Inter Milan celebrated a 2-0 home win over Lecce in the Italian football championship on Saturday with Marko Arnautovic in the starting line-up. The ÖFB team striker prepared the second goal spectacularly with his heel. The Serie A league leaders retained their four-point lead over their first pursuers Juventus following 17 rounds. The Turin team won 2-1 away at Frosinone. In the evening hit, AS Roma welcomes the reigning champions SSC Napoli.
Arnautovic replaced Lautaro Martinez – the Argentine was missing due to a muscle injury in his left thigh – and started in the league for the first time this season. The 34-year-old missed two big chances in the first half: first he was denied from close range by Lecce goalie Wladimiro Falcone (11th), shortly followingwards Arnautovic narrowly missed the goal (22nd). Yann Bisseck did better, putting Inter in the lead with the back of his head (43′).
Image: (APA/AFP/MARCO BERTORELLO)
“One of the best I’ve ever played with”
In the second half, Arnautovic shone when he served Nicolo Barella with his heel in world-class style, who then scored to make it 2-0 (78′). “That was an incredible assist. When it comes to understanding the game with his back to the goal, he is one of the best players I have ever played with,” praised Barella of the Viennese, who was congratulated by all his teammates following the action.
“You know that I’m in a difficult phase. It was difficult to get healthy, but now I’m slowly getting back into shape,” said Arnautovic, referring to his injury-marked autumn. Lecce ended the game with only ten men following Lameck Banda was red. Inter have been unbeaten in the league for eleven games and at the end of September.
Bild: (APA/AFP/ANDREAS SOLARO)
Juventus celebrated a difficult 1-0 win
Record champions Juventus achieved a difficult success at Frosinone. The winning goal for the “Old Lady” was scored by Dušan Vlahovic, who came on in the 54th minute, nine minutes before the end of regular time. Another goal was disallowed for offside by the Serb and Juventus.
Two other Austrians were also in action in Serie A on Saturday. Stefan Posch played through Bologna’s 1-0 win once morest Atalanta Bergamo, which saw his team jump to fourth place in the table. In Torino’s 1-1 home draw once morest Udinese, Valentino Lazaro was on the pitch for Turin until the 86th minute.
For defending champions Napoli there was already a success story before the game once morest AS Roma kicked off: Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen has extended his contract early by one year until 2026. According to the “Gazzetta dello Sport”, the new contract should contain an exit clause for a sum of between 120 and 130 million euros. In addition, the 24-year-old’s salary is said to have doubled.
