Who is Cristian Chivu? How Can His Tactics Transform Inter Milan?

It is a time of reunion in Inter Milan, as the club has identified Cristian Chivu as the successor to Simone Inzaghi, who resigned from his role a few days back to sign for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. The 44-year-old, who spent seven years as a player at the Nerazzuri, won the treble under Jose Mourinho in 2009-10, and later managed the youth setup, is returning, albeit with greater responsibility, to reshape the dynamics at Inter. 

He is familiar with Inter, having been associated with the youth teams since 2018, until last summer, when he opted to quit. He was without a job until February, when Parma came calling. With the Crusaders, he ended the Serie A campaign in 16th position. However, he managed the side for only 13 games, winning three, drawing seven, and losing just three fixtures.

Cristian Chivu Tactics and Style of Play

Let’s dive deep into Cristian Chivu tactics. Chivu’s tactical abilities speak volumes as he has defeated teams like Atalanta, Juventus, and Bologna, and shared points with Inter, Lazio, and current champions Napoli, all of which are commendable and ‘big’ teams.

Chivu prefers using a 3-5-2 formation alongside a 5-3-2 or even at times a 3-1-4-2 to organise a compact structure, which functions as a unit both defensively and offensively. At least that’s what he did at Parma. At Inter, he fits the bill, thanks to the similarity with former manager Inzaghi.

Cristian Chivu Formation

The Romanian manager has shown tendencies of using a three-man backline in recent times and has used it to perfection as well. Here’s a look at Cristian Chivu formation.

• Steady three-man defence: Like other managers who rely on creating an overload in defence, Cristian Chivu, too, prefers a three-man backline, where one player is usually top-notch with the ball at his feet.
• Dynamic wing-backs: At Parma, it was Emanuele Valeri and Enrico Del Prato, who were responsible for anything happening on the wings. Be it stopping the opposition counters on the flanks or their attackers, or carrying the ball forward. At Inter, Chivu will get upgrades in the form of Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco, both of whom are national team regulars for the Netherlands and Italy and have been a part of Inter for quite some time. 
• Midfield: Mandela Keita was Chivu’s go-to man when he needed a solid anchorman. This will be a position Inter might have to explore a few options in the market, since Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan won’t fit the bill, and Nicolo Barella deserves a more attacking role, like he did in Euro 2020 under the tutelage of Roberto Mancini. The player has to be someone who covers the line and protects the backline, takes workload during rest defence, and is at the thick of things while defending in their half. Alongside a No.6, two No.8s would be ideal in this setup, and they can be Barella and maybe a new young signing, perhaps someone like Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba.
• Fluid and solid attacking department: Chivu, like Inzaghi, is expected to go for a double No.9, to add more threat to the opposition defences. Compared to Parma’s Mateo Pellegrino and Ange-Yoan Bonny, he will receive the services of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, who are two of the deadliest strikers in the Serie A. Hence, it shouldn’t be a problem for him to get them adapted.

Key Tactical Traits

• Defensive solidity: Under Chivu’s tutelage, Parma have never conceded more than two goals. This highlights how he attempts to keep his backline guarded and reminds a viewer that he was a defender in his playing days.. 
• Wing-back’s fluidity: Both Dumfries and Dimarco are expected to reach greater heights under the Romanian’s mentorship. Both players are exactly what he demands in his wing-backs – attack-minded, good ball-carriers in the flanks, top-notch overlapping, good in defensive transitions, and physically apt. 
• Goal-scoring: While Parma did not score a lot of goals under him, with players like Martinez and Thuram, he is expected to go for a more direct approach at Inter. But the attack doesn’t rely only on the two forwards. At Parma, at times, Valeri was seen trodding on the attacking third, where usually a wing-forward places himself. Dimarco, too, has those traits, but it also depends on how he uses Dumfries in rest defence while sending his Italian counterpart ahead. 

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Cristian Chivu Trophies and Achievements

This will be Cristian Chivu’s second managerial role at a senior team, with his only trade coming in the recently concluded season at Parma, where he signed mid-season. However, during his days at Inter’s youth setup, he won the Italian Youth Championship (Primavera) in the 2021-22 season.

Is Cristian Chivu the right fit for Inter Milan?

Inter considered him over Patrick Vieira, after Como rejected the bid for Cesc Fabregas, because he was familiar with Inter’s philosophy and the way they operate. Hence, yes, he should ideally be a perfect fit with the club’s culture, but his lack of experience at big clubs can be a sign of concern, initially. However, he has an already-built squad at his disposal, which might need a few tweaks to excel at the highest level. 

How Cristian Chivu’s Tactics Could Work?

• Compact defence: He will have top defenders like Alessandro Bastoni, Francesco Acerbi, and Benjamin Pavard, who can keep the defence tight. Although the Champions League debacle in Munich has raised questions about their defence but the quality of these players is unmatched, considering they were aiming for a treble in 2024-25, and missed out on the trophies by a whisker.
• Creative midfield: Players like Calhanoglu and Barella can bring out that creative charm Inter need in midfield. Moreover, Calhanoglu’s creativity, combined with Barella’s box-to-box marauding, will pose a threat to the opponents.
• Lethal forwards: Thuram and Martinez are the finest Chivu could have expected on his side, and they need to fire to ensure Chivu succeeds in calming the warmth around the Blue and Black side of Milan.

Challenges ahead

• Get back to winning ways: The main challenge is to get back in shape and perform well in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.
• Transfer market activities: Inter should consider upgrades to players like Acerbi, who is 37, Henrich Mkhitaryan, and perhaps Benjamin Pavard, who is more of a full-back-cum-centre-back. 

How could Inter lineup look under Cristian Chivu?

Player Roles Explained:

• Goalkeeper: Yan Sommer is great with the ball at his feet and should be perfect under Chivu.
• Centre-backs: Bastoni, combined with two new faces like Sporting’s Ousmane Diomande and maybe Parma’s Giovanni Leoni, could sharpen their defensive third.
• Wing-backs: Federico Dimarco and Denzel Dumfries should be the ideal candidates for this role, as their work ethic is incomparable.
• Midfield: Barella and Calhanoglu should be automatic choices; however, upgrades for Mkhitaryan could add more fluidity. 
• Forwards: Martinez and Thuram are irreplaceable; however, proper backup options should also be considered.

Verdict

The reunion should ideally kickstart a new chapter at Inter, however, Chivu’s tactical prowess and the team’s overall balance shouldn’t be judged solely on the Club World Cup campaign. A season or two at the helm, and Chivu might work wonders for his new side.

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