Inter-Napoli, Chivu isn't afraid of big matches: "We're first, the numbers speak for themselves."

Milan – Cristian Chivu refuses to accept pre-trials. On the eve of the crucial match against Napoli, the Inter coach presented himself at the press conference with the firmness of someone who looks down on everyone in the table.

There's no "big match" syndrome, despite the numbers showing that Inter hasn't always shone in head-to-head clashes: "I've never seen fear in my players," Chivu begins, proudly claiming top spot in the standings.

"Head-to-head? The standings matter."

For the Nerazzurri coach, the debate about points earned against the big teams is a rhetorical exercise that doesn't concern him. "It's too easy to talk about head-to-head matches we haven't won just because the statistics say so. The reality is that we're first, we've scored more than anyone else, and we're ahead of those who beat us. The championship is a 38-game marathon, not a six-game sprint."

Tomorrow's match, however, carries enormous weight. "It could shape the course of a season," admits Chivu, who then reserves words of great respect for his opponent: "I have great respect for Conte; he's a winner. We young coaches have everything to learn from players like him."

A lesson in civility: "No excuses for referees."

One of the most poignant moments of the conference concerns the management of refereeing decisions, a frequently heated topic in Italian football. Chivu espouses the club's stance: silence and hard work. "What the referees do shouldn't concern us. We must be stronger than injustice and have the mental discipline that tames negative thoughts."

For the Romanian coach, making excuses is a temptation to avoid: "The easiest thing is to look for alibis, but I don't point fingers. If I have to lose, I want to do it my way. It's a life lesson, even before a football lesson: referees and managers are people, and mistakes are part of the game."

Individuals and infirmary: the point on Bisseck and Dumfries

Chivu then focused on the growth of the individual players, praising in particular the solidity of Bisseck (“I ask him to move forward, he has great mobility”) and the maturation of Luis Henrique, who has now become a key player: “He has shown he has broad shoulders, playing at San Siro in an Inter shirt is never easy.”

Finally, a sore point from the infirmary concerns Denzel Dumfries. The Dutch winger, currently undergoing rehabilitation in his homeland, won't be back anytime soon: "He should return to Milan at the end of January to begin his athletic training," the coach explained. "I hope to have him available again by the end of February."