Serie A's third round of fixtures produced a dramatic contrast in Milan and Turin, with Inter edging Napoli 3-2 in a rollercoaster clash while Juventus and Milan played out a tense 1-1 draw at the Allianz Stadium.
Inter head coach Cristian Chivu had already set the tone for the weekend earlier, pushing back on the concept of "scontri diretti" — the Italian term for head-to-head clashes between title rivals — when asked about it in a pre-match press conference ahead of facing Napoli. Chivu questioned the criteria for such fixtures, pointing out that Milan and Juventus, despite their historic rivalry with Inter, finished well off the pace last season in fifth and sixth place respectively. He later clarified he wasn't targeting any specific club, insisting every match carries importance regardless of the opponent's league position.
That backdrop made Saturday's meeting between Inter and Napoli, dubbed "The New Classico" by Corriere dello Sport, all the more intriguing. The two clubs have shared five of the last six Scudetti and even had Antonio Conte manage both sides across different spells.
The first half at San Siro was goalless despite early scares for both goalkeepers, who each made full-stretch saves inside the opening six minutes. Federico Dimarco also struck the post for the hosts before the break.
The second half exploded into life. Matteo Politano put Napoli ahead after a scramble in the box, converting on his second attempt following some shaky Inter defending. Rasmus Højlund doubled the visitors' advantage in the 53rd minute, but Lautaro Martínez pulled one back for Inter just three minutes later.
Napoli boss Massimiliano Allegri, who had come under fire earlier this season for a cautious approach in a home loss to Como, showed more attacking intent by introducing Kevin De Bruyne and David Neres in search of a decisive third goal. Instead it was Inter's Marcus Thuram who struck the woodwork before leveling the score at 2-2 in the 82nd minute.
Napoli continued to press for a winner, with Neres and Frank Anguissa both squandering clear chances, the latter missing an open goal from close range. But it was Inter who struck in stoppage time. New signing Curtis Jones, on his first appearance at San Siro since arriving from Liverpool, whipped in a cross that led to a scramble, with Lautaro Martínez poking home the winner before celebrating by climbing the barrier separating supporters from the pitch.
Across town in Turin the following night, Juventus and Milan struggled to replicate that intensity. For over an hour it looked as though the sides might record the season's first goalless draw, continuing a recent trend that has seen four of their last five league meetings end scoreless.
Both clubs invested heavily over the summer, spending in excess of €160m each, yet their headline forwards Randal Kolo Muani and Gonçalo Ramos - both arriving from Paris Saint-Germain - struggled to make an impact, combining for just one off-target shot. Milan coach Ruben Amorim opted to start Diego Moreira at right wing-back ahead of Samuel Chukwueze and paired Adrien Rabiot with Alexis Saelemaekers, decisions that left his side toothless for long spells.
The deadlock was broken by 19-year-old Alphadjo Cisse, who had come off the bench along with Chukwueze. The teenager nutmegged Pierre Kalulu before finding the corner of the net from a tight angle, notching his second goal in three matches following a loan spell at Catanzaro last season.
Juventus responded by throwing on fresh legs, and it was defender Federico Gatti - not a recognized attacking option - who rescued a point, meeting Teun Koopmeiners's cross to level the score. It marked the second time in recent months that Gatti has scored a crucial late goal for Juventus, having also netted a 93rd-minute equalizer against Roma in March. Reflecting on his knack for timely interventions, Gatti said: "I'm sorry you're surprised. My past says this is who I am, I have a force inside me that never dies."
Elsewhere in Serie A, Roma continued their strong start by beating Atalanta 2-1, while Como thrashed Genoa 4-1. Fiorentina remain winless after losing 2-1 to Torino, and Bologna drew 2-2 with Sassuolo. Frosinone edged Venezia 3-2 and Parma shared a point with Monza in a 1-1 draw.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.