Inter, Champions League play-off nightmare: Chivu remains calm

Long mourning in the Nerazzurri household after the home loss to Arsenal’Arsenal. The Gunners won at San Siro (3-1) and set off alarm bells. What made the difference was Gabriel Jesus&#8217s flair for goal, who put the red-and-whites ahead and who, after Sucic&#8217s Nerazzurri equalizer, scored again for the 2-1 with which the teams returned to the locker room. Gabriel Jesus aside, Inter struggled, denoting a difficulty in facing the big teams.

Following the misstep with Arsenal (first in the Champions League and also in the Premier League), Inter cashed in its third stop in a row and, more importantly, is no longer among the magnificent eight that would now go directly to the round of 16. Chivu’s team has slipped to ninth place, with the strong risk of being overtaken at the end of the challenges scheduled for today. In short, thinking of gaining a direct pass to the round of 16 seems very complicated as things stand now.

Chivu, in the post-match of the defeat to the Gunners, was asked about the play-off question, now increasingly likely: “Playoffs? I am never worried, I always look at what there is to do. We knew from the beginning that the Champions League is not easy, I take the growth in the approach to the competition, the courage and the intensity that we try to equalize especially with the English teams. We gladly accept what is enough and not enough in terms of points, we are ready for the playoffs and we were ready from the’beginning” his words in the press conference.

At the idea of having to play two more games in an already grueling season, the Nerazzurri coach was lapidary: “Two games more or two less changes little, we should not make too much fuss about it. Let&#8217s not complain that we play every three days, even Arsenal does it and doesn&#8217t complain. I don”t do that, let”s keep this mentality, his closing remark.

Less satisfied were the Nerazzurri fans who did not like the performance of their favorites at all. The defeats suffered against top teams are beginning to worry. Inter, in direct clashes, is struggling a great deal, both in Italy and, above all, in the Champions League.