Chivu: I had no intention of offending Milan and Juventus, my words were misinterpreted by the media, don't create confusion and hatred

On September 6 Beijing time, after Inter Milan came from behind at home to beat Napoli 3-2 with a late winner, Chivu spoke in an interview with DAZN.

When the score was 2-2, everyone had already started to enjoy the match.

"It was a great game, enjoyable to watch. It perfectly showcased the charm of Italian football. At 2-2, both teams remained open-minded and did not focus too much on how to protect the scoreline. I saw both sides create many chances. We are very happy to change the score to 3-2, but we also have to congratulate Napoli. They are a strong team with many exceptionally talented players, and the coaching staff has also done an excellent job," Chivu said.

Looking back at last season's match in which Napoli defeated Inter Milan 3-1, the team's reaction was completely different at that time.

"We could have handled the first goal we conceded better because it came from losing possession. The 0-2 goal happened because the ball had not gone out of play. At the time, we were too focused on how we performed when conceding the first goal, and then the second goal happened. But I liked our reaction. We did not lose focus and maintained our style. Later, we increased the tempo, and scoring the first goal back gave us some hope. We could not take too many risks, so I waited for the right moment to make adjustments. In the end, our courage was rewarded. I was eager to make it 2-2 because I wanted to give the team some instructions. In the final minutes, the atmosphere at San Siro was very tense, we could not communicate with our teammates, and we could not find the tactical balance we wanted."

Regarding Lobotka's handball.

"I want to praise the referees from the first three rounds of matches. The games have been fluid and exciting, without wasting time. Any player who goes down knows they will receive attention on the sideline, and the referees have maintained the standard of officiating that everyone likes, so I want to praise them for that. As for the incident that happened during the match, I do not want to talk much about it. I am not interested in it."

What did you mean by your comments about direct clashes yesterday?

"What I was asking at the time was because I mentioned that matches against teams at the bottom of the table can also be considered direct clashes. So the answer is always misinterpreted. Negative reports can bring news, fans, and traffic; that is part of this world, including on social media. We have an obligation to maintain balance and educate the public. We cannot create confusion and hatred; everyone needs to have some moral boundaries. In these first three rounds, I have seen top-level Serie A football. In terms of match intensity, we still have room for improvement."

"The essence of football was shown in the last match. We need to maintain this attitude. Football must preserve the nature of the game. I had no intention of targeting anyone; my attitude is actually the opposite..."

How is Dimarco? Will he play against Real Madrid?

"I don't know. There are still two days left, and we will see then."