Inter Milan’s coronation as Serie A champions may have been sealed a week ago, but the Nerazzurri showed no hint of complacency as they dismantled Lazio 3-0 in a one-sided affair at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. The match, a preview of this month’s Coppa Italia final, saw Simone Inzaghi’s former side completely outplayed by a ruthless Inter outfit that continues to set the standard in Italian football. Under the guidance of caretaker manager Cristian Chivu – standing in while Inzaghi focuses on squad management ahead of the cup final – Inter delivered a performance that blended flair with efficiency, serving a brutal warning to their upcoming opponents.
The deadlock was broken inside six minutes, and it was Lautaro Martínez who marked his return to the starting lineup in style. The Argentine forward, making his first start in a month following a spell on the bench, met a deft flick from Marcus Thuram with a crisp right-footed finish that arrowed into the corner. It was Martínez’s 17th Serie A goal of the campaign, a tally that not only underlined his importance to the team but also etched his name deeper into the history books. By moving onto 133 career goals in the Italian top flight, he surpassed Paulo Dybala’s mark of 132 to become the third-highest scoring Argentine in Serie A history. Only Hernán Crespo and Gabriel Batistuta, each on 183, remain ahead of him – a testament to the 26-year-old’s remarkable consistency.
Inter’s control of the match only tightened after the opener. With the midfield duo of Nicolò Barella and Henrikh Mkhitaryan dictating the tempo, Lazio struggled to build any meaningful possession. The visitors’ best moments came sporadically, but neither goalkeeper was truly tested until Petar Sucic doubled the advantage in the 37th minute. The Serbian midfielder, who has been a revelation since breaking into the first team, received the ball on the edge of the box and unleashed a curling left-footed shot that nestled into the far corner. It was a goal of exquisite technique, leaving Lazio’s Ivan Provedel helpless and underlining the depth of attacking threat Inter possess.
The match turned decisively in Inter’s favor just before the hour mark when Lazio captain Alessandro Romagnoli was shown a straight red card. Defending against Andy Diouf, Romagnoli wiped his studs down the Ivorian-Frenchman’s calf in a reckless and unnecessary challenge. The referee’s decision left Lazio with ten men and extinguished any faint hopes of a comeback. Romagnoli’s dismissal also means he will serve a suspension in Lazio’s next Serie A outing, though he remains eligible for the Coppa Italia final – a detail that will bring little comfort given the psychological blow of this capitulation.
With the numerical advantage, Inter turned the contest into a training exercise. Chivu shifted Diouf from his right wing-back role into a more advanced position alongside Thuram, and the move paid immediate dividends. The 21-year-old’s energy and direct running caused constant problems for the tiring Lazio backline. In the 76th minute, another young prospect, Ange-Yoan Bonny, threaded a perfectly weighted pass through to Mkhitaryan, who rifled an unstoppable shot under the crossbar for Inter’s third. It was a goal that epitomized the blend of experienced quality and youthful exuberance running through this Inter side.
For Lazio, the evening was a sobering reality check. Coming into the match with an outside chance of securing European qualification via the league, they were comprehensively outplayed in every department. Head coach Igor Tudor, who took over from Maurizio Sarri earlier in the season, watched his team fail to register a single shot on target in the second half. The defensive fragility and lack of composure in key moments will be major concerns as they prepare to face the same opponent with silverware on the line. The gap between the two sides, both on the table and on the pitch, appeared vast.
From a tactical standpoint, Inter’s ability to adapt and rotate without losing cohesion was striking. Chivu’s decision to deploy Diouf in multiple roles showcased the squad’s versatility, while the seamless integration of squad players like Sucic and Bonny reflected the club’s superb talent development. Even without regular starters like Federico Dimarco, who was given a rest, Inter’s system remained fluid. The back three of Alessandro Bastoni, Francesco Acerbi, and Matteo Darmian were rarely troubled, and the high press consistently forced Lazio into errors.
As they lifted the Scudetto trophy aloft in front of a jubilant home crowd after the final whistle, the message from the Inter camp was unmistakable: the hunger for more trophies remains insatiable. “We have to stay focused, there is still one more huge target before the season ends,” seemed to be the unspoken sentiment echoing around the Meazza. For Lazio, the challenge is now as much mental as it is tactical. They have only a few days to recover from this drubbing and find a way to overturn the psychological advantage Inter have so emphatically seized.
The Coppa Italia final promises to be a fascinating rematch, but based on this evidence, Inter will start as overwhelming favorites. Lazio must produce a drastically improved performance if they are to avoid another humbling. One thing is certain: after this ruthless display, Inter’s treble-winning 2009-10 side is no longer the only Nerazzurri team that knows how to mix domestic dominance with cup glory. As the players basked in the adulation, the countdown to the final had already begun, with this result ringing loudly in the ears of everyone associated with both clubs.
Based on reporting from Foot - actualités, mercato, info & vidéo en continu.
