Monza 2-2 Inter Milan Player Ratings: Lautaro Martinez Rate 5/10 As Late Drama Cause Nerazzurri To Play Out Frustrating Draw

Inter Milan were held to a 2-2 draw in their preseason friendly match against AC Monza on Tuesday, 12th August 2025 at the U-Power Stadium. The hosts took the lead in the first half through Patrick Ciurria before the Nerazzuri made a comeback. However, a late equalizer form substitute Paulo Azzi helped Monza get a draw.

The game got off to a drab start, with both teams being very cagey in the final third. Inter Milan were made to pay for their sloppiness in the 32nd minute, when Gianluca Caprari's cross found Patrick Ciurria in the far post to smash the ball into the net and make it 1-0! Inter worked hard to get the equalizer and were basically gifted one in the 46th minute, when Federico Dimarco's hopeful cross was bundled into his own net by Monza defender Samuele Birindelli to make it 1-1.

Inter started the second half in a much more confident fashion, winning the ball back in key areas and pushing their opponents back. They took the lead in the 52nd minute when Matteo Darmian's pass was cheekily flicked into the goal by Francesco Esposito to make it 2-1! Inter wasted a few chances in the second half and just as it looked like a win was set for them, Monza substitute Paulo Azzi beat their offside trap to score the equalizer in the 89th minute to make it 2-2! The game ended with that score, causing frustration for the Nerazzurri.

Here are our Monza vs Inter Milan Player Ratings.

Monza Player Ratings

Here are our Monza Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Demba Thiam - 5.5/10

Thiam could hardly do much about the own goal and was caught off guard by Esposito's goal. He passed the ball around well, making a few nice saves.

Defenders

Arvid Brorsson - 5.5/10

Brorsson was not really able to stop Inter's onslaught down his side. Despite making some nice challenges, he was mostly pushed back and failed to dominate things in his side.

Armando Izzo - 5/10

Izzo did a pretty solid job in the first half by winning key duels and making clearances. However, he was totally outwitted by Esposito's flicked attempt for his goal and got taken off soon after.

Lorenzo Lucchesi - 5.5/10

Lucchesi covered a lot ground in the back, working hard to make some key clearances and blocks. However, he lost too many duels and was caught in some bad positions at times.

Patrick Ciurria - 7.5/10

Ciurria was a proactive presence on the right, making smart forward runs and holding his own defensively. He made some key challenges to recover possesion was able to smartly sneak into the backpost for his powerful goal.

Samuele Birindelli - 3/10

Birindelli had a night to forget. He struggled to keep away Inter's moves through his side and scored a horrible own goal because of a poor misjudgement.

Midfielders

Matteo Pessina - 6.5/10

Pessina maintained an energetic presence in the midfield, moving around the key areas and nailing most of his passes. His smart movement helped him recover possession many times, and he didn't let the Inter midfielders phase him.

Leonardo Colombo - 5.5/10

Colombo did well with his passing, but was a bit scrappy defensively. He failed to really come up with necessary challenges and was caught napping for Darmian's assist for the second goal.

Forwards

Andrea Colpani - 5/10

Colpani was pretty good with his link-up play and helped Monza dart forward in some key counter-attacks. However, he couldn't create any major chances nor come close to scoring.

Gianluca Caprari - 7.5/10

Caprari was a menacing figure with his clever movement and dribbling ability, forcing Inter players to overcommit and open spaces in the Inter backline. He was fouled numerous times and produced a great assist for the goal.

Dany Mota - 5/10

Mota made a few nice runs, but made made three successful passes. Failed to get at the end of chances and had to be taken off late in the first half.

Substitutes

Silvere Ganvoula - 5.5/10

Ganvoula was disciplined with his accurate passes and won some key duel, but failed to phase the Inter backline after coming on.

Andrea Carboni - 6/10

Carboni moved the ball around well and was disciplined with his defensive work too.

Pedro Obiang - 6/10

Obiang helped his side move the ball around efficiently, but couldn't really create much.

Paulo Azzi - 7.5/10

Azzi took some time to get involved, but expertly beat the offside trap to score the equalizer to win his side a point.

Nicolas Galazzi - 5.5/10

Galazzi did well with his passes to help move his side forward nicely on a few occasions.

Mirko Maric - 5/10

Maric was predictable with his passing and failed to get at the end of any chances.

Filippo Delli Carri - 6/10

Delli Carri did well with his distribution, but not so much creatively.

Luca Ravanelli - 6/10

Helped add some more steel to the backline after coming on.

Kevin Martins - N/R

Almost got into a one-v-one with Martinez after coming on, but failed to finish the half-chance.

Jacopo Sardo - 7/10

Played a great cross for Azzi's goal.

Manager

Paolo Bianco - 7/10

Bianco got his side to start the game bravely, hitting Inter on the counter-attacks and also urging them to pass the ball around without fear. His transition tactics worked a treat, giving them a lead, before the own goal destroyed all that. His substitutions, however, worked great as Azzi earned his side a draw.

Inter Milan Player Ratings

Here are our Inter Milan Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Josep Martinez - 5/10

Martinez was caught off-guard by the Monza goal, not being able to react in time. He made a few nice stops and did well with his passing. Could've done better for the second goal.

Defenders

Matteo Darmian - 7.5/10

Darmian was really energetic and composed at the back. He came up with key clearances and recoveries to frustrate the hosts and produced a nice assist for Esposito's goal.

Stefan De Vrij - 6/10

De Vrij mostly held together a pretty solid defensive line, but was caught napping a few times. He made some key clearances, but could've reacted better for the Monza goal.

Raphael Augusto - 6.5/10

Augusto held his own in the centre-back role, being quite proactive at the back. He made a number of key possession recoveries and his passing was pretty good too.

Luis Henrique - 7/10

Henrique was a menacing threat with his blisteirng speed and dribbling ability. He danced his way into empty spaces many times in the frontline to create some major chances, but was unlucky that none were converted.

Federico Dimarco - 6.5/10

Dimarco was caught sleeping for the Monza goal, not being able to mark Ciurria well enough. But he was actually pretty solid for the majority of the game, moving the ball into danger areas and it was his crossing was caused the own goal!

Midfielders

Kristjan Asllani - 6.5/10

Asllani was guilty of allowing the cross to be made for Monza's goal, but was impressive apart from that slight error. He was accurate with his passing and caused trouble with his set-pieces, while also working hard defensively.

Petar Sucic - 6/10

Sucic caused trouble with some of his forward runs, getting the ball into troublesome areas for Monza. His passing was pretty crisp, but he lacked the physicality and authority for defensive work.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 4.5/10

Mkhitaryan had a relatively cagey game, not really being able to free himself up. He couldn't create any prominent chances and struggled to amplify his authority in the midfield.

Forwards

Francesco Esposito - 8/10

Esposito was a problem for the Monza defenders because of his impressive off-the-ball run and physical prowess. He won most of his duels and drove his side forward well, and produced a brilliant close-range finish for his goal.

Ange-Yoan Bonny - 5/10

To his credit, Bonny worked hard to create chances for himself in the game. However, he was sloppy in the final third and wasted quite a few chances, including a big one-v-one chance in the second half.

Substitutes

Lautaro Martinez - 5/10

Martinez added more energy to the midfield, but lacked his shooting boots in the final stages, missing a decent late chance.

Marcus Thuram - 6/10

Thuram looked pretty good with his passing and hold-up play, earning some fouls and moving his side forward well.

Benjamin Pavard - 5/10

Pavard lost track of Azzi and played him onside for the goal.

Francesco Acerbi - 6/10

Acerbi added his experience to make some nice challenges, but failed to help his side get the win.

Alessandro Bastoni - 6/10

Bastoni made some nice challenges in his substitute cameo.

Nicolo Barella - 6/10

Barella helped move the ball around nicely, but wasn't able to create anything major.

Leonardo Bovo - N/R

Issiaka Kamate - N/R

Manager

Cristian Chivu - 6/10

Chivu saw his side have a cagey start, lacking the urgency or hunger to trouble Monza early on. Jitters of preseason caused the sloppy first goal to be conceded, but the gaffer picked up them after that. A bit lucky to get that own goal, but Chivu motivated his side to dominate the game in the second half. His substitutes failed to make a big impact and caused the late goal.

Sportsdunia's Man of the Match award goes to Sebastiano Esposito.