Internazionale coach Chivu attended the pre-match press conference for Serie A Round 6 against Parma. In the third part of the press conference, Chivu discussed Aleksandar Stanković's development and playing opportunities, Boban's assessment of Sučić, and Diouf's performance as a left-back for the French national team, linking it to his own playing career to emphasize the importance of tactical versatility.
Related reading:
Reporter: Hello, coach. You just talked about Calhanoglu and pointed out that when arranging the lineup, the fatigue of international players must be considered. Given that Zielinski is usually Calhanoglu's regular rotation option, but he also played a lot of matches for the Polish national team, I want to ask: Does this mean the time is ripe for Aleksandar Stanković to start? After all, you specifically mentioned his name at the press conference just now. Thank you.
Chivu: Aleksandar has had two substitute appearances so far this season, and he certainly could have gotten more playing time. A few days ago, I admitted at the press conference that the lack of playing time might be my responsibility. I have an extremely deep personal bond with him; I held him when he was an infant. Later, in the Internazionale youth academy, we worked together from the U14 stage, and I watched him grow up. I am sincerely relieved to see him develop into such a mature and steady professional player.
He himself is also very clear that he is at a top club with extremely demanding tactics and techniques, where the pressure of competing for the championship, ambitions, and high tactical standards are completely different from those of ordinary youth teams. What makes me extremely proud is that he is extremely diligent and disciplined in daily training, doing his best to prove that he fully deserves to play at the top level.
The confidence and assurance he displays in daily training will eventually show the world his true quality. He is an important part of Internazionale's future blueprint; that is the fundamental point. We are very fortunate to have him, and in the near future, he will fully demonstrate his extraordinary talent. Of course, this includes the growth and trials of a young player, because no one in this team is perfect—everyone is striving for continuous improvement.
Reporter: Hello, coach. A few days ago, Boban publicly expressed his views on Sučić, stating that a talented player like Sučić should never get such limited playing time at the club. Would you be willing to respond to this? Thank you.
Chivu: Everyone knows that I rarely comment on external individual opinions, because they are ultimately just one person's view. But Boban has always been a highly respected football legend in my heart, and I fully understand the context in which he made those remarks—it was after a difficult defeat for Croatia against England. But there is no need to overemphasize or speculate about Petar Sučić's situation. To my knowledge, last season he was one of the top three midfielders in terms of playing time for the entire team. If we attribute all meaning in football to whether one starts and to individual vanity, then all players in the team know very well that such behavior has absolutely no place in my locker room.
In my football philosophy, the core is everything a player contributes to the team the moment they step onto the pitch. It's about fully understanding the tactical value of impact from the bench, and it's about appreciating the tactical burden of the starting eleven. Petar has never been forgotten on the bench; he has been fully observed, and his excellent performances in substitute appearances against Monza and Roma greatly satisfied the coaching staff. Before the international break, his competitive form was indeed slightly behind, but there were very clear objective reasons: he participated in the World Cup and reported back late; on his way back from Australia, he welcomed a new addition to his family, so I personally granted him leave to go home and be with his family, which meant he missed a whole week of critical pre-season preparation.
Therefore, I ask the media not to fabricate things and create opposition. For Internazionale, Petar is a crucial midfielder; we are extremely clear about his tactical value, his current ability, and his unlimited future potential. The entire team is delighted to have him, very satisfied with his integration into the tactical system, and even more appreciative of his humble character, hard work, and his professional integrity of selflessly dedicating his talent to the team.
Reporter: Hello, coach. I want to ask from another angle: During this international break, did you notice any Internazionale player playing a completely new position for the national team that he had never played at the club, and performing exceptionally well, making you think you might try this new solution at Internazionale in the future?
Chivu: Why don't you just say who you're referring to, to save everyone guessing... Diouf! Are you trying to talk about Diouf? Then let's talk directly about Diouf! Did you see him playing left-back for the French team? At Internazionale's tactical system, we play with a back five and three center-backs, so he corresponds to the wing-back role. I watched the match—I really watched the whole thing—and his performance surprised me! Although he seemed a bit reserved and conservative on the field, this is completely reasonable: when you wear the French national team jersey and are pushed into a completely new and unfamiliar position that you haven't played at Internazionale and haven't even practiced with the French team. Previously, during Internazionale's training camp, he had several months of adaptation and practice in the right wing-back position.
It makes me extremely happy to see a player no longer fixated on a single position, truly understanding the value of a tactically versatile player, and being able to selflessly fill gaps according to the team's tactical needs. This versatility requires players to psychologically let go of preconceptions, break old habits, and reshape their tactical understanding of their responsibilities on the field. These words come genuinely from my heart as someone who has been there: in my career, I played left-back, center-back, left center-back in a back three, defensive midfielder, playmaker, and even under Mourinho, I played as a left winger! In an away match against Atalanta, because the team was two goals down, Mourinho substituted me in the 27th minute. Later in that epic battle against Barcelona at Camp Nou, I also started as a left winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation, until Motta was sent off and I had to drop back to defensive midfield. But I enjoyed that role change at the time!
Of course, I understand that every young person has a different personality, and it still requires patience to thoroughly convince and guide them to fully serve the team's overall interests. But playing two full 90-minute matches in the star-studded French national team is itself a highly valuable experience. He must be overjoyed inside, being able to play alongside Olise and Dembélé, and observing Mbappé up close in training; just as he can interact with world-class players like Lautaro, Thuram, Barella, Mkhitaryan, and Akanji at Internazionale. I sincerely hope he can mature mentally and deeply understand that confining oneself will only lead to self-destruction. The more positions and technical skills you master, the exponentially greater your competitive space and playing time will be at both club and national team levels.
AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com