Following their recent disappointment in the Champions League, Inter’s streak of 10 consecutive Serie A victories was halted as they settled for a 1-1 draw against Napoli at San Siro.
Both teams suffered elimination from the Champions League earlier in the week, marking a significant transition between last year’s Scudetto winners and the current frontrunners. Victor Osimhen was relegated to the bench due to a muscular ailment, while Piotr Zielinski did not feature against his prospective future club. Meanwhile, Marko Arnautovic, Carlos Augusto, Juan Cuadrado, and Stefano Sensi remained sidelined for the hosts.
The encounter between these sides also recalls their clash in January during the Supercoppa Italiana, where Inter secured a victory in stoppage time.
The match saw early attempts from both sides, with Juan Jesus denying Lautaro Martinez an opportunity to convert Federico Dimarco’s assist. However, Alex Meret made an impressive double save, thwarting Matteo Darmian’s diving header and Lautaro Martinez’s follow-up volley.
Inter seized the lead just before halftime through a meticulously orchestrated play, initiated by Yann Sommer and culminating in Alessandro Bastoni’s delivery to Matteo Darmian, who found the net from close range with assistance from a deflection off Mathias Olivera.
In the second half, Meret continued to showcase his prowess with saves from Lautaro Martinez and Dimarco. Napoli intensified their offensive efforts, earning multiple corner kicks and creating chances, with Juan Jesus eventually capitalizing on a corner delivery from Matteo Politano to equalize.
The match concluded amidst chaos, with controversies arising over challenges in the box, exemplified by Rrahmani’s frustration towards Thuram for what he perceived as a simulation.
This result halts Inter’s impressive streak of 10 consecutive Serie A victories and reduces their lead at the summit to ‘only’ 14 points.
Inter 1-1 Napoli