Official Starting Lineups – Inter Milan Vs Fiorentina: Italy Prodigy & Croatia Starlet Return To Chivu’s Best XI | OneFootball

Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu has decided to start Francesco Pio Esposito and Petar Sucic in tonight’s 2025/2026 Serie A Match Day 9 clash against Fiorentina.

This evening’s clash kicks off at 20:45 local time (19:45 BST) at the San Siro. Moreover, Inter look to bounce back from a morale-wracking 3-1 defeat at Napoli on Saturday.

Indeed, Inter’s impressive seven-game winning streak across all competitions came to a halt last weekend.

The visitors, meanwhile, have yet to taste victory in Serie A this season, picking up just four points in the first eight rounds.

Chivu has a nearly full squad available, with Marcus Thuram still recovering from a muscle problem.

Inter Milan vs Fiorentina – Pio Esposito Joins Lautaro Martinez in Attack

BARI, ITALY – AUGUST 16: Francesco Pio Esposito of Inter during Pre-Season Friendly match between FC Internazionale and Olympiacos FC at Stadio San Nicola on August 16, 2025 in Bari, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

All eyes will be on the Inter attack, where Francesco Pio Esposito will partner up with Lautaro Martinez.

The 20-year-old Italian striker, who impressed with his power and movement in the early stages of the season, will dislodge Ange-Yoan Bonny.

Despite scoring in consecutive league starts, the Frenchman faltered in Naples. As such, Esposito takes his place tonight.

Therefore, he partners Lautaro Martinez from the first whistle as Chivu continues to show faith in his young forwards.

Meanwhile, Lautaro will be out to end his scoring drought in Serie A. His last league goal dates back to the beginning of October.

Indeed, the Argentine last scored in a 4-1 rout of Cremonese on October 4, going two straight league games without scoring since then.

With Bonny demoted to the bench, Pio Esposito will seek his maiden Serie A goal at San Siro.

Inter Milan Vs Fiorentina – Petar Sucic Fills In For Henrikh Mkhitaryan

MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 25: Petar Sucic of Internazionale takes a shot during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Torino FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on August 25, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Elsewhere, Cristian Chivu has opted for continuity across the pitch, keeping faith in the same structure that has brought recent success.

Yann Sommer starts in goal behind a slightly changed back three. Indeed, Yann Bisseck gets the nod ahead of Francesco Acerbi and will line up alongside Manuel Akanji and Alessandro Bastoni.

On the flanks, Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco provide width and attacking support.

In midfield, Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu form a balanced duo tasked with dictating the tempo and supporting transitions both ways.

However, Inter lost veteran midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan to injury at the Maradona Stadium.

With the 36-year-old out of contention, Petar Sucic returns to the starting lineup for the first time since Inter’s 2-1 home win over Sassuolo.

Therefore, Piotr Zielinski starts on the bench again after failing to impress against Napoli.

Official Starting Lineups – Inter Milan vs Fiorentina: Esposito & Sucic Back In Starting XI

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JUNE 25: Francesco Esposito #94 of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with Lautaro Martinez #10 during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between FC Internazionale Milano and CA River Plate at Lumen Field on June 25, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

INTER (3-5-2): Sommer; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Dimarco; Esposito, Lautaro. Bench: Calligaris, Taho, De Vrij, Acerbi, Carlos Augusto, Luis Henrique, Zielinski, Frattesi, Diouf, Bonny. Coach: Chivu. Suspended: none.

FIORENTINA (3-5-2): De Gea; Comuzzo, Pablo Mari, Viti; Dodò, Ndour, Mandragora, Sohm, Gosens; Gudmundsson, Kean. Bench: Lezzerini, Martinelli, Ranieri, Pongracic, Fortini, Parisi, Kouadio, Nicolussi Caviglia, Fagioli, Richardson, Fazzini, Piccoli, Dzeko. Coach: Pioli. Suspended: none.