The Decision Behind The Move
MILAN — Inter Milan transformed its treble disappointment from last season into domestic domination on Sunday, beating Parma 2-0 to clinch the Serie A title with three rounds remaining. The Nerazzurri finished 12 points ahead of second-placed Napoli.
Inter can complete a league and cup double if it beats Lazio in the Italian Cup final on May 13. The last time Inter won both trophies was when José Mourinho led the club to a treble in 2010.
That 2010 triumph feels like a different lifetime for Inter. Last season ended in heartbreak — one point behind Napoli in the league, out of the Italian Cup in the semifinals, and routed 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. The contrast to this year's clinical march to the title is striking.
The Job Ahead
The coaching change raised eyebrows across Italy. After Simone Inzaghi left for a lucrative Saudi Arabian role at Al-Hilal, Inter appointed Cristian Chivu, who had overseen just 13 Serie A matches with Parma. But the Romanian knew Inter intimately, having spent seven years coaching youth teams after ending his playing career at the club in 2014. He was also part of the 2010 treble-winning squad.
Chivu's impact was immediate. He shifted Inter to a more aggressive, high-pressing system and restored harmony in the dressing room while integrating academy talent like Pio Esposito. The result was a team that avoided the injury plague that devastated the previous campaign — aside from Denzel Dumfries and Hakan Calhanoglu, key players stayed largely fit.
Captain Lautaro Martínez missed eight of the nine league matches before Inter clinched the title, returning from a calf problem to feature against Parma. His timing mattered.
The Pressure That Remains
There was a wobble. Inter was eliminated by Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League, then managed only two wins in eight matches, including a derby loss to Milan that trimmed the league lead to six points. A statement 5-3 victory at Roma steadied the ship, and Inter never relinquished control afterward.
Chivu took over a club still processing last year's grief and delivered a championship in his first senior managerial role at the club. That is the kind of turnaround that redefines what a coaching appointment can look like.