Sacchi analyses Inter’s 2-1 victory over Roma: ‘Convincing me more and more’

Arrigo Sacchi says that Inter, head coach Cristian Chivu and centre-forward Ange-Yoan Bonny are convincing him ‘more and more’ with each passing game, but feels that Roma should not feel too disheartened after their 1-0 defeat by the Nerazzurri at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening. 

Bonny scored the only goal of the game to hand Inter their fourth consecutive Serie A victory and their sixth across all competitions in the capital on Saturday night. Chivu’s side now sit level at the top of the Serie A standings with Roma and Napoli as a result. 

The Nerazzurri had lost two of their first three Serie A matches at the start of the season, but have not dropped points since mid-September, and also sit in fourth place in the Champions League table. 

Sacchi, writing in his La Gazzetta dello Sport column, says that Chivu is starting to show why he was the ideal appointment for Inter after the departure of Simone Inzaghi at the beginning of the summer. 

“Inter’s victory showed that the Nerazzurri are clearly improving. Slowly, we’re beginning to see Chivu’s work come to fruition. He had done very well with Parma at the end of last season, and is now showing his qualities on a big stage with Inter,” Sacchi wrote. 

“And then there is Bonny, who, performance after performance, is convincing me more and more. He’s a modern striker who plays with the team and for the team, who knows how to press and how to attack space.” 

On Saturday’s match, Sacchi said: “Roma could have equalised, they had their chances and were perhaps a bit unlucky, but the Nerazzurri also created trouble for the Giallorossi and came close to doubling their lead. 

“I have to say that Inter interpreted the game perfectly, they were able to wait, hit on the counter and gave their opponents no respite.” 

And as for Roma, who have five wins and two losses on their record at the start of the Serie A season, Sacchi said: “For the Giallorossi, who are in their first season with Gasperini, the defeat should not be a cause for drama or depression. 

“There’s a lot of work to do, but that is well known, and Gasperini will not be afraid to put his boys under pressure. He’s already built a team that is up there in the standings within a few months, and therefore should be satisfied with what they’ve achieved so far.”