Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu was blown away by Arsenal’s performance in the 3-1 Champions League win on Tuesday night, saying the English side showed some arrogance in their game.
The Gunners faced a tough test as they went away to the side top of Serie A, and did so without the likes of Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Odegaard in their starting XI.
They were ahead after just 10 minutes through Gabriel Jesus, with Inter equalising thanks to Petar Sucic, but Jesus scored again in the first half, but Viktor Gyokeres came off the bench to net a third and complete a 3-1 victory.
It has been an immense Champions League campaign so far for Mikel Arteta’s side, winning all seven matches, scoring 20 goals and conceding just two.
Chivu was certainly impressed, feeling that the visitors were even able to be arrogant in their play in the San Siro, especially before the break.
‘They had more intensity, technique and pace, they occupied the space well, attacked the lines with intensity and speed, the same with the second balls, as they dive into every duel,’ Chivu said to Sky Sport Italia.
‘We tried to stay in the match, we played quite well in the first half and at 1-1 could’ve scored another. That doesn’t mean we would’ve gone on to win, but incidents do change the mood of the teams.
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‘We were also unlucky on that goal on a corner, where it bounced off the bar and onto the head of an Arsenal player.
‘In the second half, Arsenal raised the focus level and were also a little more humble, as there was some arrogance from them in the first half. They sat deeper, have physicality, and of course can bring players off the bench to raise the level further.’
Inter started their Champions League campaign with four straight wins but have now lost three on the bounce and are now scrapping to finish in the top eight of the group stage and avoid the play-offs.
Chivu had little doubt his team had just played one of Europe’s best, though, as he continued to praise the Premier League leaders.
‘When these Arsenal players come and surround you, they attack from all angles, they encircle you,’ he said. ‘I was so impressed with their technique with the ball moving at pace, they make the right choices and first touches, they have the speed of thought to find their teammates quickly and on the right [Bukayo] Saka can take men on to cause all sorts of problems.
‘We won a few challenges and went on the counter quite easily in those moments, but Arsenal have so much quality in their squad. I won’t point out how much money they spent, as that would be too banal, but the Premier League does have a very different type of intensity and pace to Italian football.
‘Some of us, including myself, are trying to introduce something more in that sense, the type of moves we want to see, but it’s not an easy process. We’ve got to maintain the belief that we are on the right track.’
Arteta’s superb season continued, with the Arsenal boss thrilled he could rest some key players and still get an impressive win away to a good side.
‘We’re very proud, not only for tonight’s game but for what we’ve done in the competition so far in seven matches. With one game to go to be already in the position that we want to be,’ he said.
‘A massive prize to the team because we know how difficult it is. And then tonight it was a test. Probably we didn’t have the necessity in terms of the points, but we really had the hunger and the desire to come to a place like this against a top, top side and prove what we are and what we can do. And I’m really, really pleased with what I’ve seen.’
