Inter extended their lead at the top of the table to 12 points after sweeping Atalanta aside 4-0 with Matteo Darmian, Lautaro Martinez, Federico Dimarco and Davide Frattesi goals.
This Week 21 fixture was rescheduled from January due to the Supercoppa Italiana, but the Nerazzurri had won all 10 competitive matches in 2024. Marcus Thuram, Hakan Calhanoglu, Francesco Acerbi, Stefano Sensi and Juan Cuadrado were still out of action, while La Dea were unbeaten in 11 and Giorgio Scalvini was able to start despite a shoulder issue. They needed a win to recapture fourth place from Bologna, but had not beaten Inter since November 2018.
Atalanta had the ball in the net after 10 minutes when Mario Pasalic intercepted a wayward pass and Aleksei Miranchuk collided with Alessandro Bastoni, allowing Charles De Ketelaere to fire in the rebound from 12 yards. However, it was disallowed following a VAR review, as Miranchuk had charged down the ball with his arm.
VAR intervenes to give Benjamin Pavard a lifeline after Atalanta take the lead from his mistake đ
Correct decision? đ€ pic.twitter.com/S4W3mOU7MK
â Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 28, 2024
Inter also had the ball in the net on 19 minutes, but NicolĂČ Barella was offside when running onto a long ball over the top.
Lautaro Martinez ballooned over, but Inter took the lead when Lautaro Martinez threaded through for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco Carnesecchi rushing out managed to push it off his feet, but Matteo Darmian was ready to fire into an empty net.
đđđđ§đ đ©đđąđ đĄđȘđđ đź
After both sides had a goal ruled out, Inter take the lead through Matteo Darmian đȘ pic.twitter.com/cMU6b7NmyA
â Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 28, 2024
Darmian very nearly had another moments later, but this time Carnesecchi stood up and parried the finish one-on-one with his legs, while Lautaro Martinez cracked a shot against the crossbar after Federico Dimarco robbed Pasalic.
Inter doubled their lead in first half stoppages, as Carnesecchi rushed out to push it off the foot of Dimarco, Pavard rolled it across for Lautaro Martinez on the edge of the box, whose first touch was poor, but the second made up for it, bending around Hans Hateboer into the far top corner.
WHAT A FINISH FROM LAUTARO MARTINEZ đ€Ż
That makes it 2âŁ3⣠Serie A goals this season for the Inter striker đ pic.twitter.com/rVM33q5vQs
â Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 28, 2024
Carnesecchi again stuck out a foot to parry from Dimarco at the near post after an inspired Lautaro Martinez cross-field pass.
Inter received a very harsh second penalty, because the assistant had flagged the ball going out of play when Denzel Dumfries saw his cross charged down from point-blank range by Hateboerâs hand. Following a very long VAR review, the officials over-ruled the linesman and claim it did not go out, then called the referee to judge handball.
Lautaro Martinez saw his penalty saved by Carnesecchi, but Dimarco was quickest on the rebound and was not one of the players encroaching.
Gian Piero Gasperini made four substitutions, eager to preserve his players for this weekendâs showdown with fourth-placed Bologna.
There was a fourth goal too, as Alexis Sanchez sent a signal and then floated a free kick to the near post for the Davide Frattesi glancing header. However, the midfielder injured himself during the process and limped off straight away.
Inter have scored at least four goals in each of their last four Serie A games, something the club had only ever achieved in the 1929-30 campaign.
Inter 4-0 Atalanta
Darmian 26 (I), Lautaro Martinez 45 (I), Dimarco 54 (I), Frattesi 71 (I)
Saved penalty: Lautaro Martinez 54 (I)
Player statistic
| Matteo Darmian |  |
22' | Â | Â |
| Matteo Darmian (Assist: Henrikh Mkhitaryan) |
 |
26' | Â | Â |
| Lautaro MartĂnez (Assist: Benjamin Pavard) |
|
45+1' | Â | Â |
| Â | Â | 45' | |
Ăderson |
| Â | Â | 53' | |
Berat Djimsiti |
| Lautaro MartĂnez |  |
54' | Â | Â |
| Federico Dimarco | |
54' | Â | Â |
| Â | Â | 65' | |
Isak Hien |
| Davide Frattesi (Assist: Alexis SĂĄnchez) |
|
71' | Â | Â |
| Â | Â | 71' | |
Mitchel Bakker |
| Alessandro Bastoni | |
76' | Â | Â |
| Â | Â | 89' | |
El Bilal Touré |
| Â | Â | 90+5' | |
Ademola Lookman |
Match statistic
