Inter Milan can not afford to take their foot off the pedal when they face Arsenal
11:01, 20 Jan 2026Updated 11:01, 20 Jan 2026
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at San Siro on January 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy
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Mikel Arteta has the blueprint to defeating Inter Milan(Image: Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Cristian Chivu has already told Mikel Arteta how Arsenal can 'hurt' Inter Milan. The Gunners will lock horns with the Italian outfit at the San Siro in the penultimate fixture of the UEFA Champions League 'league phase' as they look to secure automatic qualification to the knockout stages.
Inter have lost each of their last two games in the competition to late goals. José María Giménez scored a stoppage-time winner for Atletico Madrid in November before Dominik Szoboszlai snatched three points for Liverpool from 12 yards in December.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have prided themselves as one of the better second-half performers in the Champions League this term, scoring 13 of their 17 goals after the break. Interestingly, three of which have come in the final quarter of an hour, and only four teams have managed more during this period in a game.
The north Londoners will be looking to pile on the misery on Tuesday night, knowing that Inter have become susceptible to going off the boil. That said, however, Chivu appears to have learned from his mistakes.
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Speaking to Sky Sport Italia following the defeat to Atletico, the Inter boss claimed that his side need to 'get grittier and do the dirty work'. Chivu said: "It hurts for everyone, because there are many regrets.
"We came here fired up to do so much more than going home empty-handed. We had started quite well, then conceded the goal, [but] had the strength and courage to react, showing quality and intensity.
"We sat a little deeper after a while, partly because the opponents deserve credit for pushing us back. There were a few counter-attacks that, unfortunately, we were unable to make the most of."
Carlos Augusto of FC Internazionale Milano reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadio Metropolitano on November 26, 2025 in Madrid, Spain
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Inter Milan conceded in stoppage time against Atletico Madrid(Image: )
Offering a glimpse into the Nerazzurri's focus on set-pieces, much like Arsenal, Chivu added: "Then at the last minute, this corner came out of nowhere. We had our best men in the box for set plays, for height and ability in the air, but we still conceded a goal."
On the mental challenges, the Inter boss continued: "This team must know how to react, be aware that it is strong. It must understand the moments of the match, be more concrete, more clinical, not focus so much on pretty football.
"That is what we tried to do tonight. We were prepared for their high press and had even said we wouldn’t mark so closely, in case we got turned, but that’s how the first goal happened anyway.
"We reacted with determination and quality to get the equaliser, but were unable to defend the result to the end, nor make those counter-attacks count to win it."
Inter have struggled to defend counter-attacks this season, which could be another avenue of attack for Arteta's side on Tuesday night. Chivu said: "Sometimes, if you wait for the ball to come to you, then you give the opponents time to get back into shape and reorganise.
"If we do this, we won’t lose the ball centrally so easily and be vulnerable to the counter. We must be aware of what we need to do, roll our sleeves up, get grittier and do the dirty work when needed."
Coach Cristian Chivu of Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League match between Atletico Madrid v Internazionale at the Estadio Civitas Metropolitano on November 26, 2025 in Madrid Spain
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Cristian Chivu during Inter's defeat to Atletico Madrid(Image: )
Then, after losing to Liverpool in a similar manner, Chivu suggested that his side couldn't match the reigning Premier League champions' physicality. Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, the Inter boss said: "A draw was the right result considering how the game was going.
"We didn’t have enough energy in the first half and struggled with their intensity, but then we found the right key to create problems for them.
"That was after being forced into making two substitutions, which meant in the second half we couldn’t make more changes and were running short on energy."
On conceding another late goal, Chivu said: "That incident happened at the end of the game, it’s the second in the last two Champions League games, and we end up empty-handed again.
"However, we fought hard, tried to give our best, figured out how to break their press, and we pushed to the very end. We should’ve been sharper with some of our choices in the final third, but ultimately we were affected by those two forced changes."
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If Chivu is to end Arteta's perfect start to the 'league phase', Inter will have to make sure they don't take their foot off the pedal...
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