Reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan delivered a dominant performance, defeating Empoli 3-0 at Stadio Carlo Castellani.
This victory marked Inter’s seventh consecutive triumph at this venue, with each match seeing them maintain a clean sheet.
Following a frustrating 4-4 draw against Juventus, Inter was eager to close the seven-point gap with league leaders Napoli.
Despite Matteo Darmian having an early goal disallowed by VAR, Simone Inzaghi’s team maintained relentless pressure on Empoli.
The hosts put up a strong fight until Saba Goglichidze’s reckless tackle on Marcus Thuram resulted in a red card just after the half-hour mark, turning the tide in favor of Inter.
The breakthrough finally came early in the second half when Davide Frattesi capitalized on Darmian’s assist to score the opening goal.
Frattesi continued to shine, netting a second goal midway through the second half, before Lautaro Martinez capped off the scoring with a well-placed finish.
This impressive win brings Inter back within four points of Antonio Conte’s Napoli, while also demonstrating the defensive resilience that earned them the Scudetto last season.
Now, let’s delve into the player ratings for Inter Milan’s squad.
Inter Milan Player Ratings (3-5-2)
Yann Sommer – 6
Sommer had a quiet day, making only one routine save after conceding four goals against Juventus last time out.
Yann Bisseck – 7
Bisseck, stepping in for Benjamin Pavard, helped limit Empoli to a meager 0.36 xG.
Stefan de Vrij – 7
De Vrij returned to form after a shaky outing against Juventus, effectively neutralizing Empoli’s Lorenzo Colombo.
Alessandro Bastoni – 7.5
Bastoni’s reassuring presence in defense and involvement in build-up play were crucial, especially after Empoli went down to ten men.
Federico Dimarco – 6.5
Dimarco nearly scored with a powerful long-range effort but struggled to deliver his trademark crosses throughout the match.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 6.5
Mkhitaryan wasn’t as influential as in previous games, but he worked hard in midfield, allowing others to shine.
Nicolo Barella – 7
Barella stepped up in Hakan Calhanoglu’s absence, proving to be the driving force behind Inter’s attacking play.
Davide Frattesi – 8
Frattesi was the star of the show, scoring two well-placed goals and establishing himself as one of Serie A’s most prolific midfielders.
Marcus Thuram – 7
Though he didn’t score, Thuram’s influence on the game was significant, as he drew a crucial red card and created problems for Empoli’s defense.
Lautaro Martinez – 7.5
After a lackluster performance against Juventus, Martinez found the net with a clinical left-footed strike, reinforcing his attacking threat.
Substitutes
Denzel Dumfries – 6.5
Benjamin Pavard – 7
Piotr Zielinski – 6.5
Mehdi Taremi – 6
Tomas Palacios – N/A
With this commanding victory, Inter Milan is back on track in their quest for the Serie A title, demonstrating their potential to challenge for honors this season.
