Chivu's Champions League message: "Inter are still contenders"

Cristian Chivu believes Inter are strong enough to compete in the UEFA Champions League this season, despite not starting the campaign the way they wanted.

Following defeats to Real Madrid and Club Brugge, Inter beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in their most recent outing, a game in which Alessandro Bastoni was sent off.

Having come away empty-handed from their last two away games in the Champions League, the Italian side last endured a longer run of away defeats between October 2018 and November 2019 (four matches in a row). Inter have also taken a 1-0 lead in only two of their last nine Champions League matches, winning both of those games and losing the remaining seven.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the trip to Feyenoord, Chivu stressed his faith in his players:

"I believe in the work being done, in this team's potential and in what they have achieved so far. I have complete faith in my team. They are champions and they have shown it before. There have been negative moments and mistakes that we need to learn from, accept, put behind us and try to correct. But I have not lost my belief.

We have always said that the Champions League, just like the domestic league, has to be taken one match at a time. You need around 16 points to make the top eight. So far we have one win and two defeats, but we are still in the race. We know very well who we are and what we want. I am sure we will put in a great performance."

Inter's previous Champions League meeting with Feyenoord came in the 2024-25 season, when the Italian side won both legs of their round of 16 tie (2-0 away and 2-1 at home).

Inter, who lost their first-ever match against Dutch opposition to Ajax in the 1972 European Cup final, have not been beaten in any of their 13 matches against Dutch sides in the European Cup and Champions League since then (10 wins, 3 draws).

Hosts Feyenoord, meanwhile, have lost 10 of their last 13 matches in European competition, and the other three games, all of which they won, were played at home.