Bonny overtakes Esposito at Inter: the battle for Thuram's strike partner
The French forward delivered a decisive goal at Bologna, pushing the Italian striker into the background. Wednesday's clash with Shakhtar could reshape Inter's attacking hierarchy.
Ange-Yoan Bonny is seizing his moment in the race for Inter's starting forward role. Introduced at Bologna in the 58th minute, he immediately asserted himself with the decisive goal in the 1-3 scoreline, arriving perfectly to convert Carlos Augusto's assist. His introduction coincided with Francesco Pio Esposito's removal from the pitch, the Italian striker having struggled to make an impact until that point.
The Azzurri centre-forward's performance against Bologna remained uninspired, with assessments hovering around a 6 out of 10. It mirrors what unfolded days earlier in the Champions League against Bruges, where Esposito came off the bench while witnessing Bonny's spectacular goal. The French forward, conversely, is building momentum with two strikes in rapid succession, though his Bologna effort arrived only after his substitution.
Marcos Thuram appears untouchable in the pecking order: his first-half header confirms the Frenchman's current form and status. Esposito now faces genuine competition, with Bonny positioned to demand a starting berth in the next European fixture. Within Inter's dressing room, talk of hierarchies remains a sensitive subject—coach Cristian Chivu has consistently maintained that his squad boasts depth and everyone has opportunities. The results, however, are beginning to paint a different picture.