Inter Milan moved top of Serie A on Saturday after a first-half blitz led to the Italian champions sweeping sorry Verona aside 5-0 and going two points clear, while AC Milan played out an uneventful goal-less draw with Juventus.
Simone Inzaghi’s side are provisionally ahead of Napoli after netting all five of their goals in the opening 45 minutes at the Stadio Bentegodi through a Marcus Thuram brace and further strikes from Joaquin Correa, Stefan de Vrij and Yann Bisseck.
Atalanta will claim top spot with a win over promoted Parma in Saturday’s late match, while on Sunday Napoli host Roma on Claudio Ranieri’s return to top-flight management.
Correa’s opener in the 17th minute, a delightful dink after smart interplay with Thuram, didn’t just spark a rout, it was also the Argentinian’s first Serie A goal in over two years.
Out-of-favour Correa had only played 38 minutes this season before this weekend but was excellent in place of captain and star striker Lautaro Martinez who was sent home early on Saturday with the flu.
“I know him well, he’s been training brilliantly since July, he’s got a lot of competition,” Inzaghi told DAZN.
“I’m pleased for him but I’m also pleased for the boys because they played really well,” he added.
Correa, 30, hit the woodwork twice and also laid on Thuram for the first of his two near-identical goals, which were netted within the space of three minutes and came after the France forward skipped around Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo.
By the time defenders De Vrij and Bisseck — with another strike set up by Correa — lashed in unlikely finishes Verona were submerged in boos and whistles from the home support who loudly chanted for their team to “show some balls”.
Verona have lost nine of their 13 league matches this season and sit 14th, just three points above the relegation zone.
– San Siro bore draw –
Inter now host Leipzig on Tuesday as they push for direct qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League, having thumped Verona with a clutch of starters either injured or rested.
As well as Martinez, Hakan Calhanoglu, Federico Dimarco and Benjamin Pavard missed Saturday’s match after a busy period on international duty.
Juve trail Inter by three points in sixth place after offering little to shout about at the San Siro.
Ravaged by injuries, including to starting centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic, coach Thiago Motta was forced into an experimental line-up featuring midfielder Teun Koopmeiners up front.
Despite the depleted line-up Juve had more shots on target — two to one — in a hugely disappointing contest in front of a crowd of more than 75,000.
“I’m pleased with our performance, especially defensively against a team which created very little,” Motta said to DAZN.
“All in all we played well, I think a point right now keeps us going. I’m happy to see that we’re well-organised and are capable of playing like a big team should.”
Milan, who started with former Juve forward Alvaro Morata leading the line, were unable to break down Juve and are seventh, nine points behind their league-leading local rivals with a game in hand.
Paulo Fonseca’s side failed to trouble Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio until stoppage time with a weak header from Theo Hernandez, which was followed shortly afterwards by a hail of whistles from annoyed home fans.
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