Inter Milan concluded 2025 in the best possible way, defeating Atalanta in Bergamo 1-0. The decisive goal came from the reliable Lautaro Martinez—his fourth consecutive league goal—capitalizing on a defensive error by Berat Djimsiti. This crucial victory propels Inter back into the sole lead of the Serie A standings. Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito also played a vital role, providing the assist to Lautaro just a minute after his introduction.
Inter Dominates First Half, But Lacks Clinical Finish
Atalanta adopted a cautious approach in the first half, struggling to execute clean build-up play consistently. Inter, conversely, found space but failed to exploit it immediately. Despite this, Coach Chivu’s squad manufactured the best opportunities.
Early chances included Akanji’s header following a corner (cleared by Kolasinac) and a diagonal shot from Luis Henrique that went wide. Thuram forced a strong save from Carnesecchi. Inter pressed harder: Lautaro beat Djimsiti but his weak shot went straight to the keeper. Later, a perfect assist from Dimarco to Bastoni was missed by Barella. Carnesecchi made a crucial save on Bisseck, and subsequently, a Thuram goal was disallowed due to a prior offside position by Lautaro Martinez. Atalanta’s first real chance came only late in the half via a Zalewski cross that narrowly missed Scamacca and Pasalic.
Atalanta Responds, But Lautaro Strikes
The second half saw a revitalized Atalanta and chances at both ends. Sommer produced a magnificent save on Zalewski, followed immediately by De Ketelaere having a goal disallowed for offside. At the opposite end, Carnesecchi denied Luis Henrique, leading to a third disallowed goal, this time for an obvious Scamacca offside.
Inter finally broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. Following a costly error by Djimsiti, substitute Pio Esposito found Lautaro Martinez, who finished calmly with his left foot when one-on-one with Carnesecchi. Inter maintained control but almost conceded a late equalizer in the 87th minute: De Ketelaere delivered a sitter to Samardzic, but the Serbian astonishingly missed the open goal from close range. Inter successfully navigated the final minutes, ensuring a strong finish to the year.
Inter Coach Chivu: `I`m Not Interested in What Conte Says`
Post-match, Interim Coach Cristian Chivu stated: “We faced a great Atalanta side in Bergamo. We knew it wouldn`t be easy, but Inter gave their maximum tonight. They allowed us more space on the right side in the first half. Both the starters and the substitutes performed well, all understanding the importance of the match.”
Addressing comments reportedly made by Antonio Conte, Chivu added firmly: “I said on TV that what Conte says does not interest me; I am very consistent on this. If others want to create controversy, they can. Inter’s objective is simply to work hard and remain competitive in every aspect.”
Atalanta Coach on Djimsiti Error: `I Embraced Him`
Raffaele Palladino, the coach cited for Atalanta, commented in his press conference: “It is difficult to accept this result. I hugged [Djimsiti] after the game; I will not condemn him for a single individual error. Atalanta faced a great team today. We prepared for this match differently than we have against Inter in previous years. It`s disappointing, but we need to reset quickly and focus on the upcoming match against Roma.”
