Inter Milan - Juventus: The 'Fierce Serpent' Born from Defeat

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26/02/2026 17:01:09 TrophyTracker

Luciano Spalletti is praised for revitalizing Juventus. Max Allegri is acclaimed for completely transforming Milan’s outlook. Gian Piero Gasperini is celebrated for consistently pushing Roma beyond their limits. Meanwhile, Cristian Chivu receives far less attention.

Even more paradoxically, Chivu is mostly mentioned only before, during, and after Inter’s major matches (often poor performances). Praise is rare; skepticism and criticism dominate.

“Growing Up" from Juve to Juve

Inter enters tomorrow night’s Italian derby atop the Serie A standings, 12 points ahead of Juventus after 24 rounds. Coach Chivu’s team has just won five consecutive matches, the best form among the 20 teams, scoring 15 goals and keeping a clean sheet in 4 of those 5 games. Does anyone remember that after losing 3-4 to Juventus in round 3, Inter had only 3 points from 3 matches, trailing Juve by 6 points? That means Inter has gained 18 more points than Juventus in the last 21 rounds, despite the fact that since Spalletti took over from Igor Tudor in early November 2025, Juve has earned Serie A points only behind Inter and Milan.

If this is not Chivu’s achievement, then whose is it? The 3-4 loss at Juve was Inter’s second consecutive defeat and also their second loss in the first three rounds, placing Chivu under intense scrutiny. Critics argued he was too inexperienced to lead a team that had just reached the Champions League final. This was understandable, given how Inter lost to Udinese and Juventus despite leading, revealing Chivu’s lack of match experience and somewhat “naive” mindset that didn’t focus on protecting leads like many pragmatic peers. But that defeat was precisely what forged a more resilient Chivu and a winning Inter.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, right after the match against Juve ended, Chivu exploded in anger in the locker room, questioning every player about why they lost concentration and let the lead slip away. He “cornered his players,” reminding them of the value of the club’s colors and awakening the dying ambition after the painful Champions League final loss. Since that day, Inter has changed. In 21 matches, they won 18 and lost only 2, pulling at least 5 points ahead of their rivals in the Scudetto race.

Cristian Chivu has matured significantly since the first-leg defeat to Juventus

“The Gentle 'Fierce Serpent'

With a record of 19 wins in 24 Serie A games so far, equivalent to 79.2%, Chivu holds the highest winning percentage in the club’s history. Yet ironically, people focus only on the 5 remaining matches without a win to judge the Romanian coach’s ability. Four of those were against strong opponents Milan, Napoli, and Juventus—with 3 losses and 1 draw. People don’t ask why Inter keeps winning against smaller teams but fail to win the big games. This pattern extends to the Champions League and Italian Super Cup, where many agree Chivu lacks experience and composure against veteran coaches or equally matched opponents.

However, public opinion is something Chivu neither cares about nor wants to be involved with. The coach always maintains a gentle demeanor and calm attitude both on the pitch and in press conferences. He has never attacked anyone, criticized referees, or received any cards or disciplinary sanctions. This serene “selfless” calmness influences Inter’s players, reflected in the fact that after 24 rounds, Inter is the third least booked team in Serie A and one of only three teams without any red cards. Notably, Chivu even forbids players from swearing during training, demonstrating that he has established a very high ethical standard as the foundation for their successive victories.

This outward gentleness most clearly represents the image of a fierce serpent, Inter’s symbolic mascot. A creature that remains hidden but possesses deadly power, a nightmare for any opponent within its reach. This fierce serpent may not yet be strong enough to defeat giants, but just wait—it is continuously growing.

Clashing also in the "Transfer Market"

According to multiple sources, Juventus has officially entered the race to sign goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Tottenham, a player Inter has pursued for months to replace Yann Sommer, who will leave at the end of this season. Vicario is fed up with Tottenham and is seeking a return to Serie A.

Conversely, Inter has prioritized defender Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo for the summer transfer window, who is also Juventus’s top target. The Bosnian player is a product of Juventus’s youth academy, giving Juve significant leverage to bring him back.

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