Inter Milan will enter the New Year as Serie A leaders after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium on Sunday. The win allows the Nerazzurri to reclaim the top spot with 36 points, moving one point clear of AC Milan and two ahead of Napoli.
Earlier in the day, Milan had briefly taken the lead following a 3-0 win against Verona, but Inter's result in Bergamo ensures they maintain their slender advantage at the summit of a tightly contested title race.
Lautaro Martinez proved the difference-maker, scoring his league-leading ninth goal of the campaign in the 65th minute. The moment followed a defensive error by Atalanta’s Berat Djimsiti, which allowed substitute Pio Esposito to intercept the play and square the ball to Martínez for a clinical finish.
Marcus Thuram had an Inter goal ruled out for an offside in the build-up, while Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere also saw efforts chalked off by the assistant referee.
The contest remained open throughout, with both goalkeepers forced into action. Atalanta nearly took the lead shortly after the restart when Nicola Zalewski broke through one-on-one, but Inter’s Yann Sommer produced a save with his leg to keep the game scoreless. Nicolo Barella and Luis Henrique also missed chances to break the deadlock for their respective sides.
In the final minutes, Lazar Samardzic squandered a clear opportunity to equalise for the hosts, stumbling at the crucial moment after being presented with a chance by De Ketelaere.
Following the whistle, Martinez spoke of his opponents for the game "It was a head-to-head because Atalanta are a strong side who in recent years achieved so much in Serie A and Europe," the Inter captain told DAZN. "They were very aggressive and we knew what we were going to face today, but we prepared well and have to keep improving. I’m happy, this is a gift for all the Inter fans, and for our families who stand with us."
The result leaves Atalanta in 11th place on 22 points, missing an opportunity to close the gap on the European qualification spots. For Inter, the victory continues the form of Martinez, who has now scored five goals in his last four Serie A appearances.
As the league heads into the January break, the Argentine forward has moved one goal clear of AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic in the scoring charts, positioning Inter as the frontrunners for the second half of the season.
