Cristi Chivu arrived at Inter at the start of this season after the Milan outfit were turned down by Cesc Fabregas. Como bosses did not allow the Spaniard to leave the club, and now the rivalry between the two young technicians has become a topic in the peninsular press.
Inter and Como are fighting for a place in the final of the Coppa Italia, with the two teams drawing goalless in the semi-final round. However, the match was so poor that it was named in Italy as “the worst match of the year”, with the Milanese group not having a single shot on target. The former Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder blamed the Romanian coach for this. Although he was supposed to be talking about the next game in today’s press conference with Cagliari, Cesc Fabregas was still back for Tuesday’s game.
“A missed opportunity? No, honestly not. I prepared the match in a certain way. We have played with Inter many times, we know what a team they are. We had three great chances to score. Regret? I would like to know the last time Inter had an xG (expected goals) of 0.07. If we had conceded in the last few minutes, I wouldn’t have slept the whole night. If you often see teams playing like we did with Inter, then well done.
Inter prepared for the derby with AC Milan
Today, even when you play the weakest team in the world, you expect them to have a few shots on goal. I controlled Inter very well. I am happy with our performance. If they are very demanding people who think differently… I am open to any opinion, but we deserved to win 1-0. Disappointment? It was a disappointment if we lost 0-1. After 40 years, we go to Milan to play for the final. Impossible is nothing.
I prepared the match depending on how Inter play usually. What could we have done in this case? I had plan B and plan C ready. Then the match starts and you see that Diouf (no central midfielder) plays forward. It’s not easy”said Cesc Fabregas, quoted by the Italian press.
As Inter has a derby in Serie A with AC Milan on Sunday (21.45, DigiSport, PrimaSport), Cristi Chivu preferred to play in Como with the reserves, in an ultra-defensive formula, with the aim of not conceding a goal and settling the dispute in the return leg from Milan, scheduled for April 21.
