Masimo Moratti (80 years old), the president with whom Cristian Chivu (45 years old) achieved the historic treble in 2010, gave an interview to the publication “Il Corriere della Sera” in which he spoke about the title number 21 won on Sunday by his former team, Inter Milan.
“Inter was a determined team. A team with character. A strong team. A determined, determined team. A confident team. Morale was low, if not rock bottom, given the result of the previous season, the way the championship and the Champions League had ended… Okay, okay, these are objective facts. But there was time, and there were players, to make ample progress. Above all, he was the coach”, said the businessman, who will turn 81 on May 16. Moratti admitted on another occasion that he would not have coached him at Chivu and had used ugly words to describe the team’s play in the matches against AC Milan and Como.
Now, however, he spoke particularly highly of Chivu, the one who did not say for nothing that “I am not stupid”, and Moratti insists on confirming him:
“I know him very well. And he has this great virtue, which can never be taken for granted: intelligence. A deep intelligence. That of a man who knows how to adapt to the environment – and it means nothing that he knows the world of Inter, first as a player, then as a youth coach.
As in any other area of life: solve problems. Chivu is also brave. He showed up months ago, convinced of the qualities of his team. Moreover, he gave guarantees, made promises: promises he kept. Complete. Again, I was absolutely convinced he would do great“.
Goal record
Inter will increase the Romanian’s salary, from 2.1 million euros to 3 million euros, setting the expiration date of the new commitment on June 30, 2028. It was rumored that his income was going to double, increasing to 5 million euros.
8 million euros is the salary of the best-paid coach in Serie A, Antonio Conte (Napoli). Massimiliano Allegri (Milan) and Gian Piero Gasperini (Roma) follow, with 5 million, and Vincenzo Italiano (Bologna), with 3 million.
Chivu set two more records: he has a 74% win rate as coach of Inter in Serie A, 26 out of 35 matches. This is the highest percentage recorded by a coach with at least 25 matches at Inter.
And the recent declaration that trophies are no longer won by the most airtight defense but by the best attack is reflected in the goals scored statistics.
112 goals have been scored by the Nerazzurri since Chivu took over as manager, including the five he managed at last summer’s Club World Cup. This is a record since the beginning of Serie A played with a single division (1929–1930).
