Inter head coach Christian Chivu has pulled no punches when discussing the mental state of star defender Alessandro Bastoni ahead of their crucial Champions League second leg against Bodo/Glimt.
The Nerazzurri are looking to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg, but the buildup has been dominated by the fallout from a controversial incident involving Bastoni during the recent Derby d’Italia against Juventus.
The Italian international has been at the heart of a media storm following a contentious incident during the recent Derby d’Italia against Juventus that saw Pierre Kalulu wrongly sent off, and Chivu did not mince his words when describing the pressure placed on his player.
The wave is very long, even longer than a week. Because days after Inter-Juve, the controversy continues unabated.
At the Via del Mare stadium in Lecce last Sunday, boos rained down from the stands every time the Nerazzurri defender gained possession of the ball or makes any kind of challenge on any Lecce player.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference at Appiano Gentile, Chivu acknowledged that the external noise has made life difficult for Bastoni as the team prepares for a European rescue mission.
Inter possesses the internal leadership to move past the drama
When asked directly about whether the current atmosphere could impact Bastoni’s performance on the pitch, Chivu was strikingly candid about the player’s recent struggles.
The Romanian tactician stated: “It was a sh*tty week and for him it was not easy to play in this mental and physical condition. But now we have shifted the focus.”
This honest admission highlights the pressure cooker environment at San Siro following the domestic clash with Juve, but Chivu is adamant that his squad possesses the internal leadership required to move past the drama and focus on the task at hand in continental competition.
The blueprint for a San Siro turnaround
Inter enter the second leg needing a dominant performance to stay in the competition, but Chivu is preaching a message of balance rather than desperation.
He believes his team is uniquely equipped to handle the pressure of a high-stakes European night.
“We don’t have obligations but duties.
“We have to do what we know how to do and know that if there is a team that can overturn a result like this, it is ours, but we must never lose our balance.
“You can even reach penalties.
“We must not have any desperation, we must manage the moments and the strength of this group in the best possible way,” he explained.
Chivu dismissed any suggestion that Serie A form changes the reality of their European predicament.
“We lost 3-1 in the first leg and the league has nothing to do with it.
“If we want to have a chance of going through, we have to think about offering our best version.
“From three months to now, the boys have shown what mentality they have, they have never lost confidence, self-esteem and sense of work.
“A lost battle doesn’t matter, what counts is responding blow for blow and always offering our best version,” Chivu noted.
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Personal experience and the power of the group
As a former Champions League winner with Inter, Chivu was asked if he draws on his own playing days to motivate the current crop.
He revealed a surprising personal anecdote about his own relationship with management during his career.
“I never listened to the coach, neither before, during nor after.
“I relied on my responsibility and my self-esteem.
“Also, I worried about being up to the level of my teammates because I didn’t want to disappoint them.
“Maybe listening to the coach I would have done something more in my career, but I was stubborn and I thought about not disappointing my teammates.
“I don’t need to motivate them too much because they know how important it is,” the Inter boss admitted.
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