Inter makes massive statement with win over Napoli
Inter Milan revealed its serious Serie A title credentials with a stunning 3-0 win over defending champion Napoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Spectacular goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella and a late third from Marcus Thuram ensured Simone Inzaghi's men returned to the top of the league standings and potentially put any thoughts of a successful title defence out of sight for the home side.
Napoli has now fallen 11 points behind Inter as it struggles to defend its title. That job will get no easier when it faces second-placed Juventus next week.
The pressure was on Simone Inzaghi's men after Juventus opened the weekend round with victory over Monza to go back on top of the table.
But the Nerazzurri showed more than enough steel to fend of Napoli's promising opening attacks, not least goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who dived brilliantly to his left to palm away a sensational long-range effort from Eljif Elmas in the early stages.
The deadlock was broken just before half-time when Calhanoglu rifled home a spectacular drive from distance, the ball hitting the back of the net before Napoli keeper Alex Meret had even completed his vain dive to stop it.
Napoli might have levelled the match in the 57th minute, but having produced a brilliant save to keep out Elmas early on, Sommer was again on hand to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as he lashed a shot across him that was destined for the back of the net had it not been a quite brilliant stop from the Swiss goalkeeper.
Four minutes later, Napoli found itself 2-0 down. Barella's 61st-minute strike was another breathtaking effort as he charged into the box to receive a fizzing pass from Lautaro Martinez, somehow deftly controlling the ball with three sublime touches before slotting it home past Meret.
Inter's third was a relatively simple affair in comparison, with substitute Juan Cuadrado finding Thuram in the six-yard box for an easy tap-in.
Jesper Lindstrom might have grabbed a consolation for the hosts in the 89th minute as he cut inside the box to let fly a shot, but it drifted wide to ensure Inter kept a clean sheet and took all three points home.
