Cristian Chivu, the coach of Inter Milan, has commended his squad for their resilience and determination following a 2-0 victory over River Plate in a fiercely contested group match, propelling them into the last 16 of the Club World Cup on Wednesday.
Francesco Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni found the back of the net in the final stages of the match, securing a showdown with Brazilian side Fluminense in Charlotte on Monday for the 20-time Italian champions.
Inter faced significant pressure from River at the onset of the match. Chivu, who is steering the team through his inaugural Club World Cup after taking over from Simone Inzaghi with a two-year contract in early June, expressed his satisfaction with the tenacity his players displayed to overcome the challenge and seal the win.
“The match was characterised by a strong desire to win and a commitment to achieving our goal, even though we were a bit taken aback by their intensity, aggression, and pressure in the first half,” he remarked afterwards.
“Perhaps the players were initially caught off guard, but in the second half, we increased the intensity… because we are strong, we are capable, and we have players who can perform at this level.
“I can confidently state that the match was superb from all perspectives, as we adapted well to the situation and understood the flow of the game.”
With many assuming that the Club World Cup might be seen as a lighter tournament by top players, Chivu insists that his squad has been fully committed during training.
“They consistently aim to elevate their performance in every training session, recognising that it will benefit them in matches,” he added.
“They give their all, and even the five or six players dealing with injuries are putting in the effort to support the team. I’m thrilled about this as it indicates a fantastic mentality. There’s a palpable desire to perform well.”
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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