Inter’s domestic authority has not travelled cleanly into Europe. The 4-3 defeat to Club Brugge in the second matchday of the Champions League league phase left Cristian Chivu’s side without a point, and the coach accepted that his team lost its composure at the decisive moments.
A match that escaped Inter
Chivu saw encouraging elements in Inter’s opening period, despite what he described as unfavourable incidents. His side also returned from the interval with purpose and created chances to score, but the failure to take them changed the emotional temperature of the contest.
From the bench, the coach felt Inter’s control disappeared after those early second-half opportunities went unfinished. Frustration and haste replaced the balance required to stay within the game plan, allowing Brugge to turn their intensity and technical quality into a 4-3 victory.
- Inter started the second half well and produced scoring opportunities.
- After failing to convert them, the team became too eager to force the match.
- Chivu said his players attacked while neglecting the second balls on the way back.
- He identified poor pressing, excessive distances between players and repeated late arrivals as costly faults.
- Brugge were credited for making Inter suffer through their tempo and technical level.
Chivu takes responsibility
The Inter coach did not place the setback solely on his players. He said he must reassess certain aspects of the side’s work, particularly in Champions League matches, where falling behind makes recovery far more difficult.
“I take responsibility first,” Chivu said. “Perhaps I have not found the right balance for this kind of match. Maybe I should have conveyed more calm and reassurance at half-time.”
He stressed that Inter had already known there was work to do, but said the squad must address both its tactical issues and its mental preparation. In Europe, he argued, small errors are punished and a team must retain clarity rather than abandon its own strengths.
Six European games still to play
The result was Inter’s second successive defeat in this season’s Champions League campaign, a painful return given the expectations around the club. Yet Chivu insisted that the league phase remains open, with six fixtures left.
“We have to stay confident; there are still six matches,” he said. “These two defeats hurt because of the expectations. We have a lot to improve tactically and mentally, and we need to find the right enthusiasm and balance.”
Inter have been dominant in Serie A, but Chivu acknowledged that the Champions League asks different questions. He pointed to a higher level of intensity and quality, while making clear that this cannot become an excuse for his side.
- Inter must make better decisions in key passages of matches.
- The team need to preserve calm when momentum shifts against them.
- Chivu wants the players to keep faith in their own qualities.
- European opponents punish errors more quickly, in his assessment.
The next chapter will be about restoring that equilibrium. Inter’s Serie A form offers a foundation, but their European campaign now requires the same control under pressure that Chivu believes was missing against Brugge.
