Cristian Chivu praises Inter Milan after seven-goal thriller against Como

Speaking after the match, Inter coach Cristian Chivu praised his side's resilience and growth. "It wasn't straightforward," he said. "We were two goals behind, but reacted immediately. That goal before half-time gave us confidence. In the second half we raised the tempo, showed character and managed the comeback."

Inter had been under pressure early on, with Como's intensity causing problems. The hosts took the lead through Alex Valle, before Nico Paz doubled the advantage just before the break with a composed finish.

However, Inter responded at a crucial moment. Marcus Thuram pulled one back before half-time, finishing smartly from Nicolo Barella's cross. Chivu highlighted the importance of that goal: "It changed the momentum and belief for the second half."

Thuram struck again shortly after the restart, levelling the match with a clever finish, before Denzel Dumfries completed the turnaround with a powerful header from Hakan Calhanoglu's set-piece delivery.

Chivu pointed to that preparation as decisive. "We worked on set pieces this morning. We have quality takers and strong players in the air - it would be a shame not to use that."

Dumfries then sealed the win with his second goal of the night, underlining his importance. "We really missed him," Chivu added. "He gives us depth, physicality and attacking runs."

Como did pull one back late through a penalty from Lucas Da Cunha, but Inter held on to secure a vital victory.

The result marked Inter's 11th straight head-to-head league win over Como and reinforced their title charge. "This win shows maturity," Chivu said. "We must stay ambitious - we know what is at stake now."