Inter Milan lost 1-3 to Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie after Pio Esposito equalized in the first half. Despite failing to secure a favorable advantage for qualification, Chivu stated that the Nerazzurri will fight to the very end.

In the 20th minute, Casper Heger crossed from the penalty area, and Brensta Feth received the pass, adjusted his position, and slotted the ball home, giving Bodø/Glimt a 1-0 lead. In the 30th minute, Augusto chipped the ball into the penalty area, and Pio Esposito, facing the defense, fired a shot into the net, leveling the score at 1-1 for Inter Milan.

In the 61st minute of the second half, Casper Heger crossed the ball, and Peter Hauge received it and slotted it home, giving Bodø/Glimt a 2-1 lead over Inter Milan. Three minutes later, Didier Blumberg crossed the ball from the penalty area, and Casper Heger slotted it home, extending Bodø/Glimt's lead to 3-1.

Ultimately, Inter Milan lost 1-3 to Bodø/Glimt away from home.

Inter Milan coach Chivu said in an interview, "The team gave their all for 90 minutes and showed a strong fighting spirit. We lost possession several times and the opponent seized the opportunity. We didn't do well enough in dealing with their quick and tough counter-attacks, which cost us. Although the pitch conditions and cold weather presented challenges, these cannot be excuses, and I cannot blame the players' attitude. What we need to do better is to defend better against certain players and react more quickly when they counter-attack."

“We must bounce back. We’ve had some issues since the game, and we need to handle them carefully because we have Lecce in a few days, followed by the second leg. We need to assess our physical condition. Lautaro is injured, and it’s quite serious. We don’t know how long he’ll be out, but it’s definitely a major loss. Other players also have some issues, and we need to evaluate those as well.”

Kiev pointed out, "Our plan was to suppress the players in possession, which in itself wasn't a problem. We pushed our defense slightly further forward in the first half, but the main problem was losing possession and failing to regain it during transitions, which made us vulnerable against their intensity. They are a strong team, technically skilled and capable, and much more accustomed to this pitch than we are, but that's no excuse."

"When the score was 1-1, we had a crucial chance at the start of the second half that we could have capitalized on. But three minutes later, we conceded two almost identical goals in quick succession, which is exactly what we knew our opponents were good at before the match."

In addition, Kiv said, "It's not over yet, there's still the second leg. We know they are very threatening on the counter-attack, but we will fight to the end and do everything we can to advance."

Image source: Internet