Cristian Chivu spoke at a press conference on the eve of Bodø Glimt-Inter, scheduled for tomorrow evening at 9:00 PM at the Aspmyra Stadion. Here are the coach’s words:
OPPONENT – The Champions League is a different competition, played after four days. We know the importance of this match, of the journey we’ve had in the Champions League where we’ve done quite well. We’re facing a tough team that has put City and Atletico Madrid in difficulty. A tough team, the level of the team is growing as is Norwegian football.
CRITICISM – I don’t respond to what others say. I’m here to say what I see and think and what my team is. I’m not interested in what is said in places where maybe there’s a bit of frustration and they can’t handle it. You have to accept that criticism is part of this game. The team at the top is always the most hated and criticized. Football has been like this for 100 years, we need to stop complaining and being moralists when something like this happens every Sunday. Since the days of Maradona, who scored a goal with his hand and no one criticized him. We suffered an injustice in Naples and I’m saying it for the first time, and no one was offended or criticized in this way. We move forward aware that the season is long. We want to continue the good things we’ve done without forgetting what was said to us at the start of the season, and the reaction, the pride was seen in February and maybe someone isn’t happy.
DIVING – Why is football the most loved sport despite what happens? That’s the real question. Do we like controversy, do we like criticism or not? Because if 50 years ago important measures had been taken, maybe in 2026 we wouldn’t be talking about these things. When we find this answer and stop pretending not to see what happens, this sport will improve from this point of view.
LINEUP – I can’t give information about the lineup because I’ve never done it. I know who will start tomorrow but I can’t say. Calhanoglu, it’s nothing serious but he wasn’t able to come with us. Maybe it will take a couple of days, maybe a week, but then he’ll be back and we’ll see him on the pitch again.
SYNTHETIC PITCH – There’s always concern for safety because I want everyone to be healthy. Because I need them. The choice to come and do the final training session right in this stadium is to get used to the weather conditions, to the pitch. So we’re not surprised on match day. It’s not certain that miracles will happen but mentally we’ll be ready to battle, aware of this team’s results. They have nothing to lose so they’ll give everything to put us in difficulty, but we’ll also be ready to do the same and try to adapt to this match, to this pitch and to this climate. For 180 minutes.
WEATHER CONDITIONS – We have snow even near where we train, it’s not the weather conditions that worry us but what this team shows itself to be.
