Cristian Chivu refused to be discouraged by Inter Milan’s 2–1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, instead focusing on the character his side showed during a demanding Champions League opener.

Inter were beaten despite staying competitive throughout the contest, and Chivu was particularly encouraged by the way his players responded to difficult moments. 

The Romanian manager believes the performance demonstrated that his team can compete at the highest level, even when the result goes against them.

“I’m not at all angry; on the contrary, I’m pleased with my team’s character. 

“They’ve overcome difficult moments and, following certain mistakes, I’m impressed by their reaction and their body language. I have faith in the players’ determination. I’m not worried,” he said.

Chivu pleased by Inter’s approach

The Inter manager was especially encouraged by his team’s willingness to take the game to Real Madrid rather than adopting a cautious approach at one of Europe’s most intimidating stadiums.

Explaining the mentality he wanted from his players, Chivu said, “Today at the Bernabeu we tried to dominate, which makes me optimistic for the future. 

“We didn’t come here to play it safe. Mistakes are part of the game. We knew we might concede goals, but we stayed in the game right until the end,” said Chivu.

Furthermore, the Inter boss also praised his goalkeeper Josep Martinez’s reaction following his serious error that led to the second goal.

That mistake could have affected Martinez’s confidence, but Chivu was satisfied with the goalkeeper’s response after conceding. 

“Pepo reacted like a top-class goalkeeper after the mistake; he stayed focused and made some important saves. 

“And what matters is the reaction – keeping your head up and regaining confidence. That’s what matters to me,” explained Chivu.

Inter refuse to dwell on defeat

The result leaves Inter with work to do in the remaining seven matches, but Chivu believes the performance provides reasons for optimism rather than concern.

Asked whether he was worried about losing matches his team did not deserve to lose, the Inter boss acknowledged the disappointment while stressing the bigger picture.

“There are still seven matches to go and, although we wanted to get more out of the game in Madrid, we’re coming away… well, as they say, with an undeserved result. 

“But I like to take away the fact that we’re competitive and we’ve got great ambition,” he concluded.

Source: Mundo Deportivo