Three league goals in three matches, a start in every Inter fixture since the October international break, and a role in forcing one of Venezia’s own goals in a 2-0 win: that is the run that has pushed Marcus Thuram back to the top of Cristian Chivu’s team sheet.
Chivu attributes the surge to a nerve struck in September.
“Not being called up gave him extra motivation,” the Inter coach said in comments reported by beIN Sports earlier this week.
“He would even sprint in the 90th minute, entering the penalty area with devastating ferocity. When he attacks you with that speed, there’s a risk that something will happen,” he added.
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Zidane dropped him in September
Thuram was left out of Zidane’s first France squad after the new head coach’s appointment, with Esteban Lepaul of Rennes handed the center-forward slot instead. RMC Sport reported via Goal that Zidane saw the Inter striker as too inconsistent in front of goal, swinging between prolific stretches and quiet ones, and the omission caught Thuram off guard.
That stance may already be softening. L’Equipe reports that Zidane is preparing to bring Thuram back for the next international window after Lepaul’s form faded.
A derby goal missing since April 2024
The derby offers Thuram a more immediate target. His last goal against AC Milan came on April 22, 2024, the night Inter clinched the Scudetto at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Three subsequent derbies, across Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana, passed without him on the pitch, each ruled out by injury.
Inter arrive top of Serie A on 25 points from 10 games, with Milan fifth and seven points adrift. With captain Lautaro Martinez sidelined by a flexor problem, Chivu is expected to pair Thuram up front with either Francesco Pio Esposito or Ange-Yoan Bonny for the 7:45pm local time kick-off at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
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After the derby, Inter travel to Feyenoord in the Champions League before returning to Serie A at home to Como.
