Inter Milan Denied Serie A Top Spot by Rivals Juventus
Published on: February 17, 2025
Juventus thwarted Inter Milan’s attempt to claim the top spot in Serie A on Sunday by defeating their fierce rivals 1-0, pushing themselves into the Champions League positions. Inter Milan had been eyeing a chance to leapfrog Napoli at the summit of the Italian league, but Juventus ensured that wouldn’t happen with a hard-fought victory at home.
The match, held at Juventus Stadium in Turin, was a thrilling contest, though it lacked the dramatic goals of their previous encounter earlier in the season. Francisco Conceicao provided the match-winning moment, scoring in the 74th minute to secure Juventus’ third consecutive league victory. The goal, which was Conceicao’s fourth of the season across all competitions, came after brilliant work from French striker Randal Kolo Muani, who played a crucial role in creating the opportunity.
With this result, Juventus moved into fourth place, with 46 points, narrowly ahead of Lazio on goal difference. Lazio had done Inter Milan a favor the previous day by holding Napoli to a 2-2 draw, which allowed Inter to remain within reach of the top. However, despite their best efforts, Inter was left to rue missed opportunities, and Napoli maintained their two-point lead at the top, still holding the advantage over both Inter and Juventus.
Juventus manager Thiago Motta expressed satisfaction with the performance, acknowledging the confidence boost this victory provided for his team. “The win tonight gives us confidence and an awareness of what we’re capable of,” said Motta, reflecting on the positive impact of the result. “They deserve it for the effort they put in during training and the fact that they give everything in every match.”
This match was a pivotal one for both teams, and it marked a turning point for Juventus under Motta’s leadership. Despite a challenging start to the season, the club has found its rhythm, with three consecutive wins in Serie A now under their belt. Juventus now turns its attention to Wednesday’s return leg of the Champions League play-off against PSV Eindhoven, with Motta’s side leading 2-1 after the first leg in Turin.
Although the 1-0 scoreline might suggest a tense affair, the match itself was far more entertaining. Inter Milan was wasteful in front of goal, especially in the first half, as they failed to capitalize on a number of opportunities. Lautaro Martinez, who has been in fine form this season, had a golden chance to put his side ahead but missed from point-blank range. In the 35th minute, Martinez, set up perfectly by Denzel Dumfries, blasted the ball over the bar when he should have scored. Dumfries himself was at fault for not putting Inter ahead at the break; in the 19th minute, he was unmarked in the box but failed to connect with a cross from Martinez, and just before halftime, he struck the post with Martinez once again ready to tap in from close range.
Inter Milan’s missed chances would come back to haunt them, as Conceicao’s clinical strike midway through the second half sealed the win for Juventus. Inter had another opportunity to level the match late on, but substitute Marcus Thuram’s shot in the dying moments flew high over the bar, much to the frustration of his teammates and coach Simone Inzaghi.
“We’re really disappointed, but the boys played well tonight,” said Inzaghi. “Obviously, we needed to be better in front of goal, and we should have been ahead at halftime, but the approach in the second half wasn’t quite as good as in the first.” The Inter coach acknowledged his team’s failure to capitalize on their chances, which ultimately cost them the game and any hope of moving to the top of the table.
Elsewhere in Serie A, there was positive news for Como, who moved away from the relegation zone with a 2-0 win at Fiorentina. Assane Diao and Nico Paz were the scorers for Como, helping them snap a three-match losing streak and climb to 13th in the table. The victory was a crucial one for Como, who had invested heavily in the winter transfer window in hopes of securing their survival in Italy’s top flight.
Cesc Fabregas, the manager of Como, praised his team’s performance, particularly Diao, who scored his fourth goal since arriving from Real Betis. Paz also made his mark, sealing the win in the 66th minute with a powerful shot that took his league tally to six goals. Meanwhile, Alessandro Nesta began his second spell as Monza manager with a goalless draw against Lecce, leaving the club still in danger of relegation, sitting at the bottom of the table.
With the Serie A title race heating up and the relegation battle intensifying, Italy’s top football league promises to be full of drama in the weeks to come. Inter Milan’s loss to Juventus leaves Napoli still in control of their destiny, but with key matches ahead, the Scudetto race is far from over.
Inter Milan Denied Serie A Top Spot by Rivals Juventus