Cristian Chivu has made it clear that it is difficult for Lautaro and Thuram to play Inter's first league match against Monza on 22 August. For Milan Inter, that would mean the usual ThuLa partnership may not be available from the start when the Serie A season opens.
The timing matters because Inter have long treated Lautaro and Thuram as the pair that sets the tone for the attack. When both are missing from the starting line-up, the shape of the team changes, and Chivu now has a decision to make before the first league test arrives.
Chivu's warning on ThuLa
On the eve of the derby d’Australia, Chivu said: “È difficile che Lautaro e Thuram possano giocare la prima di campionato contro il Monza.”
That is the key line for Inter supporters. It does not confirm a final absence, but it strongly suggests the coach is preparing for a first match without his regular attacking pair.
It also fits the wider picture around Milan Inter, where the opening game can quickly become about rhythm, reliability and the coach's ability to get the balance right. Losing both forwards at the start would not remove Inter's quality, but it would force a different attacking setup.
What Inter have done without both starters
The encouraging part for Chivu is that Inter have already shown they can win without Lautaro and Thuram starting together. In the 2024/25 season, they won seven times in that situation, including three league matches, two European matches and two Coppa Italia matches.
That record offers evidence that the system can still function. It does not mean ThuLa are replaceable in a simple sense, but it does show Inter have found ways to compete when the first-choice partnership is unavailable.
The numbers from 2023/24 also underline how important the pair has been. Lautaro or Thuram started in every Champions League match except one in Lisbon against Benfica, where Inter drew 3-3. That tells you how often the two have been central to the team's biggest nights.
Younger forwards may get their chance
If Chivu does rest both players, the opportunity could go to younger attackers such as Pio Esposito and Bonny, with Mosconi and Lavelli also part of the wider conversation. That is where the story becomes interesting for Inter: not just whether Lautaro and Thuram are missing, but who is trusted to step in.
Chivu has already seen Thuram make an impact from the bench too, with a late winner against Young Boys in Berna as another reminder that Inter's attacking options can still change a game from different roles. But the first question for 22 August is simpler than that.
Can Inter start the Serie A season without their most established strike partnership and still look like themselves? Chivu's answer so far is that it is difficult. The next answer will come against Monza.
