Inter face high-stakes Bergamo trip to guard slender Serie A lead | OneFootball

Inter Milan will look to tighten their grip on first place in Serie A when they travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta, aiming to close the year with a statement league victory.

The meeting pits two sides in strong domestic form against each other, but with contrasting motivations following recent cup commitments.

Inter arrive still in control of the title race, having edged clear at the summit after a narrow but resilient win away to Genoa in their last league outing.

That result moved them one point ahead of AC Milan and two clear of Napoli, reinforcing their position as the team to catch heading into the final fixture of the year.

However, momentum briefly stalled in midweek as they exited the Coppa Italia on penalties against Bologna, missing the chance to collect early-season silverware.

Cristian Chivu will be keen for a swift response, with a strong league performance offering the perfect opportunity to refocus attention on their primary objective.

Inter’s domestic consistency has been built on attacking authority, with their goal output comfortably the best in the division over recent weeks.

Comfortable victories over Como, Pisa and Genoa have highlighted their ability to punish opponents outside the elite, a trait that has sustained their title push.

They also travel to Bergamo carrying a formidable psychological edge, having dominated this fixture for several seasons.

Inter are unbeaten in their last 13 league meetings with Atalanta and have won the last six in succession, often with minimal resistance.

Atalanta, though, enter the contest with renewed belief following a clear upturn in results under new head coach Raffaele Palladino.

A late victory over Genoa in their most recent Serie A match extended a run that has lifted them into the top half of the table.

That success followed an impressive European result earlier in the month, reinforcing the sense that momentum is building at a crucial stage.

Atalanta have now won four consecutive home matches across all competitions, rediscovering fluency and intensity at the Gewiss Stadium.

Their attacking output has improved significantly, with Palladino’s side scoring freely and showing greater balance across the pitch.

Ending Inter’s dominance in this fixture would represent a major psychological breakthrough, having not beaten their regional rivals in the league since 2018.

It would also offer Atalanta a chance to directly disrupt the title race by cutting into Inter’s advantage at the top.

For Inter, history and form both point towards another strong display, particularly in final league matches before the year’s end.

They have won six of their last seven Serie A season finales, a trend that strengthens confidence ahead of this trip.

Yet Atalanta’s current trajectory suggests a far more competitive contest than previous meetings.

With both sides in form and contrasting ambitions at stake, Bergamo is set to host a high-quality finale to the Serie A year.