Inter coach acknowledges Bodo/Glimt’s organization and freshness after Champions League elimination
It’s the end of the road in Europe for Inter. After a second defeat to Bodø/Glimt, head coach Cristian Chivu did not hide the disappointment — but he refused to turn the night into a blame game.
“There’s a lot of bitterness,” Chivu admitted after the final whistle at San Siro. “We tried in every possible way from the beginning. But they were very well organized in a low block, with ten or eleven players behind the ball.”
The Goal That Never Came
For Chivu, the key moment was simple: Inter never found the breakthrough.
“Not scoring the 1–0 gave them comfort,” he explained. “They knew we needed two goals to force extra time. If we had unlocked it, the match might have been very different.”
Inter pushed, forced crosses, won corners, and created a handful of chances inside the box. But clarity and precision were missing at decisive moments.
“At halftime, I asked for more patience and quicker ball circulation to destabilize their compact 4-4-2,” Chivu said. “We forced some direct plays. Maybe with more composure we could have broken them down.”
“They Had More Energy”
Beyond tactics, Chivu pointed to a physical imbalance. Inter have been playing every three days, while Bodø/Glimt have had a much lighter schedule.
“In the last three months, they’ve played four games — all in the Champions League,” Chivu noted. “They had much more energy than us.”
The difference became more apparent in the second half. “They had more legs and created chances,” he said. “When you’re playing this often, it’s hard to find fresh energy.”
Still, the Inter coach refused to criticize his squad. “I have nothing to reproach the players for. They gave everything, with our strengths and our limits.”
Lessons for the Season Ahead
Inter began their European campaign strongly, collecting four wins, but costly dropped points and a lack of clinical edge proved decisive.
“At this level, if you don’t find sharpness and lucidity, opponents punish you at the first mistake,” Chivu said. “That’s the Champions League.”
Now, the focus shifts back to domestic competition. “We’re disappointed,” he concluded. “But we turn the page.”
For Inter, the dream of a deep European run is over. The challenge now is ensuring the energy — and the ambition — return where it still matters most.
