To date, the Nerazzurri have conceded 31 goals in 34 matchdays: more than Milan, Como, Juve and Roma, despite the numbers being similar. But Chivu’s philosophy is clear: “The days when we won thanks to the best defenses are over.”
“The days when championships were won thanks to the best defenses are over.” According to Cristian Chivu, who has remained faithful to his philosophy, to date he has the 5th least perforated rearguard in Serie A (despite Milan, Como, Juve and Roma still being very close in terms of numbers), but is still preparing to celebrate the 21st scudetto in Inter’s history. In his first season at the helm of the club, without distorting his thinking, indeed remaining faithful to the idea that creating dangers in the offensive zone is more decisive than risking less in the defensive one. And the team’s numbers so far confirm: 1st place – definitive in case of victory against Parma next Sunday -, 80 goals scored in 34 matches (more than 2.35 per match), 31 conceded. The Nerazzurri rearguard will therefore not be the best in the championship so far, but it is on the overall goal difference that there has been no story. Because Inter is at +49 and the team that comes closest in these terms is Como at +31, however at a clear -18 compared to the group led by Chivu. The gap between Inter and, for example, Napoli and Milan, which they have been chasing for a long time, is frightening: as mentioned, the Nerazzurri are placed at +49 in the goal difference rankings, while Conte and Allegri’s teams are at +21 and only +19 respectively.
the previous ones
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The last time the championship was won by the team that did not have the best defense dates back to the 2019-20 season, when Sarri’s Juve (43 goals conceded) finished just ahead of Inter (36 goals conceded). More generally, however, it happened on 40 other occasions. The first? Precisely with Inter (Ambrosiana) the protagonist, ahead of everyone despite having conceded more goals than Juventus and Turin. In between, Inter won another 7 championships without having the best defense between 1938 and 2007. Courses and recurrences, which this season have consecrated Cristian Chivu as not only an offensive coach, but above all… a winner.
