Cristian Chivu has given his thoughts ahead of the Champions League play-off match between Bodo/Glimt and Inter on Wednesday, also being forced to return to the topic of Juventus and the Serie A Derby d'Italia over the weekend.
The Nerazzurri have arrived in the Arctic Circle and are preparing for the first leg against Bodo/Glimt, while the return leg will take place at the San Siro next Tuesday.
In the pre-match press conference, Chivu spoke about Inter's journey to the Champions League and the challenges that await them in Serie A.
"This is a different competition and we know how important it is and how far we have come. We did well, even though we didn't make it to the last 16. Bodo is a strong team, the club has made great progress."
The main questions were over the "Derby d'Italia" on Saturday, where Inter won 3-2, but the victory was tainted by a refereeing error that led to the unfair dismissal of Pierre Kalulu.
Alessandro Bastoni, the man primarily responsible for Kalulu's dismissal, sat next to Chivu and apologized for the way he celebrated the red card.
Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti defended Bastoni but criticized Chivu for his comments after the match.
Chivu replied: "I don't want to answer for what others say. I say what I think. I spoke about my team's experiences and I don't care what they say. The team that is at the top is always the most hated and critical. Things happen to everyone, we were wronged in Napoli and I'm saying it for the first time. The season is long and we want to be competitive without forgetting the way we performed."
Returning to the challenge against Bodo/Glimt, Chivu spoke about the availability of players.
"Everyone wants to know the lineup, but I haven't said it. I know who will play, but I won't say it. Hakan Calhanoglu has a small problem, it could be a matter of days, a week at most."
Regarding the artificial pitch of Bodo/Glimt, which has caused difficulties for some Italian teams, he added:
"We always have concerns about the safety of the players. Bodo have achieved great results at home and away and the club is ambitious. They will give their all, and we are prepared to do the same, adapting to the pitch and the climate."
On Bodo/Glimt's star players and the quality of Norwegian football: "They have a lot of great players. Football in Norway has increased in quality and Norway will be at the World Cup. We know it won't be easy, we have to be ready for their intensity and quality on the wings, the strength of the players. We are prepared to adapt."/Express newspaper/
t7 live
