Story byInter Milan Captain & Italy Starlet Shine In New Attacking Duo But Media Critical Of ‘Disproportion Between Goals Scored & Chances Missed’SempreInter. comSun, January 18, 2026 at 11:35 AM UTC·2 min readItalian media focused on Inter Milan’s evolving attack after the 1-0 win away to Udinese, with La Gazzetta dello Sport highlighting both promise and lingering flaws as Chivu turns to Lautaro & Pio Esposito. At the centre of the analysis is the emerging partnership between Lautaro Martinez and Pio Esposito, as per FCInterNews. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Milan-based daily was quick to stress that this new duo does not exclude the established Thuram-Lautaro pairing. However, they added that “a new attacking partnership has taken shape and it will be hard to relegate it to a backup solution.”Esposito’s fourth assist for Lautaro this season, three in Serie A and one in the Champions League, proved decisive in Udine, keeping Inter top of the table. Udinese 0-1 Inter – Chivu Has Wealth Of Attacking Options But Must Convert Chances BetterMADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 26: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of Internazionale, looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadio Metropolitano on November 26, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/)AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCristian Chivu now has multiple attacking options at his disposal, also including Ange-Yoan Bonny, and the flexibility to adapt depending on the opponent. However, the narrow scoreline raised familiar concerns. According to La Gazzetta, “there is a disproportion between what the team produces and what it converts.”Inter dominated the first half almost without reply, yet came away with just one goal. That inefficiency forced Chivu to protect the lead late on, reshaping into a more conservative system to manage Udinese’s pressure. The newspaper also underlined how Udinese’s ultra-defensive setup restricted space after the break, though Inter continued to circulate the ball intelligently. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementZielinski’s freedom between the lines and Esposito’s role as a pivot remained key to breaking resistance. In the end, Inter showed maturity and control, but the verdict remains clear. The new attacking duo excites, yet tightening the gap between chances created and goals scored remains the next step if Inter want to dominate without unnecessary risk.