Inter coach Cristian Chivu has praised Napoli counterpart Massimiliano Allegri ahead of their Serie A match. Chivu, who has a certain amount of respect for Allegri, believes the experienced coach has a lot to offer younger coaches. "I am one of those who appreciates and respects Allegri. He is a winner, he has a certain amount of experience and he has everything that we young coaches want to learn," Chivu said.
Napoli finished among Italy's leading teams last season and have beaten Inter in both of their meetings. Chivu acknowledges that Napoli represent a significant step up in opposition, but believes Inter must retain their identity against the Italian giants. "We must be ourselves," he said. "The determination, courage and desire to dominate must never be lost. This team has a very precise identity of who it wants to be."
Inter have opened the campaign with six points from their first two games, but Chivu knows the visit of Napoli represents a major test. The Nerazzurri coach will be looking for another mature performance from his side as they attempt to establish early momentum in the title race.