Chivu hits out at lack of respect, confident Inter can turn Bodo/Glimt tie around

Cristian Chivu lashed out at a perceived lack of respect for Inter when he was asked if a Champions League play-off exit to Bodo/Glimt would be shameful.

Inter return to San Siro for the second leg of their knockout tie facing a 3-1 deficit, after goals from Sondre Brunstad Fet, Jens Petter Hauge and Kasper Hogh secured a first-leg win for the Norwegian side.

The last team to qualify from a two-legged Champions League knockout tie after losing the first leg by at least two goals away from home was Liverpool in 2018-19 (versus Barcelona in the semi-finals, 4-3 on aggregate).

Eleven other teams have found themselves in that scenario but failed to progress since Liverpool’s stirring fightback.

Inter have only won by two or more goals in six of their 52 matches in the knockout stages of the competition and have never won a game by three goals after the group stage.

But when asked by a Norwegian journalist if Inter should feel ashamed to be eliminated by Bodo, who have won their last three Champions League games, also beating Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, Chivu was unimpressed.

“Nothing is shameful in football,” Chivu said in his press conference.

“In football, there’s work from a club and a team, on one side and the other, and we have to accept and respect the opponent, given that you don’t respect us by calling us this way, saying that we must be ashamed to lose against such a team, against a city with 50,000 citizens.

“We have great respect for what Bodo has done against us, but also in Madrid and against City and [Borussia] Dortmund. We respect our opponents and congratulate them on the good things they’ve built in recent times.

“When you have clear ideas, you can bring something nice forward. But we are not ashamed, because we tried to be the best version of ourselves last week, when they were better than us, and we congratulated them.”

Inter, who will be without the injured Lautaro Martinez, won their first four Champions League games under Chivu but have since lost four of their last five (W1).

Of managers with at least five games in charge of the Nerazzurri in the competition, Chivu now has the highest loss percentage (44% – 4/9).

However, Chivu, who lifted the Champions League trophy as an Inter player in 2009-10, insists his side are confident of turning the tie around.

“We knew the strength of our opponents: what they achieved in the league phase wasn’t by chance,” he added.

“They drew in Dortmund, beat Manchester City, and won in Madrid. We knew they could cause us problems.

“At times, we struggled and gave up a few opportunities. We hope that it won’t happen again.

“These players have confidence, and they’ve shown it over the past three months. We’ve had highs and lows, including losing games in the Champions League, but that hasn’t taken away our trust, self-belief, or work ethic.

“It doesn’t matter if one battle is lost; what counts is giving your best in every match and being the best version of ourselves.”