Pio Esposito after Inter-Lecce: “The most important goal,”

If he really wanted to be theatrical, if he was looking for a bit of healthy dramaturgy to finally score an iconic goal, one of those that remain in the head and heart of a people, then the long wait of the child Pio was not in vain: after months of listening to those who accuse him of never seeing the goal, after match after match without the shred of personal joy, Esposito junior finally had his revenge. He pierced San Siro’s anxiety with a pin, not just Falcone’s goal. It broke the layer of anxiety that covered the Nerazzurri stadium like a Greenland glacier: the Inter fans, faced with a modest and at times disconcerting spectacle, had now resigned themselves to throwing the opportunity away. Here at Maradona’s final whistle everyone had cheered as if for a goal from Lautaro and, deep down, they were thinking of a walk of health against poor Lecce, also given the Nerazzurri’s habit of spanking the “smaller” teams.

the shock

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Conte’s misadventures had, however, mysteriously anesthetized Chivu’s team, tired and dazed. In the second half, the Romanian risked a choice with an ancient flavour, he took inspiration from old military manuals and placed the battering ram to demolish the enemy fort: replacing Bonny, Esposito began to win the match thanks to the crazy desire of his 20 years. Fouls, banks and a few errors scattered here and there, a small silent climb before the goal, when the attack was now proceeding in the Garibaldian way with three strikers and few ideas: he may have been lucky for Siebert’s slide in front of him and he may have slipped the shot but, when Pio enters, he always finds a way to leave his mark. And this has an enormous weight in the championship race, so San Siro will not forget the prodigal son who rejoices showing his muscles under the North, a statue carved in marble. “I’ve been waiting for this goal for a long time, the most important I’ve ever scored for Inter. The work always pays off and I’m very happy”, celebrated Pio at the end. Then the addition that shows maturity beyond his years: “First place energizes us and cannot scare us, it’s what we all want. The matches are all difficult and tonight was proof of that. It will be a complex journey, but we want to stay up there. My playing time? I think it’s enough, even more than I expected at the start.”

the connection

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He had scored comfortably in the Italian Cup and in the Champions League in Brussels, but the league goal was missing from the one in Cagliari: it was September 27th, the Sardinian summer having just ended. Over three and a half months have passed without joy in Serie A, but in the period he had shown the rest of the home silverware. Five assists distributed to his teammates, the last two admirable for Lautaro between Pisa and Bergamo, marks a happy connection with the captain. Even yesterday, before the goal, Esposito had instinctively found Martinez, but the most emotional hug was with his coach-father: “Chivu ran towards me, then in the fray I saw him, it had also happened in the Primavera that he came to hug me – continued the hero of the day -. Ours is an important bond, even if one of few words: we grew up together…”. Evidently, the taste for theatricality comes from afar.