Inter won 2-1 away at Genoa to move top of Serie A, with Lautaro Martinez decisive again, while AC Milan drew with Sassuolo and Napoli lost at Udinese in a table-shifting Sunday.
Inter’s trip to Genoa was the kind of fixture that rarely feels glamorous but often proves decisive over a long Serie A season.
Away matches in Italy can turn into endurance tests, shaped by atmosphere, physical intensity, and the opponent’s ability to turn every second ball into a statement. Inter handled that environment with the focus of a team that understands how championships are built, not only through dominant performances, but through collecting points when games become uncomfortable.
From the first whistle, Inter played with intent. They did not allow the match to settle into Genoa’s rhythm, and their early breakthrough reflected a side determined to control the narrative. In the sixth minute, Lautaro Martinez once again showed his value beyond finishing, providing the assist for Yann Bisseck to open the scoring and immediately place pressure on the hosts to chase the game.
The early goal changed the balance at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Genoa, typically driven by energy and crowd momentum at home, were pushed into taking more initiative, which inevitably created spaces that Inter could exploit. Rather than dropping deep and inviting chaos, Inter kept their structure, managed possession intelligently, and remained alert to moments where one clean combination could open the match further.
Inter’s second goal arrived in the 38th minute and carried the stamp of efficiency. Lautaro, after creating the opener, finished the second himself, continuing a run of form that is shaping Inter’s season. The strike took him to eight goals for the campaign, keeping him top of the scoring charts in Italy. Scoring before half-time also mattered psychologically, giving Inter a cushion and forcing Genoa into a second-half approach built on urgency and risk.
At 2-0, Inter appeared well placed to manage the contest, but Serie A away games rarely stay calm. Genoa increased their aggression after the break, committing more bodies forward and looking to turn the match into a sequence of duels, set pieces, and pressure waves. Their response came in the 68th minute through Portuguese forward Vitinha, whose goal lifted the stadium and transformed the final phase into a serious test of Inter’s composure.
The closing stages demanded maturity more than artistry. Genoa pushed for an equaliser through wide deliveries and moments of disorder around the area. Inter had to defend without panic, reduce transitional risks, and manage tempo to stop the game from becoming a constant emergency. They stayed organised, communicated well, and absorbed the late surge well enough to protect the lead until the final whistle.
The outcome was clear and significant. Inter won 2-1 away at Genoa, moving into first place with 33 points. Genoa, despite a spirited finish, remained on 14 points in 16th place, still looking over their shoulder in a tightly packed lower half of the table. For Inter, the win carried extra weight because it arrived on a day when their direct rivals failed to win, allowing the table to swing in their favour.
AC Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo in a match that felt like a missed opportunity. Milan fell behind when Ismael Cone scored in the 13th minute, forcing a response that initially arrived through Bartesaghi. He equalised in the 34th minute and then struck again early in the second half in the 47th, turning the match around and putting Milan in front. Even with Milan on top, clear chances were limited, and Sassuolo remained close enough to punish the lack of a decisive third goal.
The equaliser came in the 77th minute, with Pinamonti playing an important supporting role by laying the ball off for Lauriente to make it 2-2. Those dropped points left Milan one behind Inter, a small gap on paper but one that can grow quickly in a league where momentum and confidence are often tied to the ability to close out matches.
Napoli’s result was even more damaging. The defending champions lost 1-0 away to Udinese, conceding the only goal in the 73rd minute through Jurgen Ekkelenkamp. The match had already carried controversy, with Udinese seeing two goals ruled out by VAR earlier, one for offside and another for a foul in the build-up. Napoli survived those warnings but could not avoid the decisive moment, and the defeat left them two points behind Inter, increasing the pressure on their title defence.
Midway through a weekend that underlined how quickly narratives can shift across Italian football, a separate storyline involving Italy and the play-offs was also drawing attention in the wider conversation, with the full report offering additional context for that international angle.
Elsewhere, the drama extended to the relegation battle, where Verona secured a vital 2-1 away win at Fiorentina. Gift Orban was the decisive figure, scoring twice, first in the 42nd minute and then deep into stoppage time at 90+3. Fiorentina’s only goal came via an own goal by Unai Nunez in the 69th minute, briefly raising hopes before Verona struck late to claim a result that could prove psychologically important in the fight for survival.
The table positions underline the seriousness of that outcome. Fiorentina remained 20th and bottom with six points, while Verona moved to 18th with 12 points, still in the relegation zone but with renewed belief that survival remains achievable. In these scenarios, one win does not solve everything, but it can change mood, confidence, and the sense of possibility inside a squad.
Taken together, the weekend delivered real movement in Serie A. Inter did what title challengers must do: win a difficult away match, strike with quality when chances arrive, and then defend the advantage when the game turns against them. It may not have been flawless, but it was the kind of victory that often matters most when the season is judged in the final weeks.
