Serie A: Inter spank Atalanta to go 12 points clear

 

Inter Milan once again showed their Serie A credentials as they romp Atalanta 4-0 at the Guiseppe Meaza to go 12 points clear on the Serie A table 

This means Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini will have to wait another season to have an oppor5of defeating the Nerazurri at home, having enjoyed away wins against 30 teams in the top flight division.

Inter swept past their opponent with ease, courtesy of goals from Matteo Darmian, Lautaro Martinez, Federico Dimarco, and Davide Frattesi.

The Week 21 fixture was rescheduled from January due to Inter’s involvement in the Supercoppa Italiana.

 Going into this clash, the Nerazzurri had won all ten competitive matches in 2024 against an Atalanta that was unbeaten in 11 games.

Having gone into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw against AC Milan last weekend, they have now lost comprehensively to the best team in the division. 

Gasperini knew the game was over when Inter got the thi4d, and he quickly made four changes as they are trying to get their form back ahead of meeting with Bologna this weekend.

They needed a win to recapture fourth place from Bologna, but they must do that this weekend when they lock horns.

 Having failed to beat Inter since November 2018, Atalanta scored after 10 minutes when Mario Pasalic intercepted a wayward pass, and Aleksei Miranchuk collided with Alessandro Bastoni, which allowed Charles De Ketelaere to fire in the rebound from 12 yards.

However, the goal was chalked off following a VAR review, as Miranchuk had charged down the ball with his arm.

Inter also had a goal ruled out after scoring on 19 minutes, as Nicolò Barella was offside when running onto a long ball over the top.

After Lautaro Martinez ballooned over, Inter took the lead when the 2022 World Cup winner threaded through for Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Marco Carnesecchi rushed out and managed to push it off his feet, but Matteo Darmian was ready to fire into an empty net.

Darmian had a chance for a brace moments later, but Carnesecchi stood up and dodged the finish one-on-one with his legs.

 Martinez’s shot hit the crossbar after Federico Dimarco robbed Pasalic.

Inter finally made it two through Martinez in first-half stoppages. Carnesecchi again rushed out to push it off Dimarco’s foot, allowing Pavard to roll it across for  Martinez on the edge of the box. Although his first touch was poor, the second made up for it, bending around Hans Hateboer into the far top corner.

After Carnesecchi stuck out a foot to parry from Dimarco at the near post after an inspired  Martinez cross-field pass, Inter were awarded a harsh second penalty. The assistant flagged the ball as going out of play when Denzel Dumfries saw his cross charged down from point-blank range by Hateboer’s hand. After a very long VAR review, the officials overruled the linesman and awarded a spot-kick.

However, Martinez’s penalty was saved by Carnesecchi, but Dimarco was quickest on the rebound to make it three.

Intern then made it four as Alexis Sanchez sent a signal and floated a free kick to the near post for substitute Davide Frattesi, who scored with his head. 

The midfielder injured himself during the process and limped off straight away.

Written by Oladipupo Mojeed