The former Chievo player on the 2010 headbutt involving the Romanian at the Bentegodi: “Cristian was reborn through his mental strength—the same strength he has as a coach”

A dull thud, then nothingness, and finally the light—which comes back on and illuminates everything in a different way. For Cristian Chivu, Verona’s Bentegodi Stadium will always be both the beginning and the end—the near-tragedy and the start of a second life. In the stadium he’ll enter tomorrow, for the first time as Inter’s coach, the Romanian experienced the longest day of his life: January 6, 2010, Chievo vs. Inter, a loose ball, him and Sergio Pellissier head-to-head. After surgery to repair the skull fracture that left him with a scar this big, the helmet became a symbol of rebirth: Chivu would remove it in front of the fans just like D’Artagnan’s hat. Today, the Inter coach no longer needs protective gear, but he hasn’t forgotten the lesson from those days: everything is fleeting, on and off the field, which is why you must never lose sight of what truly matters. Pellissier, the other protagonist of that story—the man who, as honorary president, is trying to revive Chievo, now in Serie D—knows this all too well.

Pellissier, fifteen years later, what remains of that collision that changed your careers?

“I was watching the ball when I suddenly found him right in front of me: we were too close to avoid each other. I closed my eyes, and—boom—we collided. I fell pretty hard too; I don’t remember much of what happened right after, except for feeling really scared. They took Cristian to the hospital, while I went back onto the field for a short while, but I was forced to leave because I couldn’t see properly anymore.”

When did you realize how serious the situation was?

“Right away, from the reactions, the voices, and the doctors around me. I was on the ground, but I could still sense it was something serious. I wanted to visit Chivu in the hospital; fortunately, they did an exceptional job in Verona. There were excellent doctors there, and I think that, despite the misfortune, he was also lucky to be there. If it had happened somewhere else, things might have turned out differently.”

Chivu says that a second life began for him that day. And for you?

“That incident affected me deeply; we’re human, and therefore defenseless. I was simply luckier not to have suffered any physical consequences. In our line of work, certain things can unfortunately happen, but as professionals, you have to get back on the field immediately: it’s not easy, but it’s your mindset that keeps you going in those moments. Extraordinary mental strength was also crucial for Chivu: he wanted to come back right away, he did, and he regained everything—he won the Treble like a champion. Of course, in hindsight, you realize just how fragile life is. Let’s just say that, fortunately, it wasn’t my time—or his.”

What kind of relationship did you build afterward?

“An excellent one. We’re always happy to say hello to each other; we’ve met several times and have often talked about what happened. That tragedy, indirectly, brought us a little closer together. He never blamed me—he knew it was just part of the game. He’s an exceptional guy, and he’s getting what he deserves as a coach, too. I love his style of play and what he has to say.”

Were you surprised that he didn’t try to make any excuses after the Napoli game?

“It’s part of his character to focus solely on the field—no excuses, no wasting energy on anything else—and that’s a rarity these days. The first few games this year didn’t go well, but he had the strength to keep going. A coach is someone who believes in his own ideas even in the face of adversity.”

Do you like this Inter team? Chivu said he’s enjoying coaching them now.

“I’m old-school; for me, what matters is results. And Inter delivers results. They play well, but above all, they’re effective. It wasn’t easy to start over after an old era, yet the team has embraced the new ideas. There’s still a long way to go, but things are looking up right now; you can tell there’s a coach who loves those colors.”

As a former forward, what’s your take on Inter’s young strikers?

“As long as Lautaro is around, it’s tough—both for Pio and for Bonny—but it’s also a good thing because they have the best teacher right here. Lautaro is one of the most well-rounded strikers around, a player who seems to come from a style of soccer that no longer exists: if I were one of his younger teammates, I’d try to observe everything—his movements, his attitude, his mentality. Let’s pause for a moment on Pio, a source of hope for all of Italy: he has quality, determination, and personality, but to stay at the top, you need a strong mind. And it seems he has that.”

Could this Verona team really pose a threat to Inter?

“Yes, the home crowd in Verona matters a lot. It’s a tough place to play: if you underestimate Zanetti’s team, you’re taking a risk. They create a lot of chances, even if they don’t score much, but up front they have fast, technically skilled forwards.”

When will we see Pellissier, as a club executive, and Chivu, as a coach, face off against each other again in Serie A?

“Hopefully soon—it would be wonderful. It’s a dream, and dreaming costs nothing. But keep in mind, we at Chievo are growing: the team is in good shape, it’s a real unit, competitive even at the club level, but the climb back to Serie A is still a long one.”