Chievo: There is no favourite to win.. we need a small team mentality

Christian Kivu, the head coach of Inter Milan, spoke about the upcoming clash against Milan, emphasizing his team's readiness for the derby. He stressed that such matches do not recognize rankings or predictions, but are determined by desire, ambition, and focus on the pitch.

Chievo said during the press conference: "The team is ready and knows that this is an important match for the city and the fans. The standings do not matter, nothing matters. There are no favorites in the derby, there is a lot of pride and ambition, and a great desire."

Inter's coach addressed the condition of Marcus Thuram, explaining: "Thuram is in good shape, and when the player finds the right balance in terms of leadership, he gains enthusiasm and confidence as soon as he scores and becomes decisive." He also left the door open for the possibility of Josep Martínez starting, saying: "I don't know, we'll see tomorrow."

Regarding the tactical approach, Chievo explained: "Everything stems from balance, from the legs and the head, as well as from the nature of the opponent and what they allow you to do. We do not play man-to-man, but rely on references. In recent matches, we have shown greater organization and clearer collective thinking, and we have not attacked all the time; rather, we have sometimes waited for the opponent."

The Romanian coach emphasized the need to improve the defensive system, stating: "Scoring 25 goals is not enough if you concede 10 goals; that is a large number. We need to have a bit of the mentality of smaller teams when we lose the ball, and we must possess the hunger and desire to impose order and focus, without assuming that we have players capable of fixing everything on their own."

Chievo's coach concluded his statements by stressing the importance of balance and discipline, explaining: "I am not one of those coaches who prefer attack at the expense of defense or vice versa; I demand balance, maturity, and an understanding of the game's flow and its different moments. What angers me is the laxity of some players and their over-reliance on their teammates, forgetting the team's principles of pressing and running. You cannot get anywhere with slow running; you must take off quickly."