Inter Milan face an uphill task in the playoffs after slipping to a 3-1 first-leg defeat away to Bodo/Glimt, but head coach Cristian Chivu remains convinced the tie is far from over.
On a difficult night at the Aspmyra Stadion, the Nerazzurri were tested from the opening exchanges.
The hosts struck first through Brunstad Fet, setting the tempo early, before Inter hit back just before the interval with an equaliser from Pio Esposito to restore balance heading into half-time.
However, as the game moved into the second half, momentum swung sharply. Bodo/Glimt punished Inter twice on the break, exploiting quick transitions to open up a two-goal cushion.
Despite sustained pressure and a determined push until the final whistle, the Italian side were unable to reduce the deficit, leaving the scoreline at 3-1.
Speaking after the match, Chivu praised his squad’s mentality but pointed to key moments that proved costly.
“The team gave their all for the full 90 minutes and displayed a strong mindset. We were caught out on a few lost balls and struggled to deal with their rapid and intense transitions, and that cost us,” said the gaffer.
While conditions in Norway were demanding, the Inter coach refused to lean on excuses.
“Despite the challenges, the pitch and the cold, which I must say cannot be used as excuses, I can’t fault my players for their attitude. What we needed was better management of specific players and quicker reactions to their counter-attacks.
“Now we need to regather ourselves. We have a few issues after this game that we need to address carefully, because in three days we have to play Lecce, and then we have the return leg on Tuesday. We need to assess our physical condition.”
One major blow came in the form of an injury to Inter captain Lautaro Martínez, which could have serious implications.
“Lautaro was injured, quite seriously, I might add. We don’t know how long he’ll be out, but it’s definitely a significant loss. Other players will also have some issues that we will have to assess thoroughly tomorrow.
“Our plan was to put pressure on whoever had the ball. That wasn’t really the problem. In the second half, we defended a little higher than in the first, but the main issue was the lost balls and failing to secure second balls in transitions, leaving us vulnerable to their intensity.”
He added: “When it was 1-1, we had a crucial chance early in the second half that we could have made better use of. Straight after that, just three minutes later, we conceded two identical goals, from what we knew would be their strong suit.
“It’s still all to play for. There’s the return leg. We know that they’re a team that can do damage on the counter, but we’ll fight until the end and do everything we can to advance.”
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