Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu has stressed the importance of remaining focused for Sunday’s Serie A clash against Lazio, despite the Coppa Italia final looming just three days later at the same venue. Lautaro Martinez will start the match, and Chivu emphasized that he requires Marcus Thuram’s presence alongside him.
The fixture kicks off at 17:00 local time (23:00 Beijing time) at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Inter secured the Serie A title three rounds early last week and are now aiming for a domestic double. Wednesday evening will see them face Lazio again at the same stadium for the Coppa Italia trophy. A victory would mark the club’s first double since Jose Mourinho’s treble-winning campaign in 2010.
Speaking to DAZN Italia, Chivu underlined the significance of the league match: “This is a Serie A game, and the Coppa Italia is a separate competition. We must respect this competition and continue to uphold our principles throughout the season, maintaining our focus because it’s a real match. Even though we are already Italian champions, we still need to show respect for this competition at all times.”
With the Coppa Italia final approaching, Inter have rotated their squad, giving rare starts to players like Davide Frattesi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Lautaro Martinez returns to the starting lineup after recovering from a muscle issue. “Lautaro came off the bench against Parma last week and did well. We hope to give him around an hour today to help him regain match fitness,” Chivu explained. “Marcus starts because Lautaro now needs his teammates, and they combine well together.”
Before the match, the entire Inter squad, coach Chivu, and club officials visited the Vatican to meet Pope Leo, who congratulated them on winning the Serie A title. Additionally, the team wore black armbands to honor club legend Evaristo Beccalossi, who passed away recently. Chivu added: “We send our condolences to his family and the entire Inter family. His daughter Gaia has worked with us for many years. He embodied the spirit of Inter and what it means to be part of this club. Losing someone so special is deeply painful for us.”
