Chivu takes the blame as Shakhtar arrive at San Siro

Chivu puts it on himself: “I never point the finger at my players”

Chivu spoke at Appiano Gentile, Inter’s training ground, on Tuesday afternoon. He said he is the one chiefly responsible for where Inter are, and that he may not be communicating what the team needs. “I never point the finger at my players,” he said.

He wants the squad ready “mentally, physically and tactically,” he said. He also said the club has never claimed it must win the Champions League, only that it is a dream. The aim for Wednesday was simpler: “We have to be ourselves: we want to win tomorrow.”

SAID · INTER.IT · OCT 20

Bastoni: a result today, or the top eight gets very hard

Alessandro Bastoni, the center-back, sat beside Chivu on Tuesday and set out the stakes. “We need a result tomorrow; otherwise, finishing in the top eight will become extremely difficult,” he said, while repeating that the club has never called the Champions League a target.

On the slow starts he asked for honesty. “Each of us needs to be honest with ourselves and take individual responsibility,” he said. He suggested the team does not spot danger early enough.

SAID · INTER.IT · OCT 20

Seven European meetings with Shakhtar, one goal conceded

The clubs have met seven times in Europe since 2005. Inter have won three and drawn four, scoring ten and conceding one. That goal was Elano’s equalizer at a closed San Siro in the 2005 qualifiers, in a tie Inter still came through.

INTER.IT · OCT 21

Bologna 1–3 Inter

POBEGA 10′ · THURAM 44′ · CARLOS AUGUSTO 69′ · BONNY 83′

SERIE A: SIX WINS AND A DRAW FROM SEVEN · NINETEEN POINTS · FIRST ON GOAL DIFFERENCE, LEVEL WITH LAZIO