A five - star showing in Monza

Five goals and another three points. Inter produced a dominant performance to win 5-1 in Monza and record their second consecutive victory at the start of 2024. It was one-way traffic at the U-Power Stadium, with Hakan Calhanoglu and Lautaro Martinez bagging braces and Marcus Thuram adding a late fifth. The Nerazzurri now have 51 points after 20 matches ahead of their upcoming departure for Saudi Arabia, where they’ll be one of four sides aiming to win the Supercoppa Italiana. Their first game in the tournament will be against Lazio on Friday.

Inter were on the front foot from the get-go and opened the scoring from the penalty spot: Gagliardini was penalised for handball after a VAR check and Calhanoglu stepped up to convert. Just two minutes later, Lautaro doubled the Nerazzurri’s advantage after a flowing move involving De Vrij, Mkhitaryan and Dimarco, the latter of whom provided the decisive final pass.

After the restart, more fantastic football led to the team’s third as Thuram set up Calhanoglu with a lovely back-heel, and the Turk did the rest to bag his first brace in the Italian top flight. Monza tried to get back into it and pulled one back through a spot-kick from Pessina. However, Inter quickly went back on the attack, showing hunger and desire to add more goals to their tally.

Lautaro then netted a penalty to make it 18 goals in 18 league appearances this season, before Marcus Thuram added a fifth after some fine dribbling work to seal a fine win for Inzaghi’s men.

MONZA 1-5 INTER

Goalscorers: 12' Calhanoglu (I) pen., 14' Lautaro (I), 60' Calhanoglu (I), 69' Pessina (M) pen., 84' Lautaro (I) pen., 88' Thuram (I)

MONZA (3-4-1-2): 23 Sorrentino; 33 D'Ambrosio (22 Pablo Marì 71'), 6 Gagliardini, 5 Caldirola; 13 Pedro Pereira (19 Birindelli 58'), 32 Pessina (8 Akpa Akpro 80'), 38 Bondo (9 Colombo 46'), 84 Ciurria (77 Kyriakopoulos 46'); 28 Colpani, 21 V. Carboni; 47 Mota Carvalho. Substitutes: 1 Lamanna, 66 Gori, 2 Donati, 4 Izzo, 18 Bettella, 24 Maric, 27 Maldini, 80 Vignato. Head Coach: Raffaele Palladino.

INTER (3-5-2): 1 Sommer; 28 Pavard (31 Bisseck 82'), 6 De Vrij, 95 Bastoni (15 Acerbi 72'); 36 Darmian, 23 Barella (16 Frattesi 62'), 20 Calhanoglu (21 Asllani 62'), 22 Mkhitaryan, 32 Dimarco (30 Carlos Augusto 72'); 9 Thuram, 10 Lautaro. Substitutes: 12 Di Gennaro, 77 Audero, 2 Dumfries, 5 Sensi, 8 Arnautovic, 14 Klaassen, 17 Buchanan, 70 Sanchez. Head Coach: Simone Inzaghi.

Booked: Colpani (M), Calhanoglu (I), Birindelli (M), Pavard (I) Note: R. Palladino (M) sent off for dissent (59') Added time: 5' - 3'

Referee: Rapuano. Assistants: Peretti, Dei Giudici. Fourth official: Volpi. VAR: Aureliano. VAR assistant: Mazzoleni.