Inter Milan are back where they feel they belong top of Serie A. A 3-1 victory over Bologna at a buzzing San Siro on Sunday night lifted Simone Inzaghi’s side a point clear of AC Milan and cranked up the pressure in a gripping title race.
It was far from a stroll, mind. Inter had to be patient before Piotr Zielinski broke the deadlock six minutes before the break, lashing a left footer from distance after a neat lay off from Lautaro Martinez. The captain then got his own goal after half time, nodding in from a corner to settle any nerves.
Marcus Thuram wrapped it up late on, though Bologna’s Santiago Castro did pinch a late consolation for the visitors. The result means Inter have now won 13 of their league games this term and, crucially, have seized back the initiative after their city rivals had briefly gone top on Friday.
It’s a proper scrap now. Defending champions Napoli kept pace with a 2-0 win at Lazio earlier on Sunday, a game overshadowed by the return of Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri just days after heart surgery. Antonio Conte’s side did the job with first half strikes from Leonardo Spinazzola and Amir Rrahmani, but things turned ugly late on with three red cards in the pouring rain.
“We showed the right mentality tonight,” Inzaghi said afterwards. “It’s a long race and we know Milan and Napoli won’t drop many points. But this team has the character for it.”
Over in the capital, Conte was just as bullish. “I have to congratulate my team,” he said. “Playing against Lazio at the Olympic Stadium in this way, with so few technical errors, is something powerful.” His side, interestingly, has exactly the same points total at this stage as they did in January last season.
The win puts Inter in the box seat, but the margin for error is virtually zero. Milan have looked relentless, and Napoli now just two points back, are hanging on in there with five wins from six.
Down at the bottom, there was a huge moment for Fiorentina. Moise Kean’s stoppage time winner against Cremonese dragged them off the foot of the table, though they’re still three points from safety. Verona’s troubles deepened with a 3-0 home defeat to Torino.
For Inter, the message is clear: top spot is theirs to lose. They face a tricky trip to Fiorentina next weekend, while Milan host Atalanta. One slip now and the summit could change hands again.
