Football

Inter Milan maintained their unbeaten streak in the Champions League with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Arsenal at the San Siro. Hakan Calhanoglu's first-half penalty proved to be the decisive moment, handing the Gunners their first defeat in the revamped tournament.Inter dominated the early exchanges, with Denzel Dumfries rattling the crossbar within the opening minute. However, Arsenal gradually grew into the game and created several chances of their own. Mikel Arteta's side felt aggrieved when they were denied a penalty after Yann Sommer collided with Mikel Merino, but their protests fell on deaf ears.Just before the break, Inter were awarded a spot-kick when Merino was adjudged to have handled Mehdi Taremi's flick. Calhanoglu stepped up and coolly slotted home, giving the hosts a slender advantage heading into the interval.After the restart, Arsenal continued to press for an equalizer, but Inter's defense held firm. Dumfries cleared off the line to deny Gabriel Martinelli, while Sommer produced a stunning save to keep out Kai Havertz's effort.Simone Inzaghi introduced Marcus Thuram, Nicolo Barella, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the second half to bolster Inter's attack. However, Arsenal remained a threat, with Havertz coming close to scoring on several occasions.In the end, Inter held on for a hard-earned victory that keeps them in contention for a top-eight finish in the Champions League. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be disappointed to have lost their unbeaten record but will take solace in the fact that they played well against a strong opponent.

Inter Milan face a crucial week in their pursuit of European and domestic glory, with the visits of Arsenal and Napoli looming large. The Italian champions have shown signs of vulnerability despite their unbeaten run, and Simone Inzaghi's team will need to rediscover their form to maintain their title aspirations.Inter are level on points with Arsenal in the Champions League and sit comfortably in the top eight, but their performances have been inconsistent. They have conceded 13 goals in 11 Serie A fixtures, a significant increase from last season's impressive defensive record. Their attack has also struggled to close out matches, with a two-goal lead against Juventus being squandered in a 4-4 draw.Inzaghi has identified the need for greater clinical finishing, as Inter have missed numerous chances that could have made their matches easier. Lautaro Martinez, the match-winner against Venezia, is expected to start alongside Marcus Thuram in the Champions League. Thuram has been a key player for Inter, but he and Martinez have often had to come off the bench to rescue the team.Inter have received a boost with the return of Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi, who will be available after injury layoffs. However, wing-back Carlos Augusto remains out, with Federico Dimarco in excellent form in his absence. Dimarco's creativity will be crucial against Arsenal and Napoli.Inter's defense will face a stern test against Arsenal's attacking trio of Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli. Napoli, meanwhile, boast one of the most potent attacks in Europe, led by Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.Inzaghi's team will need to find a way to balance their attacking and defensive responsibilities. They must be clinical in front of goal while also tightening up at the back. If they can do that, they have the quality to overcome both Arsenal and Napoli and keep their European and domestic ambitions alive.

Inter Milan maintained their grip on second place in Serie A with a dominant 3-0 victory over 10-man Empoli on Wednesday. The defending champions showcased their resilience and attacking prowess, while Atalanta climbed to third with a 2-0 win over Monza.Inter's triumph was fueled by a brace from Davide Frattesi, who scored in the 50th and 67th minutes. The first goal came from a deflection, while the second was a composed finish that put Simone Inzaghi's side in control. Lautaro Martinez sealed the victory in the 79th minute after a defensive blunder by Empoli.The match took a significant turn in the first half when Empoli's Saba Goglichidze was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Marcus Thuram. Inter capitalized on the numerical advantage, dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities.Inter captain Martinez expressed the team's satisfaction with the victory, especially after Napoli's win on Tuesday. "It was important to win after Napoli's victory," he said.Meanwhile, Atalanta continued their impressive form with a 2-0 win over Monza. Lazar Samardzic and Davide Zappacosta scored late goals to secure the victory for the Bergamo-based side. Atalanta now sit third in the standings, one point ahead of Juventus.Juventus, who were unbeaten in Serie A this season, suffered a setback with a 2-2 home draw against Parma. Enrico Del Prato gave Parma an early lead, and although Weston McKennie equalized, a second defensive lapse allowed Simon Sohm to restore Parma's advantage before halftime. Timothy Weah leveled the score for Juventus after the break, but the Bianconeri remain seven points behind leaders Napoli.In other matches, Udinese lost 3-2 to promoted Venezia, while Napoli maintained their four-point lead at the top of the table with a 2-0 win over AC Milan on Tuesday.

Inter Milan maintained their pursuit of Serie A leaders Napoli with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. Lautaro Martinez's 60th-minute strike proved decisive, as Inter closed the gap to two points behind Napoli, who also secured a 1-0 win at Empoli.Inter's victory was built on a solid defensive performance, with goalkeeper Andre Onana making several crucial saves. Roma, on the other hand, struggled to create clear-cut chances, despite dominating possession for large periods of the match.The match was played in a strange atmosphere, with Roma's hardcore fans protesting outside the ground for the first 15 minutes. The fans are unhappy with the club's direction under American owner Dan Friedkin and the sacking of club legend Daniele De Rossi.Despite the off-field distractions, Inter showed great determination and resilience to secure the victory. Simone Inzaghi's side will now turn their attention to the Champions League, where they face Young Boys on Wednesday.Napoli continued their impressive start to the season with a 1-0 win at Empoli. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute. Napoli have now won four consecutive matches in all competitions and are looking like serious title contenders.Fiorentina moved up to fifth place with a thumping 6-0 victory over 10-man Lecce. Danilo Cataldi and Andrea Colpani both scored braces, while Lucas Beltran and Fabiano Parisi also got on the scoresheet. Lecce's Antonino Gallo was sent off in the 35th minute for a foul on Dodo.Atalanta eased to a 2-0 win at bottom side Venezia, thanks to goals from Mario Pasalic and Mateo Retegui. Retegui, who has scored eight goals in Serie A this season, is currently the league's leading scorer.

Marcus Thuram's hat-trick propelled Inter Milan to a 3-2 victory over 10-man Torino on Saturday, propelling the reigning Serie A champions to within two points of league leaders Napoli.Thuram's first-half headers from Alessandro Bastoni and Francesco Acerbi gave Inter a commanding lead. However, Duvan Zapata pulled one back for Torino after poor defending by Yann Bisseck. Thuram restored Inter's two-goal advantage with a bundled finish on the hour mark.Hakan Calhanoglu's late penalty gave Torino hope, but Inter held on for a crucial win. The victory keeps Inter in the title race and extends their winning streak to three matches in all competitions.Meanwhile, Mateo Retegui's hat-trick condemned his former club Genoa to a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Atalanta. Ederson and Marten de Roon also scored spectacular goals for Atalanta, who moved up to ninth in the standings.Retegui opened the scoring in the 24th minute and doubled Atalanta's lead five minutes after half-time. He completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 74th minute.Atalanta's convincing win comes after another strong display in the Champions League, where they beat Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0.

Inter Milan kicked off their Champions League campaign with a resounding 4-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade at the San Siro on Tuesday. Hakan Calhanoglu's stunning free-kick in the 11th minute set the tone for the match, as Inter dominated possession and created numerous chances.Marko Arnautovic doubled the lead on the hour mark, rolling the ball into an empty net after Mehdi Taremi dispossessed Rade Krunic. Captain Lautaro Martinez added a third in the 71st minute, before winning the penalty that Taremi converted to complete the rout.The win moved Inter into the top eight positions of the new league phase of the Champions League, which sees teams qualify directly for the last 16. It was a much-needed victory for Simone Inzaghi's side, who had drawn their opening match against Manchester City.Red Star, on the other hand, are in 32nd place after losing their first two matches. Coach Vladan Milojevic lamented his team's error-strewn performance, saying, "We gave away four goals, I said after the Benfica game (lost 2-1) that we can't concede those sorts of goals... when you make these kinds of errors you can't do much else."Despite the arrests of leading figures within Inter and AC Milan's hardcore ultras fan groups for a variety of crimes, the atmosphere in the Curva Nord section of the San Siro was electric. Inter's fans roared their team on from the first minute, and the whole stadium was on its feet after Calhanoglu's beautiful free-kick.Inter continued to dominate proceedings, with Arnautovic and Denzel Dumfries both coming close to scoring. Henrikh Mkhitaryan also wasted two great chances to add to Inter's lead, but it was Arnautovic who eventually doubled the advantage after Taremi robbed the ball from Krunic.Red Star crumbled in the second half, and Martinez scored his third goal of the season after another fine assist from Taremi. Taremi was given a gift from his Argentine strike partner as thanks for his sterling work up front, which helped Inter secure a fine win.

In a thrilling Serie A derby, AC Milan emerged victorious over Inter Milan with a dramatic late header from Matteo Gabbia. The 2-1 win snapped Inter's six-match derby winning streak and propelled Milan out of their early season slump.Milan started brightly and took the lead in the 10th minute through a brilliant individual effort from Christian Pulisic. However, Inter equalized just before the half-hour mark when Federico Dimarco converted a penalty.In the second half, Milan dominated possession and created numerous chances. Rafael Leao and Tammy Abraham both came close to scoring, but they were denied by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.With time running out, Milan earned a free-kick in a dangerous position. Tijjani Reijnders whipped in a perfect cross, and Gabbia rose highest to power a header into the net. The goal sent the Milan fans into raptures and sealed a memorable victory.Meanwhile, Roma secured their first win of the season with a 3-0 triumph over Udinese. Artem Dovbyk, Paulo Dybala, and Tommaso Baldanzi scored the goals for the Giallorossi.However, the match was overshadowed by protests from Roma fans over the shock sacking of Daniele De Rossi. Supporters hurled abuse at the team and left the Curva Sud section of the Olimpico empty for the first half hour.Despite the off-field drama, Roma played with determination and secured a much-needed victory. They now sit 10th in the Serie A standings, while Udinese drop to third.

Manchester City is bracing for its Champions League reunion with Inter Milan in the opening round of an expanded tournament that will be "so tough" for the 2023 winner. Pep Guardiola's side defeated Inter 1-0 in the final two seasons ago, with Rodri's goal securing its first Champions League crown on a memorable night in Istanbul.City defender Manuel Akanji is not a fan of the new format due to the increased burden it will place on players in a grueling season that will conclude with Guardiola's men competing in the Club World Cup in the United States.It will be intriguing to see how Guardiola navigates the pursuit of another European title and a fifth successive Premier League crown amid the financial breaches case that could plunge the club into turmoil.Rodri played his first 45 minutes of the season against Brentford after a hamstring injury suffered in the Euro 2024 final victory against England. With England defenders John Stones and Kyle Walker also making their first starts this term, Guardiola is close to having all his stars available just in time for a hectic period.For more than a decade, Paris Saint-Germain's Qatari owners have spent lavishly to attract big stars, but the Champions League crown remained a distant dream. The superstars have all now left the Parc des Princes, and it might sound paradoxical, but the club may be better equipped in its quest for continental glory.Coach Luis Enrique insisted on molding what he had, and his project makes sense. Enrique asked for the recruitment of less-known but excellent players in every sector to create competition and have second options at every position. This could be even more crucial this season as the Champions League's new format will see more teams playing more games. PSG starts on Wednesday against Spanish side Girona.Borussia Dortmund, finalist last season, has undergone a summer of upheaval on and off the pitch ahead of Wednesday's clash at Club Brugge. Dortmund's unlikely run to last season's final masked a poor domestic season. The result was a summer rebuild, with the club parting ways with Dortmund-born coach Edin Terzic and several regular players.Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy and Germany center-back Waldemar Anton joined from Stuttgart, while German internationals Maximilian Beier and Pascal Gross have also signed for the club. The first European test comes at Belgian champions Club Brugge.

Napoli extended their lead atop Serie A with a dominant 4-0 victory over Cagliari, while Inter Milan stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Monza.Napoli's triumph was marred by fan disorder, with a banner mocking Cagliari fans as "sheep" sparking a barrage of objects between supporters. The match was halted for seven minutes as projectiles and flares flew.Despite the disruption, Napoli remained unfazed. Giovanni Di Lorenzo's deflected opener gave them an early lead, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Romelu Lukaku combined for two more goals before the hour mark. Alessandro Buongiorno sealed the win with a stoppage-time header.Inter's title hopes took a blow as they dropped points at Monza. Denzel Dumfries rescued a point with a late equalizer after Dany Mota's header had given the hosts the lead. Simone Inzaghi's side looked sluggish and will need to improve ahead of their Champions League opener at Manchester City.Elsewhere, Ademola Lookman marked his return to Atalanta with a decisive goal in their 3-2 victory over Fiorentina. The Nigerian forward, who had been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, netted the winner in stoppage time to secure three points for the Champions League-bound side.Genoa snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw with Roma in the final seconds, continuing their impressive start to the season.