The Argentine was left without a goal against Benfica: “The contract by the end of the year? I hope so, I’m really happy at Inter”
There are evenings that start out wrong, for no real reason. You can perceive it from the little things, from those details that seem insipid to most people but which instead tell many truths. And yesterday was an unlucky night for Lautaro Martinez, who scored 9 goals in the first 7 days of the championship. The absurd thing is that the black moon strikes at the first useful opportunity after the “Lautarissimo” matchday, in that away match in Salerno where Toro showed off the super striker’s entire repertoire: 4 goals in 27′, stuff to rub your eyes , to be left speechless. More or less like yesterday, but in reverse: because against Benfica the captain could have played two consecutive games, but he would never have found the goal. “It was an evening like this, a bit unlucky, the ball didn’t want to go in – said Toro smiling -. But the victory counted and we are happy. The renewal by the end of the year? I really hope so, I’m happy here, I have it always said.”
Sparks
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They are signs, there is little that can be done. Toro’s first half was all about fight and sacrifice, against his national teammate Otamendi: who knows if the two – during their stays with the Seleccion – are linked by friendship or if they spend their time ignoring each other. Surely, yesterday they didn’t send word to each other: arms waving, rough entrances, continuous hand-to-hand combat. And in the first 45′ Lautaro seemed to accuse the other Argentine of the scientific mistreatment. Almost surprised, because it’s true that on the pitch only victory counts, but then you don’t expect certain provocations from someone you hang out with with a certain consistency. So nervousness prevailed over quality, his mind remained unclear and his foot – evidently – cold.
Occasions
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Lautaro’s match then began late, with the usual spark that ignited San Siro: the poisonous right-footed shot from the outside of the neck that hit the bottom of the crossbar at the dawn of the second half awakened the pride of Toro, who from then on he began to shoot from all positions and in every way, without ever finding the joy of scoring. Sinful of selfishness too, once not serving Dimarco and another time snubbing Dumfries to hit the second wood, with a powerful left foot that hit the post. Lautaro was also booked for a harsh tackle on Neves from which he then took a shove to the face, but was not penalised. And then Trubin told him no twice with his feet on close shots, and when Toro passed him on the way out, it was Otamendi’s big foot that denied him the joy of scoring. Not bad, for Inter and for Lautaro, still “man of the match”: it is his new dimension, essential even when he fails to score.
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