Inter host Shakhtar Donetsk at San Siro on 2026-10-21 with no margin left in their Champions League campaign. They have 0 points from 2 matches, have lost 7 of their last 8 games in the competition, and [Cristian Chivu] is already speaking in terms of points rather than polish.
"The Champions League, as I said recently, remains a dream. Given the situation, we have to start winning and getting points: now that is the priority," Chivu told Calciomercato.it in comments translated from Italian. Alessandro Bastoni was even more direct about where Inter stand after two defeats.
Chivu's message before San Siro
"We do not want to be portrayed as a perfect team. We have no obligation whatsoever and when we lose it becomes a national drama. That is not good: I have a group that always gives its all," Chivu said.
The European numbers explain why the tone has changed. Inter have scored 4 goals in those two Champions League matches, but they have conceded 6, and Bastoni said, "We are obliged to get a result. Otherwise it will be impossible to get into the top eight. We have to look at reality: some time has passed since the two finals and now the situation is different."
Bonny's case for a start
There is also a selection angle in the background. Ange-Yoan Bonny has scored 2 goals in 5 Serie A appearances and 1 goal in 2 Champions League appearances this season, including a goal in his last outing at Bologna.
With Lautaro Martínez still sidelined, Bonny has a case for his first start of the season, even if Thuram and Josep Martínez remain part of the wider debate around the lineup. Inter need a result more than a storyline, and that is what makes the Inter vs Shakhtar Donetsk game hard to read on anything other than points.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
