Chivu warns Inter against rising expectations ahead of Slavia clash

Inter boss Cristian Chivu has cautioned that "expectations can create disappointment" in the Champions League as his side prepare to face Slavia Prague on Tuesday. 

After being beaten in last year's showpiece match by Paris Saint-Germain, they return to Stadio Giuseppe Meazza aiming to build on the first game of their European campaign.  

Chivu's side beat Ajax 2-0, with Marcus Thuram's quickfire goals either side of half-time sealing a much-needed win for the Nerazzurri after a poor run of results. 

Indeed, back-to-back league defeats to Udinese and Juventus saw Inter lose two of their first three games in a single season for only the third time in the three points for a win era (1994-95), after 2000/01 and 2011/12. 

However, they have since responded with three consecutive wins in all competitions, the latest coming in a 2-0 triumph over Cagliari in Serie A over the weekend. 

"I've always liked the performances I’ve seen even if we’ve not had much time to prepare," Chivu told reporters on Monday. 

"We have to think about the next game, because the next big threat is always just around the corner.

"I always expect continuity and attention to the maximum. I expect an increasingly dominant team, and we have to be good at understanding moments in-game.

"We have to understand what we need to do to bring home the victory."

Inter have won their last four Champions League meetings with Czech opposition, recording a dominant 10-1 aggregate score since the 2019-20 campaign and keeping clean sheets in each of the most recent three.

This will be the third meeting between Inter and Slavia in European competition, with the previous two also coming in the Champions League in the 2019-20 group stage, with the Nerazzurri drawing 1-1 at home before winning 3-1 in the reverse fixture. 

And after beating Ajax on the road last time out in the competition, Chivu could become just the fourth Inter boss to win his first two Champions League matches in charge, after Luciano Spalletti (2018-19), Claudio Ranieri (2011-12) and Roberto Mancini (2004-05).

Chivu was asked what has surprised him the most about the current Inter squad at his disposal. 

"The desire to be dominant and to make changes. This is a group of real men, and I’ve not taken their application for granted," he added.

But when asked about Inter's chances of going one better than they did last year in the Champions League, Chivu was quick to temper expectations. 

"We can't look too far ahead," Chivu said. "We have to keep our feet on the ground because expectations can create disappointment."