Juventus’ Monday clash against Udinese will drop the curtain on another exciting Serie A matchday, highlighted by the Milan clubs’ victories. It’s time to walk through the most eye-catching stories of the weekend, so buckle up and stay with us for this enthralling road.
Inter Snap De Rossi’s Perfect Roma Start
A glimmer of light appeared at the end of the tunnel when Roma icon Daniele De Rossi replaced Jose Mourinho on the bench last month. After winning his first three Serie A games in charge of the capital-based outfit, the former midfielder knew pacesetters Inter would put his managerial credentials to a stern test on Saturday.
Despite falling behind inside the opening 17 minutes to Francesco Acerbi’s spectacular half-volley, Roma turned the game on its head before halftime. Gianluca Mancini and Stephan El Shaarawy scored two beauties to bring Inter to their knees, promising another sensational evening for De Rossi.
But Roma’s fairytale turned into a nightmare after the break as Marcus Thuram’s blitz brought Inter back in front. After leveling the score, the Frenchman forced an own goal from Angelino before Alessandro Bastoni capped off another memorable night for Nerazzurri with a routine finish deep into stoppages.
Roma’s third consecutive Serie A defeat to Inter left them four points adrift of fourth-placed Atalanta. Meanwhile, Simone Inzaghi’s men protected their near-flawless away league record (W10, D2) and temporarily moved seven points clear of runners-up Juventus.
Scoring Festival at Ferraris Consolidates Atalanta’s Top-Four Bid
Stadio Luigi Ferraris witnessed some world-class finishes as Atalanta put Genoa to the sword. Gian Piero Gasperini’s super-frontline dismantled the Griffins 4-1 in a hostile setting to maintain a three-point lead on fifth-placed Bologna. But if you didn’t watch the game, you’d be wise to visit YouTube for match highlights.
Atalanta grabbed a well-deserved lead through reborn Milan loanee Charles De Ketelaere, who produced a mesmerizing finish from outside the box to break the deadlock midway through the first half. As the old saying goes – what goes around, comes around.
La Dea felt the taste of their own medicine at the start of the second half as Ruslan Malinovskyi slotted home a first-time thunderbolt from mid-range to draw Genoa level. But Teun Koopmeiners cut short the home side’s celebrations only four minutes later.
The free-firing Dutchman pulled the trigger from a free-kick to restore Atalanta’s advantage in the 55th minute. Fans at Ferraris had to wait until the 100th minute for the next goal, but unfortunately for them, former Genoa man Davide Zappacosta landed a knockout blow on Alberto Gilardino’s side.
Summer acquisition El Bilal Toure put the icing on the cake a minute later with a thumping header to seal the deal for Atalanta in his maiden Serie A appearance.
Theo Magic Ends Milan Home Drought vs Napoli in Serie A
Milan’s last Serie A win against Napoli in Serie A before Sunday’s hard-fought 1-0 triumph was in December 2014 when Jeremy Menez and Giacomo Bonaventura inspired Rossoneri to a landslide 2-0 victory. However, every run must come to an end, and Theo Hernandez made sure Stefano Pioli’s side returned to the win column against the defending champions.
An early legendary partnership between Hernandez and Rafael Leao produced a moment of inspiration in the 25th minute to decide a fiercely-contested derby at the San Siro. Leao dispatched the offensive-minded left back in space with a delightful through ball, with the Frenchman curling it past Pierluigi Gollini from a tight angle to give Milan the win.
While Pioli’s high-flying team extended their unbeaten streak in Serie A to nine matches, Napoli’s humiliating scoreless run in away league action continued. Walter Mazzarri’s men have now failed to get on the scoresheet on their last six league travels.
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