Inter fans welcomed back Jose Mourinho, but his Roma side was thrashed 3-1 at San Siro to end a 12-match unbeaten run, with Denzel Dumfries, Marcelo Brozovic and Lautaro Martinez aiming for the title.
This was the first time Mourinho returned to San Siro as a Serie A opponent since winning the Treble in 2010, while Edin Dzeko also faced his old club, but Nicolò Zaniolo was suspended alongside Daniel Fuzato. Bryan Cristante and Arturo Vidal sustained injuries.
The Nerazzurri sat second with a game in hand and were fresh off a 3-0 Coppa Italia semi-final victory over Milan, while the Giallorossi were unbeaten in 12 Serie A matches.
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Hakan Calhanoglu unleashed a screamer from 25 metres out that stung Rui Patricio’s gloves, while Gianluca Mancini nodded a Lorenzo Pellegrini free kick wide.
Inter broke the deadlock at the end of a well-worked passing move, including a wonderful Calhanoglu through ball to send Denzel Dumfries running and kept his cool to beat Rui Patricio rushing out.
The Nerazzurri doubled their lead with Marcelo Brozovic, who cut inside from the left and was expected to assist Lautaro Martinez, but instead the Croatian smashed it right-footed into the far top corner from a tricky angle.
Dumfries nodded wide at the back post on Federico Dimarco’s cross, but Dimarco was crucial after the restart to prevent a Stephan El Shaarawy tap-in on the Pellegrini pull-back.
Lautaro Martinez stung Rui Patricio’s gloves from a tight angle and he scored on the resulting Calhanoglu corner, allowed a free header from six yards, largely because Roger Ibanez and Chris Smalling collided with each other.
Rick Karsdorp’s knockback put Rui Patricio in trouble, as only an Ibanez goal-line clearance prevented Joaquin Correa making it 4-0.
Instead, Roma got one back, Karsdorp’s smart dummy letting an Eldor Shomurodov pull-back through for Mkhitaryan to sweep into the top corner from 12 yards.
Carles Perez could’ve had another when found by Mkhitaryan in stoppages, but his first touch let him down.
Inter 3-1 Roma
Dumfries 30 (I), Brozovic 40 (I), Lautaro Martinez 52 (I), Mkhitaryan 85 (R)