence is available for a potential Inter debut. Spence has been working on his fitness since his €35m transfer from Tottenham Hotspur, having missed two months of pitch work due to rehabilitation and post-World Cup holidays. Chivu confirmed Spence has been training with the squad for a week and expressed satisfaction at his return.
Hakan Calhanoglu is also available for selection after returning from international duty. Chivu defended Calhanoglu’s absence from the Italy vs Turkey match, explaining that he needed the player for a late afternoon training session and therefore did not grant him time off to attend the game.
Regarding Aleksandar Stankovic, who returned to Inter after the club exercised his buy-back clause from Club Brugge, Chivu acknowledged that the player has hardly featured since his return. The manager suggested this might be due to their long-standing relationship.
Tactical Approach and Opponent Respect
Chivu emphasised that Inter will not underestimate Parma, highlighting the team’s maturity from the previous season. He noted that Inter tended to struggle against ‘big’ sides but rarely slipped up in matches where they were considered favourites. The manager stressed the importance of maturity, awareness, and the desire to overcome challenges, stating that nothing is taken for granted in football.
When questioned about squad depth and potential rotation given the busy fixture list, Chivu indicated that while player minutes with national teams must be considered to avoid risks, players are accustomed to frequent matches and often prefer playing to training. He did not, however, reveal any specifics about his starting line-up for the Parma clash.
Addressing suggestions about a potential switch from a back three to a back four, Chivu stated that the formation itself does not guarantee victory. He underlined that the most crucial aspect is the team’s underlying principles of play.
Early Season Title Race
With Inter among several teams on 13 points, the Serie A title race is already a topic of discussion. Chivu believes it is too early to make definitive statements about who will challenge for the Scudetto. He expressed a desire to shift the narrative, asking why discussions don’t focus on which teams might stop rivals like Roma, Como, Juventus, or Milan, rather than solely on Inter’s prospects.