On the eve of the Italian Super Cup semifinal against Bologna, Chivu – right after speaking at the press conference – spoke to the microphones of Sportmediaset about the team’s ambitions and the situation within the squad. The coach wanted to emphasize how their presence in the tournament was not a given: “We honor this competition, since we did not deserve to be here. Bologna and Napoli by tradition should have played. The new format gives us and Milan the chance to take part in this mini-tournament.”
The coach then analyzed the opponent, acknowledging their growth: “There is a single match to face against a good Bologna side that in recent years has made things difficult for everyone. It is a team that has grown, had a clear identity with previous coaches and even more so today with Vincenzo Italiano.”
On the injury front, Chivu gave an update on the situation without dramatizing: “Like all the others, none have been spared. All the teams that play every three days have problems and so do we, we are not hiding. But we have a squad capable of coping with absences, we manage as always.”
Going into detail, Chivu explained: “Calhanoglu trained, Carlos Augusto has a small back problem and we kept him out for a day as a precaution. Darmian did not work with the group, but little by little his return is getting closer.” However, there is one certainty for the lineup: when asked about a change in goal, the answer was clear. “Yes, Pepo will play tomorrow,” he confirmed, referring to Josep Martinez.
