De Rossi praises Chivu: victory not a given in the first year

Daniele De Rossi made statements about Cristian Chivu ahead of the Coppa Italia clash between Genoa and Inter. The Rossoblù coach, speaking to SportMediaset, commented on the career path of his Nerazzurri colleague, his former teammate during their time at Roma.

“We had kept in touch and followed each other, you always stay in contact and I knew he had this passion. He also played many times against my father, winning a league final: I had followed him even in the Primavera,” said De Rossi.

The Genoa coach then highlighted Chivu‘s achievements last season: “He did well at Parma, but doing well and doing what he did last year, which people take for granted—winning the league and Coppa Italia in his first year at a big club—is something that will be repeated very few times in the coming years. I hoped he would do well, but the result in his first year is surprising because it is never easy.”

Genoa will face Inter in the round of 16 of the Coppa Italia, a match that will see the two coaches, who share a relationship of respect and friendship, go head to head.