Reigning champions Inter Milan continued their perfect start to the Serie A season with a resounding 4-0 victory over Atalanta. The Nerazzurri controlled the match from the beginning at San Siro, where they remain unbeaten in their last 17 league games.Inter began the game with intensity, and although Matteo Darmian missed a great opportunity at the back post, they quickly took the lead with just three minutes on the clock. A cross from Marcus Thuram struck the outstretched leg of Atalanta defender Berat Djimsiti and trickled into the net after deceiving goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi. Hakan Çalhanoğlu then saw his powerful free-kick saved, but Nicolò Barella extended the lead with a stunning volley, meeting a dipping ball outside the area and curling a strike into the top corner.
The match started at a high tempo, and Atalanta tried to respond, with Davide Zappacosta coming close to scoring when Yann Sommer made a spectacular save to deny his powerful shot from the edge of the box. Mateo Retegui missed the rebound, and later Lazar Samardžić also failed to find the net, leaving the Europa League champions unable to close the gap before halftime.The second half continued in a similar vein, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan narrowly missing a chance as Inter sought a third goal. Shortly after, Simone Inzaghi’s side got their third when Thuram scored with the outside of his right boot after Atalanta failed to clear a ball into the box. Within eight minutes, Thuram added another goal in almost identical fashion, tapping in his fourth of the season after Mkhitaryan’s header.
This effectively ended any hopes of a comeback from Gian Piero Gasperini’s team, who were still reeling from their previous defeat to Torino. Inter, who spent much of the remaining half-hour passing the ball around their own half, were able to rest some of their key players. Federico Dimarco had a fifth goal ruled out for offside late in the game, but it was a mere formality as Inter had already completed their task. This victory extends Inter’s unbeaten run against Atalanta to 13 matches, a streak that dates back to late 2018, and marks La Dea’s joint-heaviest league defeat since their 7-1 loss to Inter in March 2017.SERIE A – MATCHDAY 3FridayVenezia – Torino 0-1 (0-0)/Coco 86/Inter – Atalanta 4-0 (3-0)/Djimsiti 3 og, Barella 10, Thuram 47, 56/Saturday19:30: (1.70) Bologna (3.70) Empoli (6.00)19:30: (2.30) Lecce (3.20) Cagliari (3.30)21:45: (2.85) Lazio (3.35) Milan (2.50)21:45: (1.50) Napoli (4.30) Parma (6.50)Sunday19:30: (2.05) Genoa (3.30) Verona (3.80)19:30: (1.70) Fiorentina (3.60) Monza (5.40)21:45: (1.80) Juventus (3.50) Roma (4.70)21:45: (2.10) Udinese (3.35) Como (3.60)***odds are subject to change***