Inter-Monza, the player ratings: Pio Esposito must be a starter, Diouf decisive. Poor from Akanji and Lautaro, Pizzignacco what are you doing?

Inter-Monza 4-1 player ratings. Inter struggled in the first half, then ran away with it after the break, scoring four to seal their first three points of the season.

Inter’s player ratings

Martinez 5.5: blameless on Varela's goal, but he takes too many risks with the ball at his feet.

Bisseck 7: the best of the back three. Alert, quick in the tackle and precise in the build-up. He scores a fine goal with an individual move that delights the whole of San Siro. And perhaps the Monza defence too, because they are culpably left watching.

Akanji 5: too soft in his marking of Varela. Someone of his experience cannot look like a beginner. He left his leadership and assurance in the dressing room. The header that hits the bar does not earn him any points (75' Stones 6: comes on to applause, with the game already over)

Bastoni 5.5: nearly makes a mess of it against Varela with a disastrous square pass. He does not look watertight. He needs to clear out a few toxins, for the good of Inter and Italy.

Diouf 7: Chivu is right, he works as a wide player drifting inside. Two assists and plenty of good play. Of course, there is also the defensive side, but against this Monza those lapses are forgiven. As things stand, he is an added value for Inter, the first-choice option on the right (75' Luis Henrique sv: comes on with the game already over)

Barella 6.5: goes close to a brilliant goal with a curling effort, already looks sharp, and you can see he is eager to set the world alight. Inter are renewing themselves and buying in midfield, but Barella remains a certainty.

Calhanoglu 6: scores the first goal of Serie A 2026-27 with a thunderbolt that catches Pizzignacco by surprise, but otherwise it is an anonymous display, short on invention. He misplaces too many simple passes and, already booked, goes off before the half-hour mark (54' Sucic: excellent impact, involved in the moves for 3-1 and 4-1. He will have to climb the pecking order, but he is there)

Zielinski 6: in the first half he strolls around the pitch without ever finding the right path. He gets his goal thanks to a gift from Pizzignacco, who leaves him an empty net with a disastrous rush out. Once Monza's pressing drops in intensity, he comes out of his shell and becomes authoritative (83' Stankovic: n/a)

Dimarco 6: gets forward less than usual and defends poorly, for as long as Monza have the strength to push. He is not yet in league form and struggles to get up and down. He seems to be playing with weights strapped to his ankles, but his left foot is a treasure of football. And he always finds a way to make the difference.

Lautaro 5: starts the match, perhaps to completely silence the transfer rumours, to reiterate "I'm the captain and I'm staying here", but he has had too few training sessions and it shows. Generosity is not enough, he produces little and makes a mess of plenty (54' Bonny 6.5: sharper than Lautaro, plays with real energy and drives the Monza defence mad)

Esposito 8: they never manage to shift him, and he plays above all for the team. He battles physically, works as a target man and opens up spaces. He is involved in the move for Inter's opener, then scores a true No 9's goal with a magnificent backheel. Message to Thuram: Pio is no longer just a kid. He wants to force his way through and deserves space.

Chivu 7: this is not the best version of Inter, but he knows that too. He corrects some mistakes and understands when to intervene. And the players appreciate him.

Monza player ratings

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