Dimarco’s fitness management: Chivu’s approach marks a clear shift from Inzaghi

The Inter Milan full-back is playing more full matches under Cristian Chivu, highlighting a new physical management strategy compared to previous seasons

The physical management of Federico Dimarco has become a key topic at Inter Milan. A comparison of the number of full matches played by the Nerazzurri wing-back this season and under the previous coaching staff reveals a striking difference.

Even the player himself has touched on the matter recently, taking a subtle jab at Simone Inzaghi for having often substituted him around the hour mark. 

The idea was to preserve his fitness and reduce the risk of injuries — but according to Dimarco, that approach also limited his rhythm and stamina.

With Cristian Chivu now at the helm, things have clearly changed. The Romanian coach seems to have embraced the player’s request, allowing Dimarco more freedom to build his endurance and play entire matches. 

Whether this approach will translate into more total minutes over the season — or require more frequent rests from the bench — remains to be seen.

Dimarco’s full-match statistics: then and now

Here’s the breakdown of how many matches Dimarco has completed without substitution over the past four seasons:

2025/26: 3 full matches out of 8 played → 37.5%

2024/25: 8 full matches out of 51 → 15.7%

2023/24: 2 full matches out of 40 → 5%

2022/23: 4 full matches out of 50 → 8%

The numbers illustrate an upward trend under Chivu: Dimarco is staying on the pitch more often and finishing matches at a much higher rate than in previous years.

From preservation to endurance

During Inzaghi’s tenure, Dimarco’s minutes were managed carefully to avoid fatigue and injuries, a logical choice considering the team’s heavy schedule and his explosive style of play.

But Chivu’s system, which emphasizes high intensity, pressing, and vertical transitions, appears to rely more on Dimarco’s full energy for the entire match. 

This shift could be part of a broader plan to make him one of the key pillars in both defensive stability and offensive build-up.

It remains to be seen whether this new workload will enhance Dimarco’s performance long-term or require more rotation later in the season — but for now, the data paints a clear picture: Federico Dimarco is becoming indispensable.

Source: Fcinter1908