"I care about reacting and believing until the very end," Cristian Chivu told Sky Sport Italia, in comments translated from Italian, after Inter's 2-1 win over Fiorentina. At San Siro, Inter vs Fiorentina looked like it was slipping away until after the 90th minute, when Marcus Thuram equalised and then won the stoppage-time penalty that Piotr Zieliński converted. Chivu's reading was simple: this was about belief, not panic.

He went further in the same interview, saying: "I care about reacting and believing until the very end, we did not let panic or injustice take us over for what happened on the pitch (the penalty not awarded for the Viery-Thuram contact, editor's note). More mature Marcus? I don't know if it's my merit or Zidane's..."

That line fits the shape of Inter's start to the league season. This was their fifth comeback in Serie A, and they have taken 13 points from losing positions already. They are also unbeaten after eight league matches, so the rescue against Fiorentina was dramatic but not isolated.

Inter's mentality, and a pattern that keeps repeating

Chivu made the same point elsewhere after the game. Speaking to TuttoMercatoWeb, in comments translated from Italian, he said: "We played a good game, then we went behind with the Sunday shot. But I liked the attitude. I would have said the same thing even if it had finished 0-1 today, but for what we did I am very happy. The mental side counts a lot and today we did not let ourselves be taken by panic or by injustices, it is the merit of the boys and of this group. Today too the substitutes added something."

That last part matters to the performance itself. Inter finished with 33 shots, which backs up Chivu's claim that the pressure was sustained across the night rather than created by one chaotic moment at the end. He also said, via football-italia.net: "We knew we had to get more players into the box, which is also why I brought Lavelli on. We believed until the very end and were rewarded for the football we played. I’m pleased with the reaction: the injustices didn’t knock us down; they made us stronger."

There is a temptation to treat every late turnaround as pure emotion. Inter gave Chivu more than that. The volume of chances, the extra bodies in the area and the impact from the bench all line up with his post-match argument.

Thuram's responsibility without Lautaro

Chivu's most revealing comments were probably about Thuram. Again speaking to Sky Sport Italia, in comments translated from Italian, he said: "I don't know if it's my merit or Zidane's - he replied -. Without Lautaro he took on responsibility, I was with him for three weeks and he had one week of rest, that is why I was saying that I don't know if it's my merit or Zidane's. He was bursting forward even in the 90th minute, entering the box with devastating ferocity. Today and in Bologna when he takes you on with that speed there is a risk that something happens. We are happy, we gave him tomorrow a day off even though the team will train. He and others will rest. Why didn't he take the penalty? We have great penalty takers. He enjoys watching the others and that is an added value for us. Not being called up gave him extra motivation"

The joke about Zidane should stay as a joke. Chivu was not claiming ownership of Thuram's form, and he was not seriously handing it away either. The stronger point was about responsibility, and the match backed him up. Thuram scored the equaliser in the 90th minute, then forced the foul for the penalty that Zieliński put away in stoppage time.

Thuram has also opened the season with 5 goals in 7 appearances across all competitions. Used carefully, one rating is enough to show his broader level too: he has a 7.8 Serie A rating this season.

The finishers got the headlines, but David De Gea nearly left San Siro with the story going the other way. Instead, Inter found one more push, then another. Chivu can call it mentality, and the numbers do not argue much. Five comebacks and 13 points from losing positions is a trend. Inter's next league table line will still show them unbeaten after eight matches.

FAQ

Why did Cristian Chivu say Inter's comeback against Fiorentina was about mentality?

Chivu framed the 2-1 win as a reaction story rather than a lucky escape. He said Inter kept believing until the end, did not let panic or refereeing frustration take over, and got a lift from the substitutes. The comeback also fit a wider pattern, as it was Inter's fifth in Serie A this season.

Will Marcus Thuram's display without Lautaro change his role for Inter?

Chivu suggested Thuram has already taken on more responsibility without Lautaro. Against Fiorentina, he scored in the 90th minute and then won the stoppage-time penalty that Piotr Zielinski converted. Chivu also pointed to Thuram's late running power, saying he was still bursting into the box in the 90th minute.

How often have Inter come from behind in Serie A this season?

Inter have completed five league comebacks and collected 13 points from losing positions. Their win over Fiorentina was another example, with the turnaround arriving after the 90th minute. They are also unbeaten in Serie A after eight matches.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →