Inter Celebrate Their Captain
After Inter Milan’s important away win over Pisa, manager Chivu could not hide his admiration for his star striker.
“He is one of the best players in Serie A. Everyone wants him. He is a winner with a strong inner fire,” the coach said after Lautaro Martínez scored twice to secure victory.
For Inter fans and bettors on 12BET Malaysia, Lautaro’s return to scoring form is a crucial signal as the season enters a decisive stage.
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Finding Lautaro’s Joy Again
Since October, one of Chivu’s biggest challenges has been figuring out how to keep Lautaro happy and confident.
Despite scoring in the Champions League, Lautaro went more than a month without scoring in Serie A, drawing criticism and debate across Italy.
This inconsistency is nothing new.
Throughout his Inter career, Lautaro’s goals often come in bursts—brilliant streaks followed by sudden droughts.
In 2024 alone, he experienced multiple long goal-less runs across league and cup competitions.
Why Criticism Became Louder This Season
Compared to past years, his current drought wasn’t dramatically worse, but the reaction certainly was.
Two key reasons explain it:
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Inter’s shaky results – already five league defeats, hurting their title hopes.
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Growing expectations on Lautaro – he is older, more experienced, and now carries more responsibility as captain and deeper-positioned attacker.
Fans can criticise, but a new manager like Chivu must keep balance, protect morale, and maintain dressing-room harmony.
Chivu Playing the Role of Motivator
Chivu even joked he and Lautaro hug every day, trying to lighten the mood and ease the pressure on his captain.
“He lives on goals,” Chivu said. “He wants to decide matches. I’m happy for him and happy for the team.”
But words alone cannot solve everything.
Lautaro’s true happiness only returns when the goals come back.
Relief and Frustration in Recent Matches
We’ve seen his anger after the miss against Kairat, and the relief when he finally scored against Lazio.
But in two recent defeats, Lautaro again looked far from his best, leading to renewed worries about his confidence.
A Tricky Opponent for Inter
Pisa’s physical, high-intensity style is exactly the kind of team Inter struggle against.
Of the five matches Inter have lost this season, nearly all were against physically dominant sides—Udinese, Juventus, Napoli, AC Milan, and Atletico Madrid.
Pisa, with powerful forwards and wingers, continued that pattern.
Their aerial superiority was evident when Bastoni was overpowered in a duel by Toure in the first half.
Without Dumfries—Inter’s own “flying Dutchman”—that imbalance became more obvious.
Inter Fight Back After Halftime
Inter increased intensity after the break.
Chivu replaced the returning Marcus Thuram with youngster Pio Esposito to add energy and physical presence.
The move worked.
Pio assisted Lautaro’s first goal, capitalising on a Pisa throw-in error.
In the 83rd minute, Lautaro added a second with a classic back-post run, a perfect demonstration of a striker’s instinct.
Why Lautaro and Thuram Are Irreplaceable
Inter’s 3-5-2 relies heavily on its two forwards.
Critics may complain, but imagining Inter without Lautaro and Thuram is impossible.
Chivu briefly considered switching to a 3-4-2-1 in summer, but eventually abandoned the idea.
He understands that Lautaro and Thuram remain Inter’s most valuable assets, the core the team must be built around.
Protecting them is not just a tactical decision—it’s the responsibility of a coach beginning a new chapter in his managerial career.
For fans tracking Inter’s progress or placing wagers via 12BET Malaysia, Lautaro’s resurgence is a vital sign that Inter still have room to grow.
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