Inter Milan Are Winter Champions: What It Means And How They Got There

In a perfect world, every game would end spectacularly: stoppage-time winner, a red card, a penalty miss, and a grand finale that reveals the answers to a myriad of subplots. Inter Milan’s 2-1 victory over Hellas Verona showcased the return of Inter’s captain from injury and the fastest goal scored off the bench, as relegation-threatened Verona audaciously pursued league points and Inter completed their mission to establish themselves as frontrunners at the halfway mark of the season.

The Nerazzurri are Serie A Winter Champions.

Does coach Simone Inzaghi get to lift silverware? No. And there wont be street parade either. This is all about laying another brick of self-belief. While the unofficial title realistically bears as much significance as The Assistant To The Regional Manager, Inter, who simply had to avoid defeat to stay above second-placed Juventus on goal difference, responded with killer instinct, composure and maturity to win when it wasn’t entirely necessary. Coach Simone Inzaghi knows all too well that close matches, those which seem destined to be stalemates, can end in jubilation just as easily as they can despair.

"It's important to win this type of match,” Inzaghi told Sky Sport. “I've lost matches like this too.”

For all of Inter’s financial might and squad depth, competing on three fronts (Serie A, Champions League and Coppa Italia) has traditionally resulted in unavoidable dips in form. And given that Inter have lost just once in the league, the visit from struggling Verona was indeed the banana skin that the calcio gods had placed halfway down the cavalcade to Scudetto glory.

Two weeks ago, Bologna FC ousted Inzaghi’s reigning Cup champions from the Coppa Italia by scoring two late extra-time goals. That evening, it appeared as though Carlos Augusto’s 92nd-minute header would be enough to seal the win, yet Inter was unable to stave off a Jonathan Zirkzee-inspired comeback. After a near-perfect four-month period, Inter had finally stumbled and Lautaro Martinez sustained a minor injury to boot. El Toro was then forced to watch helplessly from the sidelines as Marko Arnautović wasted chance after chance during the 1-1 draw with Genoa on matchday 18. Big teams like Inter don’t usually slip up against the smaller clubs, especially not at home in a knockout cup tie. Bologna’s epic triumph at the Stadio San Siro had served as inspiration to the other provincial sides.

Passing The Psych Exam

With Juventus just two points behind, Saturday’s clash with Hellas - who saw this match as a free hit - marked the return of Martinez to the starting lineup, and the Argentine made up for lost time by stabbing in the opener after 13 minutes. It was the Inter captain’s 16th goal of the campaign, amazingly, one more than the entire Verona squad had amassed all season. That was until Thomas Henry scored 45 seconds after being substituted into the match, glancing in Ondrej Duda’s fierce assist from a tight angle. The Frenchman’s 77th-minute equaliser is now the fastest goal scored off the bench in 2023-24.

To see out the 1-1 result, and take a point in stoppage-time, Verona predictably played on the counter offensive. However, where most sides would have dropped their heads, glory-hunting Inter laid siege. Federico Dimarco’s cross sat perfectly for Alessandro Bastoni who’s volley smacked off the crossbar and sailed 25 yards away from the goal. With the ball still in flight, Nicolò Barella again volleyed from outside the penalty area, and just as quickly as goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipò got down to parry, Davide Frattesi arrived to turn home from five yards.

Inter led 2-1 and Verona was reduced to ten men in the aftermath (with Darko Lazović dismissed for protesting), yet added time was just getting started. Everyone poured forward for Verona and eventually VAR (virtual assistant referee) pointed out a foul committed by Matteo Darmian on Giangiacomo Magnani in the box. The Gialloblu were awarded a 99th-minute penalty and a chance to claw their way out of the dropzone. With the chance to become a cult hero, Henry dragged his spot-kick onto the post; an explosive crescendo to an utterly absorbing game. 71,691 fans were at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza to ride the rollercoaster of chaos.

With 15 wins from a possible 19, Inter sits alone at the summit of Serie A, leading Juventus by 48 points to 46.

The Players Want It Bad

The lust for victory was displayed best by Nerazzurri wing-back Dimarco, who overzealously celebrated Henry’s penalty miss, screaming uncontrollably towards the shattered Verona striker. Most sportspeople will admit that amidst all the competitive turbulence, it’s difficult to keep a leash on emotions. Especially Dimarco, a former Verona player, who became possessed by the occasion as if he’d been watching the game amongst Inter’s ultra fanatics.

“Did I rejoice? Yes I celebrated a lot,” Dimarco explained via an Instagram post after the match. “I celebrated so much for the victory, for the scare, and for the danger averted.”

“Because this is sport. You win, you lose, you celebrate, you cry, and in the end you embrace each other.”

Allegiance

Dimarco’s reaction is indicative of how committed the squad is to Inzaghi’s master plan. Inter wants its 20th Serie A title and sporting director Piero Ausilio is reinforcing the team during the transfer window, having recently signed Canadian wing-back Tajon Buchanan, and is close to finalising Martinez’s contract extension.

Despite beating Napoli, Lazio, Atalanta, Roma and Milan, it's also the small victories that often make the difference. It turns out that beating minnows like Verona and clinching seemingly meaningless titles may count for something after all.

L'Inter è campione d'inverno