Serie A – Juventus vs Inter: It was a fixture in which Juventus could have avenged Inter for taking the Serie A title away from them last season. Something they have held for much of the last decade. Few even made a case for themselves entering the title race with a win at the Allianz Stadium.
However, it was the team from Milan that took the three points and managed to stay in the race for the Scudetto.
With that being said, the hosts were the better-looking team for much of the fixture. But they were not able to convert any of the chances they created. Their opponents meanwhile, managed to score with their only shot on target through Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s penalty in the stoppage time of the first half.
The result has put Nerazzurri just three points behind AC Milan and Napoli and further have a game in hand over the latter. The Old Lady meanwhile are seven points behind the league leaders.
Serie A – Juventus vs Inter: Match summary
Full-time score: Juventus 0-1 Inter
Goal: 45+5′ Calhanoglu (Pen)
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Szczęsny; Danilo, de Ligt, Chiellini, Alex Sandro (72′ De Sciglio); Locatelli (34′ Zakaria), Rabiot (83′ Arthur); Cuadrado (83′ Bernardeschi), Dybala, Morata (72′ Kean); Vlahovic.
Subs not used: Perin, Pinsoglio, Bonucci, Rugani.
Inter Milan (3-5-2): Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Skriniar, Bastoni; Dumfries (58′ Darmian), Barella, Brozovic (77′ Gagliardini), Calhanoglu (77′ Vidal), Perisic; Dzeko (90′ Gosens), Martinez (58′ Correa).
Subs not used: Radu, de Vrij, Sanchez, Vecino, Ranocchia, Dimarco, Caicedo.
Managers’ reactions
Juventus manager, Massimiliano Allegri: “From now on we can say that Juventus are definitively cut off from the Scudetto. Now we have to score as many points as possible for fourth place, and then prepare to get off to a good start next year to win the championship.
“We got off to a bad start, and we have recovered many points, but in the decisive matches the [results] have condemned us.
“[It was] a good match – a good performance – we created a lot, and shot a lot on goal.
“Too bad for the defeat, [but] there is room for improvement.
“We have to see the glass half full – the boys have grown up and we have become an important team. We have to work on the technical improvement of the team and try to score as many points as possible… Roma are only five points [behind us].”
Inter Milan manager, Simone Inzaghi: “We can chase Milan and Napoli. We have lost some points that we will try to earn in the last eight games from now to the end. It is still very long, [Milan and Napoli] are the favourites, but some will say that it is us.
“The penalty kick was there, it was already a goal on the rebound and it shouldn’t have been repeated.
“I have a two-year contract that the club asked me to extend and I asked to wait until the end [of the season] because contracts are worth what they are worth.
“I feel the trust of the club, of the fans. I’m very happy with what has been done. We had so much fun for seven months and then some criticisms came out. We have been in football for 30 years and we know which criticisms are constructive and which are artfully created.”
