On the eve of the Derby d’Italia, the tension didn’t wait for kickoff. It surfaced in the press room.
With Luciano Spalletti choosing not to speak before the clash and Juventus sending captain Manuel Locatelli instead, Cristian Chivu responded in his own understated, ironic way.
“I told our press officer to send Lautaro,” Chivu smiled. “But they didn’t want him. They wanted me. That way, we would’ve matched Juventus’ choice.”
A light jab, delivered calmly — and unmistakably aimed at the decision made in Turin.
“I Would’ve Shared That Choice”
Chivu didn’t hide that, in principle, he understands the reasoning behind Spalletti’s silence.
“When you play so many matches in a short time, it’s hard for a coach to keep repeating the same things,” he explained. “Not speaking would’ve been a choice I could have shared as well.”
Still, the Inter coach took his seat and addressed the media, shifting quickly from irony to substance.
Barella and Çalhanoğlu Back
On the pitch, Inter receive timely reinforcements. Chivu confirmed that Nicolò Barella and Hakan Çalhanoğlu are both ready.
“They’ve been training since Monday. Today is Friday. They’re available.”
A crucial boost for Inter ahead of one of the season’s defining matches.
Respect for Spalletti, Focus on Balance
Chivu also spoke warmly about facing his former coach, who once managed him at Roma.
“Spalletti has grown a lot. He makes his teams play very good football. When he was a young coach, he was already a model to follow.”
On Juventus, Chivu described a side that mixes styles and verticality, warning against complacency.
“We can’t be presumptuous. Balance is essential. The mind has to be controlled. We step on the pitch to win every game, but the league is still long.”
Referees and Italian Football
Asked about ongoing refereeing controversies, Chivu took a firm — and broader — stance.
“I’ll start talking about referees the day a coach admits a mistake went in his favor,” he said. “The real problem in Italian football isn’t the referees. If Italy missed two World Cups in a row, that has nothing to do with referees.”
A Word on Thuram
Finally, Chivu addressed the spotlight on Marcus Thuram, after images earlier in the season showed him laughing with his brother.
“He should keep laughing with his little brother — that means he loves him,” Chivu said. “Marcus is a positive guy. I like him this way. I ask him to be more selfish on the pitch, because he’s an altruist with a capital ‘A’. They’re a family with strong values.”
No raised voice. No polemic monologue. Just a measured response — and a subtle reminder that, even before Inter–Juventus kicks off, the derby has already begun.
