Derby d’Italia we crave - crippled Juve fought to the death, but Inter surge toward the top

Even before the Derby d’Italia, it was clear we were in for drama, but few could have predicted this. A phenomenal match packed with chances, goals, and plenty of controversial moments. Still, everything was overshadowed by a debatable red card for the visitors, raising the question of how things might have unfolded without it. As it stands, Inter pick up three hugely important points in the title race.

Inter started the game aggressively, pressing high from the opening minutes. By the 3rd minute, Akanji had already pushed into Juventus’ half, while the visitors looked to patiently build and find the right pass.

The deadlock was broken in the 17th minute in bizarre fashion. Sucic won the ball in midfield, and Thuram played it down the right to Luis Henrique. He seemed to want to cut it back for Thuram, but a deflection off Cambiaso sent it toward the near post, where Di Gregorio scrambled—attempting a kick with his trailing leg—and the ball ended up in the net. A truly strange opener for Inter.

Juventus quickly responded with a promising chance in the 21st minute. A Kalulu cross found McKennie at the far post, but Sommer made a superb save, plucking the header from under the bar. Just five minutes later, Juve leveled. McKennie sent another cross from the right; David attempted a flick-on that didn’t quite connect, but it fell perfectly for Cambiaso to tap in at the back post, giving the visitors a 1–1 lead.

Inter remained dangerous. In the 30th minute, Kenan Yildiz curled a shot from inside the area, forcing Sommer into another smart save. Five minutes later, Bremer made a goal-line clearance to deny Zielinski after a flick-on from Barella, though the move continued, and Lautaro Martinez eventually drilled wide following a clever Sucic dribble.

The Nerazzurri’s luck almost turned in their favor in the 42nd minute. Di Gregorio denied Thuram’s header, only for Bastoni to fire a powerful rebound that rattled the left post, the line, and the right post before Cambiaso finally cleared. A glorious chance that could have given Inter the lead.

Moments later, the game shifted dramatically. Kalulu was sent off for Juventus after picking up a second yellow following a challenge on Bastoni during a counterattack. With Juventus down to ten men, the first half ended with Inter poised to capitalize on the numerical advantage.It seems the referee reacted too harshly with that decision, so it can be said that the Old Lady were seriously hard done by — you can judge for yourselves.

The second half began at a frantic pace, with Juventus creating a chaotic triple chance in the 51st minute. Cambiaso surged forward and tested Sommer, who produced a flying save at the near top corner. The ball then fell to Miretti, whose first follow-up was blocked with Sommer’s leg, before the keeper smothered his second attempt to complete a remarkable triple save.

Inter responded with a huge opportunity of their own in the 67th minute. After a set-piece was cleared to the edge of the box, Hakan Calhanoglu unleashed a thunderous strike toward the top corner, but Di Gregorio reacted brilliantly to parry the effort away.

Juventus thought they had a penalty in the 70th minute when McKennie dribbled into the area and went down under a clumsy challenge from Carlos Augusto. However, the referee was well-positioned and waved play on, judging that the Brazilian had just about got the ball—though it was a risky tackle.

Marcus Thuram came agonizingly close to scoring twice in quick succession in the 71st minute. First, he cut inside from the left and curled a fierce right-footed shot that skimmed the crossbar, before taking matters into his own hands moments later and firing narrowly wide of the far post.

Inter finally found the breakthrough in the 76th minute. Federico Dimarco delivered another dangerous cross from the left, and Esposito escaped Locatelli to head the ball beautifully into the far top corner, leaving Di Gregorio with no chance.

But the drama was far from over. Despite being down to ten men, Juventus struck back in the 83rd minute. Bremer dispossessed Lautaro Martinez, and after a slick passing move, McKennie squared the ball for Locatelli, who swept a first-time finish into the far bottom corner from just inside the area to equalize in the Derby d’Italia.

The drama wasn’t over there. In the 90th minute, Inter struck again in true Derby d’Italia fashion. Piotr Zielinski controlled the ball brilliantly on the edge of the area, turned sharply, and fired a snapshot that went through Locatelli’s legs and wrong-footed Di Gregorio, catching the Juventus goalkeeper completely off guard.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 25

Friday

Pisa - Milan 1-2 (0-1)

/Loyola 71 - Loftus-Cheek 39, Modric 85/

Saturday

Como - Fiorentina 1-2 (0-1)

/Parisi 77 og - Fagioli 26, Kean 54 pen/

Lazio - Atalanta 0-2 (0-1)

/Ederson 41 pen, Zalewski 60/

Inter - Juventus 3-2 (1-1)

/Cambiaso 17 og, Esposito 76, Zielinski 90 - Cambiaso 26, Locatelli 83/

Sunday

14.30: (2.45) Udinese (3.10) Sassuolo (3.35)

17.00: (3.15) Cremonese (3.10) Genoa (2.55)

17.00: (2.35) Parma (3.00) Verona (3.70)

20.00: (3.35) Torino (3.40) Bologna (2.30)

22.45: (2.35) Napoli (3.10) Roma (3.30)

Monday

22.45: (2.20) Cagliari (3.15) Lecce (3.60)

***odds are subject to change***