Football, emotions, memories: happy birthday to Cristian Chivu

16 years ago, in the summer of 2007, the emotional and triumphant story between Cristian Chivu and Inter began. 167 appearances, three goals and numerous unforgettable moments are testament to his strength as a player and man. On his 43rd birthday, the Head Coach of Inter's U19s sat down for an exclusive interview, during which he looked back at the most important moments of his career: from the values he learnt on the pitch that he's now transmitting to his lads to the most exciting matches he was involved in during his playing career. And not forgetting that clash of heads with Pellissier on 6 January 2010, the operation that followed and the courage to return to the field surrounded by the special support of the Nerazzurri faithful.

The welcome they gave me before the game against Livorno, with the whole San Siro on its feet, gave me a lot of confidence. I felt they were happy to see me back on the pitch after that awful incident. I made myself available to the team, also to prove to myself that after that injury I could continue to play at those levels. My goal against Atalanta was an indescribable joy.

He returned to action on 24 March and, a month later, the Nerazzurri faced Barcelona at Camp Nou on 28 April:

That Barcelona side were the best team of all time given the players and identity they had and the football they played. I experienced that match in a relaxed manner because I'd overcome all the difficult moments relating to the head operation, and I could only smile as I warmed up in front of 90,000 whistling fans. In that situation, we saw the team's spirit, with the group coming before anything else.

Now in the dugout, he remains as passionate as ever, experiencing all the emotions he did as a player:

You experience the same joy as a coach as you do a player. One of the best moments I've had is seeing my team come from 3-0 down against Cagliari in the final ten minutes of the U19 Scudetto semi-finals in 2021/22. I've achieved many things, but I'd never experienced a feeling like that before. It was fantastic for everyone. I always try to transmit something extra to the boys; this is a responsibility I have.