Esposito candidate starter in Cagliari, Chivu may confirm the partnership with Lautaro

The performance of Pio Esposito against Monza confirmed the growth of the young Nerazzurri striker. After an entire season of apprenticeship with the first team, the forward now seems to have secured an important place in Chivu‘s lineup, to the point of challenging Thuram for the role of offensive partner to Lautaro Martinez.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the World Cup held in the United States proved to be a valuable opportunity for Esposito. The prolonged absence of the ThuLa duo, busy with the competition, allowed him to be a protagonist throughout the summer preparation. The young striker showed versatility in his play, alternating between hard work and decisive contributions in front of goal, as demonstrated by his backheel for the temporary 3-1, which embellished an already convincing performance.

The understanding between Esposito and Lautaro has grown over time. Last season, which Inter finished with a total of 124 goals across all competitions, the pair showed great chemistry, built through mutual goals and assists. For this reason, Chivu chose to rely on the PiLa duo for the season opener and could propose the same solution for the second league match away at Cagliari, even though the Toro is not yet at his best due to a shortened preparation.

Thuram, for his part, had a complicated summer. After a strong finish to the league, the Frenchman played just one minute at the World Cup (coming on in the 91st minute of France-Iraq) and had to deal with some physical problems before rejoining the group.

Chivu, however, rejects the idea of rigid hierarchies. The Nerazzurri coach often reiterates that the team’s strength lies in the depth of the squad, which offers top-level interchangeable solutions. The proof came precisely against Monza, when several new signings (Stones and Stankovic only made their debuts at the end) as well as some established stars initially stayed on the bench. The spotlight was taken by Diouf, Zielinski, Bisseck, and of course Esposito.

After a performance as a pillar of the team, Pio is already a candidate for confirmation in the starting pair that will play next Sunday in Sardinia. Thuram still has all the time he needs to regain his best form and follow the coach’s mantra: “We must be the best version of ourselves.” While the Frenchman works to get back to his top level, Inter is enjoying the best Esposito ever, concludes Gazzetta.