Yann Sommer (foto: Official TW/IG/FB account)
Inter coach Christian Chivu defended goalkeeper Yann Sommer and backed his team’s fighting spirit after a 1-0 derby loss to AC Milan, while justifying his early substitution of captain Lautaro Martínez.
Inter Milan boss Christian Chivu has refused to single out Yann Sommer for criticism following the 1-0 derby defeat to AC Milan, praising his players’ determination despite the narrow loss. The Romanian coach also defended his surprise decision to substitute captain Lautaro Martínez early in the second half, calling it a purely tactical choice.
Chivu’s first Derby della Madonnina as Inter coach ended in frustration after Christian Pulisic scored the only goal of the match in the 54th minute. Despite dominating possession and creating more chances, Inter couldn’t find a breakthrough and now sit fourth in Serie A with 24 points from 12 matches.
“The performance and focus were there, we didn’t suffer counterattacks,” Chivu told reporters. “The only time we went for a long ball, Milan scored. But I’ll take credit for the good performance from the lads who tried in every way. That’s the spirit I want to see.”
Inter had 64% possession, fired 16 shots to Milan’s eight, and won nine corners compared to Milan’s one. But despite striking the woodwork twice and missing a penalty, Chivu’s side failed to convert their dominance into goals.
The decisive moment came when Sommer failed to hold a low shot from Alexis Saelemaekers, spilling the ball into the path of Pulisic, who tapped home from close range. But Chivu refused to fault his keeper, stressing collective responsibility instead.
“I’m not talking about individuals — that’s not fair,” he said. “For me, my players are the best. I could never point the finger at anyone because when you do that, it smells like failure. We could have done better, but we’re in it together. The only thing to do now is to get back up.”
One of the night’s biggest surprises came in the 64th minute when Chivu substituted Lautaro Martínez, just ten minutes after Milan’s goal. The decision raised eyebrows among fans and pundits, but the coach stood firm in his reasoning.
“Lautaro is fine — it was my decision,” Chivu insisted. “He’s not injured. I took him off for my own technical reasons. Can’t I change players? Even those on the bench deserve to contribute.”
The defeat was Inter’s fourth in 12 Serie A games, and Chivu admitted that’s too many for a club with title aspirations. “It’s clear that four defeats are too many,” he said. “The table is tight, so we must move past the frustration and keep improving. We attack with many men, which exposes us to counterattacks. Today we conceded only one — and it was fatal.”
Inter have now lost three of their last five league matches and will need to rediscover consistency to stay in the Scudetto race. The Nerazzurri next face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League before hosting Pisa in Serie A, as Chivu looks to turn possession dominance into results.