Goals, power, class: Tikus' performance in Genoa

After a long break, Serie A is finally back. Reigning champions Inter started off their season with a draw in Genoa following a tense and exciting match.

One figure rose above the rest for the Nerazzurri: Marcus Thuram. The French forward played brilliantly, bagging his first brace for the Club.

Tikus was a constant thorn in Genoa's side, showing off his technical ability and physicality. Right from the outset, Inter looked to get their number 9 in scoring positions; in the seventh minute, one-touch football saw Thuram get in behind the defence, though Gollini was on hand to deny him.

The duel between striker and goalkeeper would go on for the whole game: Tikus finished the match with five shots on target. That stat exemplified the constant threat that Thuram carried, having also finished the 90 minutes as the player with the most attempts, putting his full repertoire on display.

The first goal came from a towering header to meet Barella's cross. Coincidently, the midfielder's last Serie A assist was also for Thuram (December 2023 against Lazio). Tikus rose highest and headed home, only his second headed goal in Serie A after Fiorentina last season (his first goal in the top flight of Italian football).

The second goal was trademark Thuram. He raced in behind the helpless Genoa back line, beating the offside trap by a whisker, and went one-on-one with Gollini, beating the goalkeeper with a delightful dink.

That goal made it Thuram's first-ever brace in Serie A and his first for the Club overall.

Our number 9's performance wasn't just about goals though. Thuram was a key figure in the Nerazzurri's build-up, often dropping deep to link up with his teammates. The Frenchman created two chances and had twelve touches in the opposition penalty area. And there's more: Marcus was also strong in the challenge, making two recoveries and winning seven of his eleven duels (five from five if we only take aerial duels into account).

All these stats tell the tale of what was a complete performance, which saw Thuram win Lega Serie A's Player of the Match award.