Serie A | Inter 4-0 Fiorentina: Total domination

Inter tore a tired Fiorentina to shreds at San Siro with Marcus Thuram’s debut goal and another Lautaro Martinez brace for the 4-0 triumph, catching Milan at the top of the table.

The Nerazzurri had a perfect record without conceding a goal this season, but Stefano Sensi, Francesco Acerbi and Alexis Sanchez were out injured. The Viola were fresh from Thursday’s Conference League play-off victory against Rapid Vienna, although Jonathan Ikone, Gaetano Castrovilli and suspended deadline day signing Maxime Lopez missed the trip.

These sides had some real battles last season, including a 4-3 thriller, a 1-0 Fiorentina win at San Siro and Inter taking the Coppa Italia Final.

Giacomo Bonaventura’s long-range strike flew just over the bar, while Marcus Thuram fired off target from a tight angle after running onto the Nicolò Barella pass.

Inter took the lead with Thuram’s first goal in the Nerazzurri jersey, as he got in front of Cristiano Biraghi for a diving header from six yards, meeting the perfect Federico Dimarco cross from the left.

Thuram almost got a second when Dimarco sent Alessandro Bastoni down the left to roll across, but the Frenchman couldn’t steer it on target as he came sliding in from six yards.

Bastoni surged forward again to sting Oliver Christensen’s gloves with a powerful strike, Lautaro Martinez volleying the rebound over.

Christensen also made a big save on a trademark Hakan Calhanoglu rocket of a free kick, then Thuram came sliding in for what should’ve been a tap-in, but Dumfries had over-hit the assist.

Vincenzo Italiano introduced M’Bala Nzola and Riccardo Sottil for the restart after a dire first half performance, but it did little to boost the team.

Instead, Fiorentina were hanging on for dear life, as the Dumfries angled drive was deflected onto the upright, then moments later Lautaro Martinez’s header clipped the near post from point-blank range.

The chaotic move continued and eventually Thuram added an assist to his earlier goal, sending Lautaro Martinez through for a powerful right-foot finish just inside the area.

Thuram was involved again moments later, as Christensen fumbled a Dimarco strike and brought down Thuram on the rebound for a penalty, which was converted by Calhanoglu.

Thuram’s angled drive skimmed the far post, but Fiorentina finally got a shot on target with Riccardo Sottil twice testing Yann Sommer on a snapshot and looping header.

Inter continued to pour forward, as Juan Cuadrado rolled across from the right and Lautaro Martinez got in front of his marker to fire into the roof of the net from six yards.

Inter 4-0 Fiorentina

Thuram 24 (I), Lautaro Martinez 53, 73 (I), Calhanoglu pen 58 (I)