Inter's 2-0 win over Como at the San Siro was more than a clean result for Cristian Chivu. Speaking after the game, he said the main point was the response after the derby defeat, and he pushed back hard on the criticism aimed at Marcus Thuram.
Chivu's reaction after the derby
Chivu said Inter had played nine matches in 27 days and stressed the pace they found against Como. "The important thing is that we reacted after the derby," he said, adding that the team "raised the pace and the intensity" and that the game plan worked. He also said Inter went into the interval two goals up.
That first-half control mattered because it set up the kind of afternoon Inter wanted after the derby setback. Chivu's point was not just about the result, but about how quickly his side settled into the match.
Thuram and the forwards
The sharper part of Chivu's message was his defence of Thuram. "Marcus we know him, in these years he has reached a worldwide status. Only in Italy is he questioned," he said, while also noting that, without Lautaro, Thuram brought out his leadership.
The numbers backed the performance. Thuram was Inter's best-rated player in the match with an 8.2 rating and scored once in the win. Francesco Pio Esposito was also central, scoring and posting a 7.96 rating, and Chivu's praise of the forwards fit the way Inter opened the game.
Cesc Fabregas gave Inter plenty of credit too. He said the defeat hurt because Como gave away the balls too cheaply, and he called Inter very strong in transition, the strongest in Europe. He also said Inter were much better and that Como have to keep growing after the defeat.
Inter's reaction is the part Chivu wanted to foreground, but Thuram's answer on the pitch made the manager's defence easier to justify.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
