Inter are the new Serie A leaders after crushing Walter Mazzarri’s Cagliari 4-0 with a Lautaro Martinez brace, sensational Alexis Sanchez volley and Hakan Calhanoglu screamer, despite a saved penalty.

Watch the highlights here.

Serie A Highlights: Inter 4-0 Cagliari

The Nerazzurri knew that with Milan drawing and Napoli losing, a win would put them top of the table alone. Stefan de Vrij returned after an injury lay-off, with Alexis Sanchez allowing Edin Dzeko to rest, but Andrea Ranocchia, Mattia Darmian and Joaquin Correa were out of action. The Sardinians were coming off four consecutive draws, but Kevin Strootman, Nahitan Nandez, Luca Ceppitelli, Sebastian Walukiewicz and Marko Rog were on the treatment table. It was a special game for ex-Inter figures Walter Mazzarri, Keita Balde Diao, Diego Godin and Henrique Dalbert.

Milan Skriniar stung Alessio Cragno’s gloves, while Lautaro Martinez and Alexis Sanchez had efforts charged down.

The deadlock was broken after 29 minutes when Hakan Calhanoglu from a corner found Lautaro Martinez’s header at the near post.

Liveblog: Serie A Wk17 Sunday 2021-22

Alessandro Deiola tried to test Samir Handanovic from distance, while Joao Pedro flashed a ball across the six-yard box, but Alberto Grassi only got a slight touch.

Cragno rushed off his line to deny Alexis Sanchez from close range, while Lautaro Martinez couldn’t connect with a Denzel Dumfries assist across the face of goal.

Dalbert made a mess of intercepting Alexis Sanchez’s through ball, so Cragno had to take Dumfries down one-on-one. However, the goalkeeper made up for it by parrying Lautaro Martinez’s penalty.

Marcelo Brozovic’s volley was hit a little too perfectly, straight at Cragno, going into half-time.

Inter did double their lead with a moment of real quality, as Barella juggled at the by-line and flicked the cross back over his head, finding Alexis Sanchez for a perfect volley from 12 yards.

Dumfries was sent clear by a marvellously-weighted through ball, but Cragno again rushed out to rescue Cagliari, then Marcelo Brozovic failed to make the most of a Barella back-heel assist.

Hakan Calhanoglu kept things simple with a ferocious right-foot strike into the far top corner from just outside the box.

Moments later, Barella floated a ball over the top, which Lautaro Martinez controlled with his shoulder to score with a delicate dink on the volley past Cragno.

If not for the goalkeeper, it would’ve been a record-breaking defeat, because Cragno made sensational saves to deny Barella’s screamer and a Skriniar flick from close range on the resulting corner.

When he was beaten by another Alexis Sanchez strike, Cragno was rescued by the crossbar.

Inter 4-0 Cagliari

Lautaro Martinez 29, 68 (I), Alexis Sanchez 51 (I), Calhanoglu 66 (I)

Saved penalty: Lautaro Martinez 44 (I)

6 thought on “Serie A | Inter 4-0 Cagliari: Nerazzurri new leaders in style”
  1. Total destruction. That’s 2 very dominant Serie A games in a row. Their intricate, patient play is wonderful to watch after Conte’s templated play.

  2. Where is Rosario, the Milanista who did not want to believe what I was telling him a few weeks ago. I said that Inter‘s greatest gift this xmas is Milan. Inter does not need to win and put in that performance when all you need is Bakayoko , Kessie, Romagnoli, Krunic, Diaz and Tata. I said that Inter would overtake within a week and the Scudetto is now sealed. Napoli doing what they usually do and Milan not having enough quality, mental strength, depth and experience. Atalanta will also mess up sooner or later.

  3. Well. Performance are starting to match results but the league is just starting since the second half of the league is when results matters more than anything. I don’t think there’s any other team in Serie a that is as confident as Inter. They’re playing active football rather than reactive and it’s clearly so difficult to play against.

  4. @Uncle Z I can’t fathom how Milan fans can get that kind of confidence. Their squad is mediocre through and through. Objectively speaking they’re even weaker than Juve on paper. Ibra is literally the only world class player they have right now and he’s 40. Maignan is okay but not world class, same with Romagnoli, Tomori, and Kjaer. I guess Theo and Calabria can be one of the best full backs in the league on their day but they’re currently operating at a lower level than usual. Kessie is a fraud who can’t be bothered to do anything anymore. Tonali has improved but still nowhere near the best midfielder in the league. Saelemaekers is a joke, Brahim is weak and inconsistent, Leao and Rebic can’t stay fit for their life. Their bench is ridiculously bad outside Messias.

    I won’t even be surprised if Milan end up 4th or 5th because I think Juve have more chance of getting better and grinding out results than Milan sustaining their form. Last season they had Donnaruma and Chalhanoglu so they managed to get 3rd, Right now no one in their squad is performing outside of Ibra. Truly a joke of a team and the only reason they’re still 3rd is because other teams sh*t the bed worse.

  5. Vieri what are you wearing? I like giving foot rubs. The guy above ^^^ you cannot have one as we are the same person.

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