Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu praised his Italian stars after an astonishing performance in yesterday’s 5-2 win over Roma.
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During his post-match conference via FCInterNews, the 45-year-old also commented on Francesco Acerbi’s role in last night’s fixture.
Federico Dimarco, Nicolo Barella, and Alessandro Bastoni endured a heartbreaking international break.
Indeed, Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as Bosnia & Herzegovina stopped them in the playoff final.
Furthermore, Bastoni emerged as a main culprit for the Azzurri’s fiasco in Zenica.
The 26-year-old received a straight red card in the first half, leaving his side a man down in the most important game since the EURO 2020 final.
However, Bastoni bounced back from this blunder with a reassuring performance in last night’s demolition of Roma.
Meanwhile, Barella scored his first Serie A goal since October to contribute to Inter’s first league victory since late February.
Despite failing to put his name on the board, Dimarco was equally impressive down the left flank.
Cristian Chivu Hails Italy Stars After Inter Milan 5-2 Roma Battering
“I don’t need to answer that question,” Chivu said. “The players answered it themselves with a wonderful performance on the pitch. We have to live with that result, move forward, and try to learn from our mistakes. I hope we will, and that it doesn’t turn into a case.”
Meanwhile, Chivu also explained Acerbi’s role in Inter’s phenomenal triumph.
“Gasperini’s teams mark you man-to-man, so it was something we had prepared. I even saw Malen playing as a centre-back to mark Acerbi. I’d say he did it well.
“We showed courage and maturity, also using the goalkeeper, and we did well in the duels, especially in the second half.”
Asked how important this win could be in the title race, Chivu replied: “This team is mature. They have shown over the years and again tonight, especially in the way they approached the second half, where they showed real aggression.
“It wasn’t an easy game to manage; in the first half, they caused us problems with their passing and width. We were late on Pisilli, and they attacked our defensive line. We did well to go 2-1 up at half-time and to kill the game early in the second half.