A sensational bit of Federico Dimarco skill, Nicolò Barella and Marcus Thuram allowed Inter to sweep Parma aside 3-1 at San Siro.
The Nerazzurri had a game in hand after their Fiorentina trip was cut short by the medical emergency for Edoardo Bove, but also had to prepare for the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday. Francesco Acerbi, Benjamin Pavard and goalkeeper Antonio Di Gennaro missed out. The Ducali beat Lazio 3-1 last week, but also lost Gabriel Charpentier for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, joining Alessandro Circati, Mateusz Kowalski, Adrian Bernabé, Adrian Benedyczak and Yordan Osorio on the absentee list.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Inter were awarded a penalty after eight minutes, but it was changed to a free kick by VAR because Mandela Keita clipped Lautaro Martinez’s heels just outside the box. On the resulting free kick, Hakan Calhanoglu’s strike was deflected inches past the near post.
Parma lost Botond Balogh to injury and Marcus Thuram’s effort from a corner was deflected over, then Denzel Dumfries thumped the frame of the goal from a tricky angle after a double back-heel flick from Lautaro Martinez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Lautaro Martinez had the ball in the net on 18 minutes, but only after Thuram had wandered offside in the build-up, while Mkhitaryan fired wide after a solo slalom through the Parma defence, as did Simon Sohm at the other end.
The Inter captain prodded over from six yards after Zion Suzuki flapped at a deflected Federico Dimarco cross, while Yann Sommer had to palm a Matteo Cancellieri counter-attack over from a tricky angle.
After Suzuki parried the Calhanoglu effort, Inter broke the deadlock with a sensational bit of skill from Dimarco, who controlled the Mkhitaryan assist with his left heel to confuse a defender and set it up for himself to sweep home with his right foot.
Inter doubled their advantage with another great goal, this time an inspired pass from Mkhitaryan to send Barella running from just past the halfway line, selling both a defender and goalkeeper a dummy before depositing into the empty net from 12 yards. It was initially flagged offside, but VAR confirmed the goal was good.
Suzuki made a crucial reaction save to deny Lautaro Martinez’s header from close range on a Alessandro Bastoni’s cross, then Matteo Cancellieri wasted a promising Parma counter-attack from the same move.
There was a third goal on a set play, Yann Bisseck flicking on the Calhanoglu corner kick for Marcus Thuram to volley in from point-blank range at the back post. It was a particularly special goal, as Thuram was born in Parma, where his father Lilian was playing at the time.
Lautaro Martinez should’ve had the fourth when sent clear by Joaquin Correa’s nutmeg through ball, but prodded the finish inches wide as Suzuki came rushing out.
Instead, Parma got a consolation when Matteo Darmian tried to battle Dennis Man on the Hernani through ball, but instead ended up accidentally bundling it into his own net.
Inter had another penalty initially awarded and then revoked, this time because Antoine Hainaut had moved the ball and did not touch Lautaro Martinez’s boot.
Inter 3-1 Parma
Dimarco 40 (I), Barella 53 (I), Thuram 66 (I), Darmian og 81 (P)
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