The Turkish international was speaking to Inter TV after the 2-0 win over Parma at San Siro clinched the Scudetto with three games remaining. Calhanoglu had missed a significant portion of the campaign through injury and navigated a summer of intense transfer speculation before Inter made clear he was not going anywhere.
He responded with performances that underlined exactly why the club held firm.
"It's an incredibly important achievement for us, especially given everything that happened off the pitch — all the chaos of the summer, obviously outside of our control. Congratulations to the squad because we have won a Scudetto that we fully deserve and we are very happy."
On Chivu's role in rebuilding the group's identity after last season's Champions League final humiliation at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, Calhanoglu was unambiguous.
"Chivu was the first man. Precisely because of him we became even more of a group, even more of a family. Also thanks to coach Cristian Chivu, we were all more united."
He described the personal significance of the relationship he built with the manager.
"Chivu was the first to give me confidence. I tried to give everything for him and for the team."
Reflecting on his own season, interrupted by injury at key moments in both the league and European campaigns, the midfielder was honest but not bitter.
"It's a shame about the injuries — it could have been my best season. But I think I gave my contribution. I preferred to say little outside the pitch and show everything with my performances in the game."
Calhanoglu, 32, is one of only two players in Serie A this season to average over four key passes and four ball recoveries per 90 minutes — a statistic that reflects the dual demands Chivu placed on him in a system that required its midfield anchor to both create and protect.
Inter Milan face Lazio in the Coppa Italia final on 14 May.