"IT’S ON ME": CRISTIAN CHIVU ADMITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR INTER’S EARLY DEFENSIVE CHAOS
Cristian Chivu analyses Inter’s 6-2 comeback win, taking the blame for defensive errors while praising Federico Dimarco’s impact.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu couldn’t hide how impressed he was with his team after their wild 6-2 win over Pisa. Even after Swiss keeper Yann Sommer’s early mistake gifted Pisa the opening goal, Chivu took the blame: “That’s on me.”
Inter actually fell behind by two at home, but they roared back before halftime and then piled on three more goals in the second half. Not a bad way to kick off Week 22.
Chivu didn’t hesitate to shake things up. In the 34th minute, he swapped Luis Henrique for Federico Dimarco—a move that changed everything. Dimarco was everywhere, scoring one and assisting another. No wonder he took home Man of the Match.
Chivu told DAZN, “A match lasts 100 minutes, and you can always turn it around.” That confidence paid off. Sure, Pisa’s Stefano Moreo lobbed in a beauty from 30 yards, but Sommer only got caught out because Chivu had told him to play out from the back. “That’s my fault,” Chivu admitted. “I’m the one asking the keeper to do certain things, and sometimes I make it hard for Yann.”
After conceding again from a set piece, Inter didn’t fold. “Pride, quality, intensity—we showed all of that. The attitude matters most. You suffer sometimes, but it’s your reaction that counts. We did really well,” Chivu said.
He didn’t ignore the missed chances either. “We could’ve made it 4-2 earlier, but instead we waited until the end. Still, hats off to the boys. They give everything to keep this season competitive and prove we’re pushing for our goals.”
Pio Esposito put Inter ahead just before halftime with his third league goal of the season. Chivu praised him too. “He’s hungry to prove himself. He takes responsibility, just like everyone else. And if things go wrong, that’s on me—I push them hard. But I’m glad they believe in what we’re doing.”
Chivu even showed up late for his post-match interview because he needed treatment from Inter’s doctors. “I’m loaded up on painkillers for my back,” he joked. “Tomorrow, my kids want me fresh, and my wife expects it too. I need to be ready for them.”
When asked if he’d still watch Juventus-Napoli or Roma-Milan on Sunday, Chivu grinned. “That question again, huh? Honestly, I love football—it’s more than just a job to me. Sometimes I get tired because I watch so many matches, but you have to learn. If I get the chance, I’ll watch, but my family comes first. I already spend so much time with the team, and sometimes I’m not the best husband or father. They deserve my attention. Sometimes, you just have to switch off and be with your loved ones. Football’s great, but family always wins.”
RADJA NAINGGOLAN SLAMS NAPOLI’S SCOTT MCTOMINAY AS "JUST AVERAGE" IN TV RANT
Radja Nainggolan has sparked controversy by calling Napoli's Scudetto winner Scott McTominay "average" in a scathing TV interview.
Scott McTominay’s journey from Manchester United to Napoli has been wild. He’s helped the club win a Scudetto, snagged a Ballon d’Or nomination, and his goal tally is impressive. But not everyone’s sold on him. Even with all those honours, one Serie A legend isn’t convinced. Radja Nainggolan slammed him as just “an average player".
After McTominay’s £26 million jump from Old Trafford in 2024, he took off. He won the Serie A MVP, clinched Napoli’s fourth Scudetto with a spectacular overhead goal against Cagliari, and made a big mark in Italy. Still, Nainggolan, never shy with an opinion, tore into him during a TV interview. Despite McTominay racking up 26 goals in 76 games and getting a Ballon d’Or nod, Nainggolan didn’t hold back. “I don’t like him,” he said on Sky Calcio Unplugged. “He gets his goals, 12, 13, 14 a season, but his general play? He doesn’t have the technique to move between the lines. He’s just average.”
And he wasn’t content to leave it at that. Nainggolan compared himself to today’s names, arguing he was better than both McTominay and Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu at his best, though he admitted Nicolo Barella sits above him. “At my peak, I was better than McTominay and Calhanoglu, but Barella is on another level,” Nainggolan said. “He doesn’t always score a lot, but when he does, it matters, and you always feel his presence on the pitch. I like De Bruyne, too; he sees things nobody else does. He’s above me, and Modric...he’s always been world-class.”
Of course, Nainggolan’s take doesn’t really jibe with life in Naples. McTominay has become something of a hero there; his face is on murals around the city, the fans have dubbed him ‘McFratm’ (McBrother), and he helped Napoli win the Supercoppa Italiana in December 2025. Even if Inter seems ready to grab the Serie A crown back, McTominay’s reputation hasn’t dipped. His knack for scoring from midfield has been crucial for Conte’s side.
Nainggolan also touched on Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation” and why they didn’t deliver a major trophy, despite stars like Lukaku, Hazard, and De Bruyne. He knows the team well, having made 30 appearances before retiring after he got left out of the 2018 World Cup squad. “We had Lukaku, Hazard, De Bruyne, and Courtois. Too many superstars, too many egos,” Nainggolan said. “Everyone wanted to be the star, to be the most important guy, and that just doesn’t work.” His take pretty much confirms what fans suspected: there was plenty of talent, but not enough unity.
MANCHESTER UNITED AND CHELSEA ENTER RACE FOR DISCOUNTED €50M-RATED RAFAEL LEãO
Discover why Rafael Leão’s value has plummeted at AC Milan and which Premier League clubs are leading the race to sign him.
Just a year ago, everyone was buzzing about Rafael Leao and his rumoured €120 million move to Chelsea. Fast forward to this summer’s transfer window, and it looks like AC Milan’s ready to let him go for nowhere near that amount. Manchester United, along with a few others, are circling, hoping to get him for much less.
Last week, Gazzetta dello Sport broke the news: Milan now values Leao at just €50 million. That’s a wild drop, especially since six months ago they slapped a €100 million price tag on him.
So what happened? Why did his value tank so quickly?
Perception plays a big part. Leao’s estimated transfer value hasn’t actually changed that much. FootballTransfers’ algorithm had him pegged at €72.5 million last July, and now he’s at €70.7 million. But Milan’s own estimate? That’s fallen off a cliff.
Last summer, Milan wanted €50 million above the algorithm’s number. Now, they’re ready to accept an offer that’s €20 million below it.
Leao once had everything going for him in Milan. In the 2021/22 season, he carried them to the Scudetto, racking up 11 goals and 10 assists. Clubs were fighting over him, and in 2023, Milan rewarded him with a hefty €7 million salary and a massive €175 million release clause. That’s when top European clubs started sniffing around for a record-breaking deal.
But the new contract didn’t spark another big season for Leao. In his next campaign, he scored 15 goals and managed 14 assists, but fans started to turn, especially after two weak outings against Roma in the Europa League.
Things haven’t improved since. Early in the 2024/25 season, Milan benched him for disciplinary reasons, and he seemed pretty unfazed, something that sparked more criticism. He’s had some public clashes with head coach Max Allegri, too. Despite still being Milan’s top scorer, he hasn’t scored in two months. And the fans? They’ve booed him at home games, most recently against Juventus and earlier against Udinese.
Now, Milan looks ready to move on. Leao’s raw talent is still obvious, but at San Siro, the excitement has faded. SciSports, the data analytics folks, show his performance is in “significant decline” based on their SciSkill rating. Still, they think he can bounce back.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan plans to hold off until the World Cup, hoping Leao puts on a big show for Portugal and builds hype again.
He’s still got admirers. Arsenal’s been keeping tabs on him, FootballTransfers said back in February. Chelsea, Liverpool, and United are all in the market for a left-sided attacker and would jump at the chance to grab a rejuvenated Leao.
Sure, the €120 million rumours are a thing of the past. But the old Leão, the top-class player, is still in there somewhere. He just needs the right club, coach, and a fresh start.
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