Inter Milan Tighten Grip on Serie A with Hard-Fought Win Over Atalanta

Inter Milan extended their lead at the top of Serie A with a commanding 2-0 victory over third-placed Atalanta, handing their rivals a third goalless defeat to the Nerazzurri this season.

The highly anticipated clash got off to a fast start, with both sides carving out golden chances within the opening 20 minutes. Lautaro Martínez’s brilliant pass sent Marcus Thuram through on goal, but the striker’s shot clipped the inside of the post and bounced out. Atalanta responded with a dangerous header from Mario Pašalić, only for Yann Sommer to pull off a stunning save.

Despite both teams being among the league’s top scorers, defenses dominated the first half, leaving the score locked at 0-0. However, Inter broke the deadlock in the 54th minute when Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s pinpoint corner found an unmarked Carlos Augusto, who headed home his third league goal of the season.

Martínez thought he had doubled the lead, only for his strike to be ruled out for a foul in the buildup. Atalanta struggled to create clear-cut chances, with their first shot on target in the second half coming 10 minutes from time—an easy save for Sommer. Their frustrations boiled over when Ederson received two yellow cards in quick succession, reducing the hosts to 10 men.

Inter sealed the win four minutes from time as Martínez blasted a powerful shot past Marco Carnesecchi, securing their first away league victory in five matches. The heated encounter ended with further drama as Alessandro Bastoni saw red in stoppage time, while Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini was also dismissed.

The result strengthens Inter’s title charge, while Atalanta remain winless at home in Serie A in 2025.