Inter Milan maintained their pursuit of Serie A leaders Napoli with a 4-0 victory over struggling Lecce, pulling the reigning champions within three points of the top.
Strikes from Davide Frattesi, Lautaro Martinez, Denzel Dumfries, and Mehdi Taremi secured Inter’s seventh win in eight league games, showcasing a dominant display in southern Italy.
Simone Inzaghi’s team is four points clear of third-placed Atalanta, with a game hand over both title contenders. Their match against Fiorentina was halted in December when Edoardo Bove collapsed on the field.
“We approached the match brilliantly, and it wasn’t easy because we got back at dawn after the match in Prague on Wednesday; we had two days and then another trip down here,” said Inzaghi.
Inter is gaining momentum at a crucial point in the season. Wednesday’s match against Monaco presents an opportunity to secure direct qualification for the Champions League last 16, followed by the upcoming derby against AC Milan next weekend.
Saturday’s victory marked their eighth consecutive away win in Serie A. Remarkably, they have not conceded a single goal on the road in Italy’s top flight since their initial triumph in this streak against Udinese in late September.
Inter had opportunities to extend their lead, with Carlos Augusto and Frattesi having goals disallowed for close offside calls within a minute of each other midway through the first half.
Captain Martinez netted his sixth goal in eight matches across all competitions just six minutes before halftime. The Argentine striker was instrumental in Dumfries clinching the win with a brilliant backheeled assist as Lecce started to build momentum.
Taremi concluded an almost flawless evening for Inter by scoring his debut goal in Serie A, coolly converting a penalty after Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone fouled Frattesi.
AC Milan transformed jeers into cheers with two stoppage-time goals, securing a thrilling 3-2 victory in a chaotic lunchtime showdown against Parma.
Trailing behind what seemed to be Enrico Delprato’s decisive goal for Parma as they entered added time, Milan emerged victorious with late goals from Tijjani Reijnders and Samuel Chukwueze, turning their fans’ frustration into sheer delight.
A vital finish by Nigerian forward Chukwueze gave Sergio Conceicao’s seventh-placed team a considerable lift. This timely success comes as they gear up for Wednesday’s match against Dinamo Zagreb, offering a chance to secure a top-eight spot in the Champions League before the Milan derby.
Amidst the festive atmosphere, tensions rose in Milan when the fiery Conceicao almost confronted former captain Davide Calabria on the field. The coaching staff quickly intervened to separate them while the rest of the team continued to celebrate with the fans.
Calabria, recently replaced as captain by Mike Maignan, downplayed the incident, referring to it as a “dressing room matter.” Meanwhile, Conceicao remarked cryptically, “When your kids misbehave, you must take action.”
Conceicao replaced star players Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez following a disappointing first-half performance that drew boos from the crowd. The fans’ ongoing dissatisfaction with the American owners, RedBird, nearly escalated in the 80th minute when Delprato scored on the rebound.
Parma faced a particularly tough defeat, leaving them empty-handed despite a stellar performance. They remain just a point above the relegation zone, tied with Lecce.
Fiorentina rejuvenated their quest for Champions League qualification by securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Lazio, breaking a six-match winless run.
Raffaele Palladino’s team sits in sixth place, just three points shy of fourth-placed Lazio, propelled by early goals from Yacine Adli and Lucas Beltran.
