Pio Esposito shines with his first goal for Inter at San Siro

Inter knocked out Venezia and now progress to the quarter finals of the Coppa Italia with a resounding 5-1 win, showcasing brilliance and dominance. The match saw goals from Andy Diouf, Pio Esposito, Marcus Thuram, who scored a brace, and Ange-Yoan Bonny. Chivu's side, who remained dominant throughout the match, will face the winner of Roma vs. Torino in the next round. The match against the side from Venice revealed several notable statistics and facts.

PIO ESPOSITO: FIRST HOME CHEERS AT SAN SIRO

Pio Esposito had an unforgettable evening. His first goal in the Coppa Italia was also his first goal at San Siro in the Inter jersey, in front of a home crowd. After scoring against Cagliari and Union Saint-Gilloise, the young forward heard the first cheers of a home crowd in Nerazzurri colours. This came just weeks after the goal he scored at San Siro for the Italian national team against Norway.

His season has now reached an impressive milestone. Esposito has become the first Inter player to score in four different competitions in a single year: Serie A, Champions League, Coppa Italia, and the Club World Cup, demonstrating his growth, character, and increasingly mature play. The goal against Venezia also makes him the youngest Inter player to score in the Coppa Italia since Mario Balotelli, who managed it in 2010 at 19 years and 169 days old.

INTER IN NUMBERS

The win by four goals marks a rare occasion in Inter's recent Coppa Italia history: the last time this happened was against Benevento in January 2019, when the Nerazzurri won 6-2, marking the only other time that Inter scored more than four goals in a single match of the tournament in the last 25 years. The stat demonstrates Inter's consistency at home: the Nerazzurri have won seven of their last eight games at San Siro.

The evening also featured great long-range strikes: the goals from Esposito and Thuram saw Inter score two goals from outside the box in the same Coppa Italia game for the first time since January 2016, when Jovetic and Ljajic managed it last against Napoli. The match got off to an incredible start: the last time Inter scored three goals in the first half, across all competitions, was in November 2024 against Verona, and the last time this happened in the Coppa Italia was in that 2019 game against Benevento.

DEBUTS AND EMOTIONS

It was an unforgettable evening that will stay in our memories for years to come. Leonardo Bovo, a 2005-born midfielder, and Matteo Spinaccè, a 2006-born forward, made their debuts for Inter in the final moments of the match. Not long before, Matteo Cocchi had made his first appearance last March in the Champions League round of 16 against Feyenoord. Christian Chivu, who had been keeping a close eye on the players' development in Inter's youth ranks, chose to give them a chance, offering them playing time and his trust. All three of the players are currently in the Inter U23 squad in Serie C this season.

DIOUF'S FIRST GOAL FOR INTER

Andy Diouf scored his first goal wearing the Nerazzurri colours. The 2003-born midfielder also became the first Inter player to score on his debut as a starter in the Coppa Italia since Hakan Çalhanoglu, who found the back of the net against Genoa in August 2021. A notable achievement from a player who is quickly earning more playing time and trust.

THURAM WITH ANOTHER BRACE

Marcus Thuram scored from outside the box for the second time in Nerazzurri colours, nearly a year after his goal that settled the derby on 22 April 2024. Since coming to Milano, only Lautaro Martínez and Dusan Vlahivić have scored more than him across all competitions, bringing Thuram's total to 40 goals. With his brace against the side from Venice, he also became the first Inter player to score two goals in a Coppa Italia match since Lautaro Martínez in the 2023 final against Fiorentina.

FRATTESI DELIVERS TWO ASSISTS

Davide Frattesi recorded two assists in the match, a milestone he had never reached in a single official game. The last time he was involved in two goals in the same match was on 30 October 2024, when he scored a brace against Empoli in Serie A. His performance truly highlights the depth and calibre of Inter's midfield, one of Chivu's team's key strengths.