The Baccin Era Begins: Chivu rallies Inter for Napoli showdown

A symbolic day at Appiano Gentile. Between the emotional farewell to Piero Ausilio and the promotion of Dario Baccin, Chivu sets his sights on honoring the badge against Napoli.

A "Mark of Esteem": Marotta presents Dario Baccin

The morning at Appiano Gentile opened with professional gravitas as President Beppe Marotta officially presented Dario Baccin as the successor to Piero Ausilio. Marotta was brief but impactful: "It is a source of great pride to present Dario Baccin as the new sporting director. We trust in his great professionalism and human values." Baccin, clearly moved by the gravity of the day—falling on the 20th anniversary of Giacinto Facchetti’s passing—expressed his gratitude to the ownership. "A thank you goes to Piero—I shared ten years of my life with him. If I am here with moral serenity, it is also thanks to the discussions we had in recent days," Baccin noted, confirming he and Ausilio "left our relationship in good terms."

Chivu’s tribute: "Piero is a friend before a professional"

Cristian Chivu was equally emotional regarding the departure of his long-time collaborator. "Piero is a friend to me before being a professional," Chivu shared. "He's been at Inter for 28 years, we must thank him from the heart for everything he's done all these years. Yesterday was an emotional day, we hugged him and thanked him for everything he has represented for Inter." It is clear that while the management structure changes, the bond between the coach and the outgoing director remains unbreakable.

The Napoli challenge: Honoring the Scudetto

Turning to the pitch, Chivu acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming clash against the Partenopei. "We all know the importance of this match, Napoli finished second, they won the Scudetto 2 years ago, we know how strong Napoli is, we must rise to the occasion and honor this match," the manager insisted. Reflecting on past struggles against them, he added: "The match in Napoli is the one that gave the most motivation to correct certain mistakes. Even in the weakness in handling injustice. We had a fantastic first half, we got angry about something we thought wasn't fair, and we stopped doing what we were supposed to do in the second half."

Tactical respect: The "Sky-High" esteem for Allegri

Chivu also took a moment to address the narrative surrounding his counterpart, Massimiliano Allegri, for whom he has nothing but respect. "My esteem for Allegri is sky-high, for what he represents for Italian football," Chivu stated. "I don't forget 6 trophies and 2 Champions League finals achieved. He shouldn't tell me that against him last year we didn't win. We know that, we've accepted this fact and we've gotten back up." He highlighted Allegri's experience: "Allegri is so good at understanding what we'll do on the pitch. We must maintain our identity, we must maintain the courage and the desire to be dominant."

Managing the stars: Stones, Jones, and the 2008 gem

Regarding the curiosity surrounding his new triple-threat of English signings—Stones, Jones, and Spence—Chivu played his cards close to his chest. "I’ve learned not to make plans. You’re curious about Jones, Spence and Stones, I’m curious about Carlos Augusto and Mkhitaryan who still haven't played," he joked. He assured fans that their wait would soon be over: "Stones and Jones are doing well, they’ll have the chance to show what they’re worth. Spence is in the re-athletization process, and when he’s ready we’ll let you see him." He also emphasized progress over perfection: "I don't seek perfection, I seek progress."

The ForzaIM Take

This press conference felt like the closing of one chapter and the opening of a much more aggressive one. Losing Ausilio stings the heart, but Baccin has the "moral serenity" and the Facchetti-like values to lead us forward. Chivu’s refusal to get drawn into the "Coach of the Year" drama, instead praising Fàbregas and focusing on progress, shows the maturity of a true Interista leader. If we play with the "courage to be dominant" that he’s asking for, Napoli won't know what hit them.

Do you think Baccin and Chivu’s long-standing working relationship in the youth sector will make this management transition smoother than expected for the first team?

Forza Inter sempre!