Serie A | Inter 3-1 Cagliari: Arnautovic inspires leaders to victory

Marko Arnautovic scored one and assisted Lautaro Martinez before the Yann Bisseck header, as Inter swept Cagliari aside to top off a perfect week.

The Nerazzurri were fresh from a 2-1 Champions League quarter-final victory away to Bayern Munich, with the second leg coming up on Wednesday, but couldn’t risk squad rotation after a 2-2 Serie A draw against Parma. Federico Dimarco returned from injury, still missing Denzel Dumfries and Piotr Zielinski. The Sardinians had a full squad to choose from after the 0-0 draw at Empoli.

Inter were wearing a special edition jersey inspired by their super fan, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, while Cagliari’s had their names in Chinese on the back.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY - APRIL 12: Yann Aurel Bisseck of FC Internazionale controls the ball under pressure from Zito Luvumbo of Cagliari during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 12, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) — MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 12: Yann Aurel Bisseck of FC Internazionale controls the ball under pressure from Zito Luvumbo of Cagliari during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 12, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Lautaro Martinez fired onto the side-netting when sent clear by Dimarco, while Yann Bisseck prevented a dangerous Tommaso Augello cross reaching Roberto Piccoli.

Inter broke the deadlock when Carlos Augusto chested down a dinked Hakan Calhanoglu pass over the top, seemingly for Lautaro Martinez, but Arnautovic pounced instead and blasted into the roof of the net from eight yards. It was the Austrian’s fifth goal in the last eight games.

Cagliari wasted a golden opportunity to equalise when Piccoli out-sprinted Stefan de Vrij to go clear on goal, failing to keep his cool and seeing Yann Sommer deny him one-on-one.

Moments later, Inter showed how it’s done with a similar situation, as Arnautovic’s sweeping pass from the left touchline sent Lautaro Martinez through for a delicate dinked finish over Elia Caprile. Arnautovic was stood so close to the Inter bench that he was immediately hugged by Simone Inzaghi – and kicked in the backside by Marcus Thuram.

MILAN, ITALY - APRIL 12: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale scores his team's second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 12, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) — MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 12: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale scores his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 12, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Lautaro Martinez’s overhead kick flashed wide from a Nicola Zalewski cross, but just as against Udinese and Parma, Inter came out for the second half with a very different attitude.

Within 120 seconds, Cagliari had pulled a goal back with Piccoli allowed a totally free header from eight yards on the Augello cross from the left.

Yerry Mina also tested Sommer from distance, while Dimarco’s volley off the outside of the boot from a Nicolò Barella ball over the top forced a save from Caprile at the near post.

However, Inter reacted and restored their two-goal cushion with a powerful Yann Bisseck header on the Dimarco out-swinging corner kick.

Sommer palmed a dangerous Nadir Zortea cross-shot over the bar and Nicola Zalewski went off with a muscular problem.

Cagliari kept pushing and De Vrij had to make a crucial goal-line clearance on 78 minutes when Zito Luvumbo’s effort was deflected into the path of Piccoli.