On the 20th local time, the official press conference was held at Lumen Field (Seattle) the day before the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group Stage MD2 Trial. Cristian Chivu, the manager of Inter Milan (Italy), attended and spoke about his enthusiasm for Trial.

[Director Cristian Chivu]
(On Francesco Esposito's condition)
"I met him when I was 13 years old, and we've practically grown up together. It was a real honor to coach the team he captained. Since then, he has gained experience in Serie B (the Italian second division) and has grown a lot both physically and as a person. I think he has become an even more mature player now. I checked on him in two training sessions, and he is already fully recovered. There is a chance that he will play in Trial. It is still unclear whether he will be a starter or a substitute."

(The importance of tomorrow's Trial and my impression of Urawa Reds. Which players are you paying particular attention to?)
"This Trial itself is very important. It is only the second match of the group stage, but we must accumulate points from here on Trial and advance to the next round. This is the most important goal for both teams. Our opponents lost their last Trial and we started the game with a draw. Both teams will be looking to win, so it will be a tough battle.

I really like Japanese football because it has a lot of discipline and order. I've heard that Urawa Reds are a very organised team, and they play cleanly. They're also great from a technical standpoint, and with some experience from European football added to that, I think the quality of the whole team has improved.

There are a few players to look out for, but I especially respect (Samuel) Gustafsson. It's fun to watch him play and analyze his videos. I feel he's an important member of the team."

(What do you want to improve in tomorrow's Trial compared to the previous one against CF Monterrey?)
“In the Monterrey match, we tried our best to give it our all and I think the players responded well and with a lot of pride.
However, there are areas we need to improve. We were a little stiff and perhaps our tempo was slow. We talked with the players about what we could have done better and have been trying to fix that over the past few days. I hope to see that improvement tomorrow.
Another thing I want is for us to show more decisiveness and concreteness in front of the goal. We missed chances in important situations and were not able to take Trial to an easy pace."

(Regarding your tactics, in the match against Monterrey you showed your flexibility in changing the system depending on the situation Trial. Does this mean that you might start Trial with a two-top system in the future?)
"That depends on how you count the formation. It could be two up front, three up front, or four up front. But we need to remember that we are in a season tournament now, not a training camp where we can carefully try out new tactics. For that reason, we are focusing on fighting based on the methods we have built up so far, and trying not to waver the players' confidence.
For example, there were only two days to prepare for the Monterrey match. To fight through a long nine-month season, physical and mental recovery is more important than anything else. For a team that plays a Trial every three days, the best training is "recovery."
So I can't change my tactics too much. But I have good players on my team who can adapt to various situations. They understand what I ask of them and execute it right away, so I can make small adjustments."

(I was able to hear from your former teammate, Yuto Nagatomo, about your good relationship with Coach Chivu. What are some good memories you have of him?)
"Yuto (Nagatomo) is one of my friends. I have a lot of fond memories of him. It's great to see him still playing and in such good condition. I was delighted to see him play for the Japanese national team recently.
I had a chance to talk with his national teammate, Parma Calcio 1913 player Zion Suzuki the other day, and I sent my congratulations and a big hug to Yuto. We had a really good time together, even though it was a long time ago now."

(What do you think about the strengths and weaknesses of Japanese players?)
"I love the people and culture of Japan. I love the country of Japan itself. I have not yet visited, but I have always admired the culture, discipline and sincere approach to everything they do. It is something that people all over the world should learn from, and it is a culture that I personally have great respect for. Japan is a beautiful country with wonderful people, and I look forward to visiting it someday."

(Are you happy with the change in host climate? And how much will 12pm Trial affect your daily routine?)
"Los Angeles was a comfortable place, but I'm happy to be here in Seattle. Both Los Angeles and Seattle have great training facilities, and I'm grateful to the organizers and everyone involved for providing us with such an excellent environment. For us, being able to practice well is the most important thing.
It's a little cooler in Seattle, but I just got here yesterday, so I don't know yet. Our goal is to practice and prepare for Trial, that's it."

(The other day, Luis Enrique said that he wanted a "dominant team." In one sentence, how would you describe the Inter you want for the future?)
"A dominant team is the ideal image that every manager aspires to. By controlling the ball and taking control of Trial, you can bring out the best in your players' skills and personalities. I think controlling Trial is the dream of every manager.
Of course, that's what we want too. We want to work hard to create such a team in the near future, whether that be from tomorrow or even into the future."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]