Leaders Inter visit Atalanta as thrilling Serie A title race hots up
Inter have 61 points and lead by a point from 2023 champions Napoli, who visit second-bottom outfit Venezia, with Simone Inzaghi's side needing a win to guarantee keeping top spot.
Inter have been flying in the Champions League, reaching the quarter-finals where they play Bayern Munich, but they have won only three of their last seven Serie A games, losing two.
They had suffered only one league defeat prior to that this season, which was at home to AC Milan in late September.
However, a 2-1 win over visiting Feyenoord in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, which secured a 4-1 aggregate victory, should inspire confidence.
Inter were given a real scare by bottom club Monza before coming back to win 3-2 at the San Siro last weekend and have not won consecutive league games in nearly two months.
"It's true that the numbers in the Champions League are different to the league," said Inzaghi after completing his 200th game as Inter coach on Tuesday.
"But we're in the mix in all competitions, happily so."
Inter face Milan in the two-legged Coppa Italia semi-finals.
Atalanta exited the Champions League and Italian Cup last month and can focus on the prospect of a first Serie A title.
Inter and Atalanta are the league's top scorers with 63 goals each, while Atalanta have conceded 26 to Inter's 27.
But Gian Piero Gasperini's Bergamo-based side have also struggled to regain momentum in the title race of late.
Atalanta have won only four of their last 11 Serie A outings, after an impressive streak of 11 wins between October and December, the longest in the club's history.
NAPOLI LURKING
Napoli's trip to Venezia earlier on Sunday follows a 2-1 home win over Fiorentina that ended a five-game winless run.
They can move top with a victory and would stay there if Inter fail to bring three points back from Bergamo.
Draw specialists Juventus, who like Atalanta only have Serie A to concentrate on, have gradually worked their way up the standings into fourth spot on 52 points.
They were stunned 4-0 at home by Atalanta last weekend but can take encouragement from a five-game winning run before that defeat when they travel to eighth-placed Fiorentina on Sunday.
Juve need a win to stay ahead in the race for a top-four finish, with Lazio chasing them in fifth one point back.
Ninth-placed Milan, 17 points adrift of Inter and eight points off the top four, host Cesc Fabregas's Como on Saturday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Chelsea complete signing of winger Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund
The winger has agreed a seven-year contract with the Blues, but will be ineligible to play in the remainder of their Club World Cup campaign after he featured for the German outfit. Gittens made 76 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, scoring 12 goals, and also played in their Champions League campaigns. Get in. — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 5, 2025 The 20-year-old becomes the third player to arrive at Stamford Bridge over the summer following the earlier captures of Liam Delap from Ipswich and Brighton's Joao Pedro. 'It feels great,' Gittens told Chelsea's website. 'It's a great feeling to join such a big club as Chelsea. 'I can't wait to learn from everyone in the team and to push myself to the max here. It's an amazing feeling.' Gittens is a product of Manchester City's academy and will play alongside fellow graduates Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia, Delap and Tosin Adarabioyo at Stamford Bridge.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
West Ham reject £50m Kudus bid from Tottenham
West Ham have rejected a £50m offer from Tottenham for Mohammed Ghana international is open to a move away from the London Stadium and is prioritising a switch to a Champions League fit that bill after qualifying for the competition by winning the Europa are ongoing, with West Ham open to letting the 24-year-old attacking player who joined West Ham in a £38m deal from Ajax in 2023, has an £85m release clause but Tottenham are looking to secure a deal under that least six top clubs have enquired about Kudus in recent weeks, according to well-placed are among the clubs with an interest in Ham may look to sell one of their top stars this summer with a view to reinvesting the recouped money into the squad ahead of manager Graham Potter's first full season in who still has three years to run on his contract, has 13 goals and nine assists in 65 Premier League appearances for the Hammers.
Powys County Times
6 hours ago
- Powys County Times
They are free to go – Enzo Maresca says unhappy players can leave Chelsea
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has told any player unhappy at the club they can leave. It is proving a busy summer at Stamford Bridge with recent signings Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr now joined by Jamie Gittens, with Estevao Willian arriving before the new season. The likes of Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix, Axel Disasi and Ben Chilwell, who are not with the squad at the Club World Cup, are among those who could move on. There has also been speculation about the futures of Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, who have been involved in the United States. Maresca said: 'My message to the players and to the club is that I want just players that are happy to be with us. The ones that are not happy, they are free to go.' It is now vital Chelsea sell players to balance the books after they were punished by European governing body UEFA for breaches of financial regulations on Friday. As well as a basic £26.7million fine – which could rise to £77.9million if certain conditions are not met – Chelsea will only be allowed to register newly-signed players for the Champions League if they end the transfer window with a 'positive balance'. Into the final four. 🔥 — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 5, 2025 Maresca, when asked after his side's 2-1 Club World Cup quarter-final win over Palmeiras in Philadelphia, did not comment on the matter. He said: 'I already struggle to do my job. To be honest, there are things that I don't pay attention to. 'I just pay attention to how to work day by day with the players. How can I improve them? How can I improve the team? And try to win as much as we can.' Maresca was happier to discuss the performance of Pedro, who was brought on for his debut following his £60million move from Brighton as a second-half substitute. His entrance was prompted by a stunning equaliser from Estevao, who shone on what proved his final outing for Palmeiras before his switch to London. Pedro played a prominent part in Chelsea's response before they eventually won with a late own goal. Maresca said: 'Even if he was on holiday he looks sharp, he looks good. We gave him some minutes. The reason why he's here is because we like him and we are sure that he's going to help us.' The game was also watched by English winger Gittens, whose £55million move from Borussia Dortmund was confirmed on Saturday. Maresca said: 'Jamie was here, he was on the pitch. He will be with us probably one or two days more. Then he will go for a holiday and come back when we're going to start the new season.'
