Chivu says Inter found their fight after Bastoni’s red card

Inter dig in after going down to 10

Cristian Chivu said Inter showed a resilience he had previously felt was missing after they beat Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League despite Alessandro Bastoni’s dismissal.

The contest had been tense for Inter, whose recent European results weighed on the team, according to Chivu. He said the side began reasonably but grew concerned about keeping its shape against an opponent capable of moving the ball well.

Inter improved after a triple substitution, then had to manage the match with 10 men following Bastoni’s red card for two quick yellow cards. Carlos Augusto eventually settled it, meeting a pass from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and finishing past the advancing goalkeeper.

“We were ready to suffer this evening and I feel that was something we’d lacked before,” Chivu told Sky Sport Italia.

The coach said his players accepted that the match called for effort and unity rather than attractive football. “Sometimes you need heart and mentality, accepting that extra effort,” he said.

Rotation shaped by injuries and schedule

Chivu defended his selection choices, pointing to the long season and the need to keep players fresh with matches coming every few days. Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard were among the unavailable players, while Curtis Jones and John Stones were also listed as absent. Djed Spence made his first start for Inter.

Inter’s back three was reshuffled, with Bastoni in the middle, Carlos Augusto on the left and Manuel Akanji on the right. Chivu said the arrangement was intended to help Inter play through Shakhtar’s compact defence while guarding against the Ukrainian side’s counter-attacks. Spence’s pace, he added, was another factor in the plan.

Chivu said the squad was adapting to injuries and workload, with further changes needed until players return. He also noted that Inter had managed minutes for younger defender Bisseck after a run of games.