Serie A

Chivu vs. Tudor: from the pitch to the dugout

Football history is full of fascinating contests between coaches, and the one between Cristian Chivu and Igor Tudor is among the most intriguing.

On Saturday 13 September at 18:00 CEST, Cristian Chivu and Igor Tudor will come up against each other in the dugouts of Inter and Juventus. However, their paths already crossed on the pitch back in the early 2000s when they were playing for Roma (Chivu) and Juventus/Siena (Tudor).

Head-to-head as players

Their meetings during their playing careers produced thrilling matches and memorable moments: * Juventus 2-2 Roma (2003/04): Chivu on the scoresheet in a thrilling contest.

Roma 4-0 Juventus (2003/04): a dominant Roma performance at the Olimpico.
Roma 0-2 Siena (2004/05): Tudor, with Siena, took his revenge.
Siena 0-2 Roma (2005/06): a Roma side featuring the Romanian defender secured all three points in Tuscany. The overall record between the duo thus leans towards Chivu: two wins, one draw, one defeat and one goal. Tudor, meanwhile, managed just one win, alongside one draw and two defeats.

Defenders with character, leaders on the pitch

Chivu and Tudor were both outstanding defenders, though with different styles. The Romanian, elegant and versatile, made history with both Roma and then Inter, with whom he won a historic Treble in 2010 under José Mourinho.

Tudor, by contrast, was more combative and physical. He enjoyed successful years with Juventus - winning two Serie A titles - before finishing his playing career at Siena and moving into coaching, with spells both in Italy and abroad.

Their journeys as coaches

The current Juventus boss has taken charge of several clubs, including Hajduk Split, PAOK, Galatasaray, Udinese, Hellas Verona, Olympique Marseille, Lazio and Juventus. His spell with Verona deserves special mention: he guided the Scaligeri to ninth place with 53 points. Equally significant was his time in France, where he led OM to a third-place finish in Ligue 1, behind PSG and Lens.

Chivu, meanwhile, began his coaching career in Inter’s youth setup before taking charge of Parma in Serie A Enilive, succeeding Fabio Pecchia for the final 13 matches of last season. He steered the Gialloblu to safety, immediately demonstrating his ability to organise a side that was compact and aggressive in both defence and attack.

Second dugout duel

Juventus vs. Inter, scheduled for 18:00 CEST on Saturday 13 September, will see Chivu and Tudor face off in only their second managerial showdown. Their first encounter came last season in Parma vs. Juventus. On that occasion, Chivu came out on top: Parma won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Pellegrino, securing the Romanian’s first coaching victory over his Croatian counterpart and delivering a crucial three points for the Crociati in their battle to avoid relegation.

Ideas and charisma: the next clash

Chivu on one side, Tudor on the other: the clash between the two former defenders brings not only the intrigue of their past encounters but also the question of who will read the game better and claim victory in the much-anticipated Derby d’Italia.

Every tackle, every tactical decision, every substitution will add another chapter to their rivalry. This showdown promises to capture the attention of football fans and rewrite a piece of Italian football history. (Photo Getty Images)