´Differences are minimal´ in Serie A title race, says Inter boss Chivu

Inter boss Cristian Chivu feels “the differences are minimal” between the sides involved in this season’s race for the Scudetto.

Second-place Inter are firmly in the mix, two points behind city rivals AC Milan, on whom they also have a game in hand.

The Nerazzurri also face competition from Roma, Juventus and reigning champions Napoli, with the latter’s head coach, Antonio Conte, suggesting their title rivals were better structured than the reigning champions.

However, Chivu was not interested when asked about Conte’s observations.

“The way I’ve always seen football, as a player and as a coach, talks and controversies are external to the game and bring nothing,” he said.

“They don’t affect the final result; they are useless. They have little impact, except at a media level, and have nothing to do with this sport.

“Personally, I laugh when there’s too much talk about things that have nothing to do with reality; they actually make me focus even more on my work.

“All we can say is that, at the moment, five teams are fighting for the Scudetto, and the differences are minimal.”

Back in action tomorrowpic.twitter.com/dQJjLnvSle

— Inter(@Inter_en) January 3, 2026

Inter can potentially go top of Serie A on Sunday with victory over seventh-place Bologna at San Siro.

The Rossoblu are without a win in four league matches, but Chivu is not taking his side’s opponents for granted.

“We know it’s a tricky game against a team that puts everyone in trouble because they have identity and intensity,” he added.

“Bologna put obstacles in your way, even in simple situations. They have strong wingers on inverted feet, and midfielders with physical presence.

“They also know how to go man-to-man; they have legs and good timing, and determination.

“Even if you beat the first line of pressure, many of them track back, so we need to be careful and do some things better, with a strong sense of responsibility.

“I like it when my players show courage and risk committing a foul to win the ball back.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Inter – Lautaro Martinez

Lautaro Martinez (nine goals) could reach double figures in a seventh different Serie A season.

Only Giuseppe Meazza (nine), Benito Lorenzi (nine) and Alessandro Altobelli (eight) have enjoyed more such campaigns for Inter in the competition than the skipper.

Bologna – Riccardo Orsolini

Along with Martinez, Orsolini scored 15 goals in Serie A in 2025, making them the joint-leading marksmen during the calendar year.

The Italian has been directly involved in five goals in his last six Serie A games against Inter (three goals, two assists), after failing to be involved in any goals in his first eight matches against them in the competition.

MATCH PREDICTION – INTER WIN

Inter have won their last four Serie A matches, and could secure five consecutive league wins for the first time this season.

The Nerazzurri have registered 12 wins and four losses in 16 Serie A games this season; they could fail to record a single draw in their first 17 league games of a campaign for the first time in their history.

Inter have won their first Serie A match of a calendar year on all six previous occasions (from 2020 onwards), a record streak for the Nerazzurri in this type of fixture.

Bologna, on the other hand, have only won their first match of the year in the top-flight on one of the previous 13 occasions (D5 L7), which came against AC Milan at San Siro in 2016.

The Rossoblu are winless in their last four Serie A matches (D2 L2). Under Vincenzo Italiano, they have only once recorded a longer run of consecutive top-flight games without a win: six between last April and August.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Inter – 63.4%

Draw – 17%

Bologna – 19.6%