Saturday\u2019s Serie A fixture<\/a>, leaving Chivu wishing his players had been given more recovery time.<\/p>\n\u201cI would perhaps have chosen one more day of rest after such an exhausting and beautiful match as Saturday evening,\u201d he admitted. \u201cBut this is the schedule and we have to get used to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Nerazzurri have plenty of recent Champions League experience, having reached the latter stages in recent campaigns, but Chivu knows there is little room for complacency under the competition\u2019s current format.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the last two editions, we all understood the points needed to have the possibility of finishing in the top eight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also understood what it means not to qualify. The playoffs are tricky games; a victory in the Champions League is never guaranteed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked about Mourinho\u2019s observation that it is surprising Inter have not won the Champions League in recent years, Chivu responded: \u201cThe question to ask him is whether he wanted Inter to win.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have gone far thanks to the competence of the directors and the ability of the players, who for the last eight years have shown important things.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith ideas and work, through merit and ability, we are in a situation where many people think we can do it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Champions League is cruel. Even those who win it have to overcome certain moments and need a little luck. We simply want to be competitive, to be up to the competition and to what the club has achieved in recent years.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"SEVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Jose-Mourinho-Real-Madrid-instructions.jpg\")
SEVILLE, SPAIN \u2013 SEPTEMBER 04: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Real Madrid talks to his players during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026\/27 match between Real Betis Balompie and Real Madrid at Estadio La Cartuja on September 04, 2026 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Fran Santiago\/Getty Images)No comparisons with Mourinho\u2019s Inter<\/p>\n
Chivu also played down comparisons between his current side and the Inter team that conquered Europe under Mourinho.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never compare different teams or different periods,\u201d he said. \u201cThis team is trying to achieve things and has already done beautiful things.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a group of great players who themselves want to write pages of history. They have played in two finals and lost them, but reaching two finals is never easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery team lives in its own time. Comparisons are not right to make, but we want to write important pages.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chivu was also asked about the points requirement for Inter to secure a place in the Champions League\u2019s top eight.<\/p>\n
\u201cSixteen points are needed, 15 are not enough,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to do our best. We must not become obsessed with getting points in particular matches.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"KLAGENFURT,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Jose-Mourinho.jpg\")
KLAGENFURT, AUSTRIA \u2013 AUGUST 01: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Real Madrid, speaks with Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid during the pre-season friendly match between Real Madrid and Fiorentina at Woerthersee Stadion on August 01, 2026 in Klagenfurt, Austria. (Photo by Christian Bruna\/Getty Images)Chivu backs Mourinho for Real Madrid success<\/p>\n
The Inter coach believes Mourinho\u2019s Real Madrid have made a reasonable start to the campaign despite losing their most recent match.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe start of a season is never simple, and it is still early,\u201d Chivu explained. \u201cThere are players who still have to get used to what it means to play for Real Madrid, which is never simple.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe start has been balanced. They lost their last match but undeservedly. They have an important coach who knows how certain things need to be done and players of the highest level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chivu was then asked what he learned from Mourinho during their time together at Inter.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is very good at immediately adapting to the reality he represents and transmitting his ideas and mentality,\u201d Chivu said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a winner, without a shadow of a doubt. He knows how to transmit certain things at certain moments. Few are like him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has shown everywhere what it means to be a winner. He has won everywhere. I am sure Real Madrid will have a great season.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Chivu, however, Tuesday\u2019s meeting is ultimately about the present rather than nostalgia for Inter\u2019s historic triumph in 2010. The Nerazzurri head to Madrid looking to demonstrate how far they have progressed and begin another European campaign with ambitions of creating more history of their own.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Cristian Chivu, Manager of Internazionale, celebrates victory after the Serie A match between…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":82235,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[82],"class_list":["post-82234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-madrid","tag-madrid"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82234\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"MILAN,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cristian-Chivu-wave.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"BOLOGNA,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cristian-Chivu-point.jpg\")
BOLOGNA, ITALY \u2013 MAY 23: Cristian Chivu head coach of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and FC Internazionale at Renato Dall\u2019Ara Stadium on May 23, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini\/Getty Images)Chivu: \u2018I have my own idea of football\u2019<\/p>\n![\"MILAN,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cristian-Chivu-hmm.jpg\")
MILAN, ITALY \u2013 AUGUST 22: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of Internazionale looks on before the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Monza at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa\/Getty Images)Chivu discusses the Champions League schedule<\/p>\n