Inter Milan strengthen Serie A lead with hard-fought win over Monza

Inter Milan extended their lead at the top of Serie A after securing a 3-2 victory over bottom-placed Monza on Saturday.

The win puts the defending champions four points ahead of second-placed Napoli, who are set to host Fiorentina on Sunday.

Despite being heavy favorites, Inter found themselves struggling early as Monza scored twice in the first half. Marko Arnautovic pulled one back just before the break, and Inter dominated possession afterward. However, they had to wait until the 64th minute for Hakan Calhanoglu to level the score.

Lautaro Martinez then sealed the victory in the 77th minute with a header that deflected off Monza’s Giorgos Kyriakopoulos. Inter manager Simone Inzaghi praised his team’s patience, saying, “In Serie A, all matches are difficult. We had 30 or 31 shots on goal, and our victory was well deserved.”

Meanwhile, AC Milan also secured a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Lecce, avoiding what would have been their fourth consecutive Serie A defeat. Christian Pulisic was the hero, scoring twice after his team had trailed 2-0 for over an hour. An own goal by Antonino Gallo gave Milan hope in the 68th minute, before Pulisic equalized from the penalty spot and then netted the winner nine minutes from time.

Despite the victory, Milan’s struggles continue, and reports suggest the club is in advanced talks with former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri to potentially replace current manager Sergio Conceicao.