Chivu warns Inter to end slow starts after Roma comeback
Inter have entered the international break after recovering from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 in the capital, but Cristian Chivu has warned his players that their slow starts must end.
What we know
- It was the third time this season that Inter had fallen two goals behind before mounting a comeback.
- Chivu praised the response after half-time but said his private dressing-room assessment had already made clear what was wrong with the opening period.
- The Inter coach wants his side to take control from kick-off rather than needing a setback to raise their intensity.
- He believes the squad has the technical and physical resources to play on the front foot, but said they must become stronger without possession.
- Inter are in a better mathematical position than at the same stage last season, despite already facing Napoli and Roma.
Next step: use the break to fix the defensive phase
Chivu’s immediate focus is on Inter’s work off the ball when domestic football resumes. He said a match that can run for 100 minutes demands concentration from the first whistle, especially against opponents capable of causing problems at any point.
He also pointed to Serie A’s increasingly open and intense matches, with rule changes reducing stoppages and increasing effective playing time. Chivu welcomed that shift, even if it can produce scorelines such as 5-2, 5-3 or 4-4.
“The quality and intensity are higher,” Chivu said. “The league is becoming more open and that is a positive direction. But we have to solve our own problems.”
Inter will return from the break knowing the second-half fightback offered encouragement, while the repeated failure to begin with the same aggression remains the issue Chivu expects to see corrected.
