Inter Milan's Serie A title celebrations were delayed on Friday night after they surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Torino at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. The result leaves Simone Inzaghi's side needing just three more points from their remaining five matches to secure the Scudetto, a fact acknowledged by assistant coach Cristian Chivu in his post-match comments. The Romanian, standing in for the suspended Inzaghi, admitted to a sense of regret but urged his team to maintain focus for the final push.
Chivu addressed the dropped points directly, attributing part of the outcome to Torino's relentless pressure. "There is regret," Chivu said, according to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Because we had the game in hand, but we suffered their final assault when they put in more energy. The first goal scared us and the second came as a consequence." He paid tribute to the home side's spirit, adding, "We give honour to Torino who never gave up and could even have gone ahead."
The assistant coach also provided context on several squad management decisions made during the match, revealing that key players were not at full fitness. "Calhanoglu was not well, Dumfries neither," Chivu explained. "I thought about giving Bastoni a few minutes because he has done three training sessions with us; for Lautaro it is longer." He suggested that a degree of mental fatigue may have set in after a long and dominant season, noting the difficulty of maintaining intensity after such a significant physical and mental expenditure.
Despite the stumble, Inter's position remains overwhelmingly strong. The club has won 25 of its 33 league games this season and scored over 100 goals, a remarkable feat that Chivu was keen to highlight. "We have done an important season, winning 25 times and scoring over 100 goals; it was not simple but it is all their merit," he said, praising the squad's competitiveness and adaptability. His immediate focus, however, is on securing the required points. "We need three points still and we must stay concentrated," Chivu stated, emphasizing the need to support the players through the final hurdle.
The draw does little to change the ultimate destination of the league title, which now seems a matter of when, not if, for Inter. The implications of the result are minimal for the Nerazzurri's campaign, but it serves as a reminder of the competitive nature of Serie A even for a team that has dominated from the start. For Torino, the comeback point is a testament to their resilience under Ivan Juric and keeps them in contention for a European place. Inter will now turn their attention to next weekend's fixture, where a victory would officially crown them champions of Italy for the 20th time.
