Chivu: Inter Milan gave their all against Bodo
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu affirmed that his team had given their all despite being eliminated from the 2025/26 Champions League after losing to Bodo/Glimt in the playoff round of 16.
“We tried everything. We faced a very organised team, with ten players defending behind the ball, and the longer we failed to score, the more confident they became. I can’t blame the players, they gave their all,” Chivu said, quoted from Inter’s official website, Wednesday.
Inter’s exit was confirmed after suffering a 1-2 defeat in the second leg of the playoff round at the San Siro Stadium, Wednesday morning WIB. This result made Nerazzurri lose with an aggregate score of 2-5 after also losing in the first leg.
The two goals for the visiting team in the second leg were scored by Jens Hauge and Hakom Evjen, while Inter only managed to reply through Alessandro Bastoni in the last 15 minutes. The goal was not enough to change the fate of the Italian representative in the European club competition.
Chivu admitted to being disappointed with the result achieved, but still appreciated the hard work of his players throughout the match.
The Romanian coach said that his squad was unable to break the deadlock in the first half. He also praised Bodo/Glimt for playing in an organised manner with great determination and energy.
According to Chivu, Inter struggled to break down the opponent’s tight defence, which appeared disciplined and effectively utilised their chances. He also assessed that the Norwegian team deserved to advance to the next round because they were able to perform consistently in the two meetings.
This defeat also ended Inter’s journey in the Champions League this season, after previously targeting to go further in the competition.
Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella also acknowledged the opponent’s superiority and said that his team had to immediately shift their focus to the domestic competition.
“I don’t think they troubled us too much today. We conceded due to individual errors, which can happen in football. The most difficult part was breaking down their defence, and we couldn’t do it. Credit to Bodo, they won both matches and deserve to qualify. It’s disappointing because, as we always say, we want to compete on all fronts and in every competition,” said Barella.
This defeat was a bitter pill for Inter, who are so dominant in the Italian League. Nerazzurri, with 64 points in the current standings of the Italian League, is currently 10 points ahead of its closest rival, AC Milan.
Translator: A Rauf Andar Adipati