Pisa 0-2 Inter Milan – Legendary Juventus Goalkeeper Praises Italy Rising Star: “Like Toni Who Matured Earlier”

Gianluigi Buffon hailed Inter Milan starlet Francesco Pio Esposito following yesterday’s 2-0 away win over Pisa.

Speaking to Radio Anch’io Lo Sport via FCInterNews, Buffon compared the 20-year-old to former striker Luca Toni.

Inter Milan pulled off a morale-boosting victory at the Arena Garibaldi, returning to winning ways after back-to-back losses.

Furthermore, Cristian Chivu’s men are now only one point behind early Serie A pacesetters AC Milan.

Meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez halted a two-game scoring drought in all competitions with a match-winning double.

Indeed, El Toro’s first league brace of the season propelled the Nerazzurri to a clinical win in their first match against Pisa since 1991.

On the other hand, Francesco Pio Esposito proved why many consider him among Europe’s finest talents.

The young striker took Marcus Thuram’s place midway through the second half and made an immediate impact.

Just two minutes after coming off the bench, he set up Lautaro with his first assist in Serie A.

Gianluigi Buffon Heaps Praise on Pio Esposito After Pisa 0-2 Inter Milan Win

MONZA, ITALY – AUGUST 12: Pio Esposito of FC Internazionale looks on during the Pre-season Friendly match between AC Monza and FC Internazionale at U-Power Stadium on August 12, 2025 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Pio is one of the brightest notes of this year in Italian football,” Buffon was adamant “He impressed me.

“And I like his mentality, his work ethic, and his determination to improve – qualities not easy to find at that age.

“So we’re starting from a good place.”

Then, he compared the Nerazzurri rising star to legendary Serie A center-forward Luca Toni.

“In terms of traits, he’s similar to Luca Toni,” Buffon added. “But for his age, he’s ahead, because Luca had a slower process and only really broke out at 23-24.

“We also saw Pio in Pisa. He makes a significant impact at a high level.

“Compared to Toni, he’s also a bit more dynamic, but the core characteristics are the same.”