Serie A Roundup: Inter Beat Atalanta To Remain Top As Milan Overpower Verona

‎As the final whistle blew across stadiums in Italy, Serie A’s final matchday of the year delivered decisive victories, missed opportunities, and shifting momentum at the top of the table.

‎Inter remain league leaders heading into the new year, but the chasers Milan and Napoli made equally strong statements of intent.

‎Below is a full breakdown of a thrilling weekend across the Italian top flight.

‎Inter Claim Vital Win in Bergamo to Close the Year on Top

‎Inter’s 1–0 win away to Atalanta was a hard-earned triumph that reinforced their title credentials.

‎Lautaro Martínez delivered the decisive moment of the match, tucking home from close range after Pio Esposito capitalised on a defensive mistake in the 65th minute.

‎But Inter were made to work for every inch.

‎Marcus Thuram thought he had given his side the lead on the brink of halftime, only for the goal to be chalked off due to an offside in the buildup by Martínez. Atalanta suffered their own frustration early in the second half when Nicola Zalewski broke through one-on-one, only for Yann Sommer to deny him with a superb reflex leg save.

‎Gianluca Scamacca later rounded Sommer and finished, but the offside flag was already raised. After Inter finally broke the deadlock, the match slowed down, with Lazar Samardžić missing the best chance for Atalanta to level.

‎Inter end the year on 36 points, one ahead of Milan and two above Napoli, but with plenty of pressure behind them.

‎Clinical Milan Sweeps Aside Verona

‎AC Milan kept up the chase with a commanding 3–0 home win over Verona, though the match was far from straightforward.

‎Massimiliano Allegri’s side struggled to break down Verona’s disciplined defensive shape throughout the first period. The breakthrough finally arrived in first-half stoppage time when Christian Pulisic arrived at the far post to volley home from a corner.

‎In the second half, Milan’s superior quality told. Christopher Nkunku won and converted a penalty, then struck again minutes later this time reacting quickest to a rebound off the post from a Luka Modrić effort.

‎“For us today it was important to win against a tricky, fast team,” the Milan manager, Massimiliano Allegri, said to Dazn.

‎“At the moment the Scudetto target will be between 82 and 84 points. It could rise to 86 if a team goes on a strong run.”

‎With Milan now just a point off the top spot, their momentum appears to be accelerating.

‎Højlund Fires Napoli to Confident Win at Cremonese

‎Napoli kept themselves firmly in the title conversation with a composed 2–0 victory away to Cremonese.

‎Rasmus Højlund, who is beginning to look increasingly at home in Antonio Conte’s system, scored both goals.

‎The Dane reacted brilliantly to a loose ball after a deflection for the opener on 13 minutes, then swept home another chance just before halftime from another defensive scramble.

‎“He’s a very young player, first and foremost, and he has a lot of room for improvement,” said the Napoli manager, Antonio Conte of Højlund.

‎“He’s becoming a dominant player in his position. He is really well-connected with the team.

‎’In my style of football, the strikers have a very important and special role in the overall approach, and they have a huge margin for further improvement.”

‎With Napoli just two points behind Inter, their revival under Conte looks real.

‎Juventus Grind Out Win at Pisa

‎On Saturday, Juventus secured a scrappy yet essential 2–0 win away to struggling Pisa.

‎The deadlock was broken in the 73rd minute when Pierre Kalulu unwittingly turned the ball into his own net after a chaotic defensive sequence.

‎Youngster Kenan Yıldız sealed the victory in stoppage time with a composed finish.

‎Despite still trailing the leading pack, Juve remain in the conversation albeit having played more games than their rivals.

‎Elsewhere in Serie A:

‎Udinese 1–1 Lazio: Keinan Davis struck a dramatic late equaliser to deny Lazio a much-needed win.

‎Lecce 0–3 Como: Nico Paz starred with a goal and an assist as Como cruised to victory.

‎Torino 1–2 Cagliari: Cagliari produced a spirited comeback to move further away from relegation danger.

‎Parma 1–0 Fiorentina: Parma secured three crucial points in a relegation six-pointer, leaving Fiorentina rooted to the bottom of the table.