🚀 Inter thrash Sassuolo 5-0, Dimarco 3 assists, Milan 8 points back | OneFootball

Test of strength, yet another confirmation, performance of a great team. In the afternoon of Inter, everything Chivu was looking for from the away match in Reggio Emilia is there. The Nerazzurri crush Sassuolo 5-0, soar to +8 over Milan (who will have to make up the match against Como), and enjoy a super version of Dimarco.

The national team's winger is clearly the MVP of the match, which started with a goal-line clearance after a minute and ended with three assists and a crossbar. Top player, nothing more to say.

What surprises more and more - or perhaps no longer surprises at all - is the dominance of this Inter in matches against mid-to-lower teams, where it's crucial to gather the maximum to aim for the Scudetto. Well, Chivu is doing just that. Since the derby lost on November 23, only on one occasion - the draw at San Siro against Napoli - has Inter not collected all three points. Translated into numbers: 11 wins and one draw in the last 12 outings. A steamroller.

Besides Dimarco, there's more to smile about. The return to scoring of Thuram, the 171st goal of Lautaro, who reaches Boninsegna in 3rd place in the all-time Nerazzurri scorers' list, and most importantly, the +8 in the standings. 

Now Juventus, who will come to Meazza next Saturday to spoil Valentine's Day for many Inter fans. For Chivu, however, it's the chance to unlock a big match. Should he succeed, then catching up with this Inter would be complicated for anyone.

🔚 IT ENDS HERE: SASSUOLO 0-5 INTER

⚽️ Luis Henrique! What a goal

And here comes the goal from Luis Henrique, who in the 89th minute takes advantage of yet another senseless outing by Muric and fires a rocket into the top corner.

A very beautiful goal, celebrated by the whole bench, with Thuram and Lautaro running onto the field!

💥 Thuram hits the post!

Sassuolo is at risk of a rout here, as in the 62nd minute they give Inter a huge chance. 

Bisseck's run, poorly cleared ball, and Thuram manages to shoot before everyone. Muric beaten, but it's only the post!

🟥 Matic sent off!

Sassuolo loses their head, remaining with ten men due to Matic's expulsion.

The former Roma player says a few too many words to referee Chiffi, who first books him and then sends him off (not with a second yellow, but with a straight red: thus, the suspension should be for two matches). All this while Inter players are still celebrating Akanji's goal...

⚽️ And it's four! Akanji, third assist from Dimarco

At the 53rd minute, a carbon copy of the action that led to the first goal by Bisseck, and a Nerazzurri poker.

Dimarco's corner, Muric misreads it, and Akanji is free to score his first goal in an Inter shirt! Third assist of the day for a simply exceptional Dimarco.

⚽️ Lautaro! He was missing, 0-3 and... Caught Boninsegna!

We restart and it's immediately 0-3 at the 50th minute! A very poor goal to concede, as it all starts from a long throw-in. Idzes extends towards his own goal, thus serving Lautaro.

The Bull is smart to control and immediately turn towards the goal, piercing Muric's hands. Game, set, match... And a new record for the Argentine!

With today's goal, Lautaro reaches 171 goals in a Nerazzurri shirt, like Boninsegna: this means the podium of Inter's all-time scorers. But it doesn't end here, because with 129 goals in our league, he also reaches Bettega for goals scored with a single team in Serie A. Ahead of him are only Totti (250), Del Piero (188), Boniperti (178), Gigi Riva (156), and Ezio Pascutti (130).

☕️ Inter at halftime at +8

With a rampant Dimarco, the Nerazzurri go into the break at 0-2 and - above all - at +8 over second-place Milan, who will make up the match against Como on February 18.

First half much more complicated than the score suggests. Be careful not to count this Sassuolo out, as they seem determined to get back into the game at all costs!

❌⚽️ Sassuolo's goal disallowed!

Out of nowhere, at the 42nd minute, Sassuolo manages to shorten the distance with Thorstvedt, who scores after Berardi's attempted half-bicycle kick. 

During the action, however, Laurienté receives the ball in an offside position, albeit by a very small margin. After a VAR check, the goal is disallowed!

Correct decision, but what bad luck for Sassuolo... Looking at the freeze-frame, it's clear that it's really a matter of millimeters.

⚽️ Thuram returns to scoring!

At the 28th minute, Inter doubles their lead! From Sommer to Mkhitaryan and to Dimarco - him again - who from the left finds Marcus Thuram's run! The Frenchman anticipates Muric's exit and scores first time!

Immediately updated the data and record on Dimarco's assists, which now rise to ten in the league. 

💥 Dimarco from the three-quarters, crossbar!

Dimarco hits the crossbar at the 18th minute! Free kick from the three-quarters, with Muric trying to read it in advance and stepping out.

Too bad for him, though, that Dimarco aimed for the goal, not the cross. A beautiful rainbow that beats the Neroverde goalkeeper but crashes onto the crossbar!

🤏 Bisseck again, then Dimarco! Double MEGA chance

Bisseck again! A minute passes and Inter is once again a step away from scoring! Nice run by Sucic on the right, with the Croatian then finding the German defender in the box. Bisseck's sure-fire shot is blocked, but the ball finds Dimarco who goes diagonally and just misses the post!

Inter's power and Sassuolo risked a collapse!

⁉️ Doubt on the goal: offside position of Thuram?

There is also room for doubt, linked to Thuram's position at the start of the action that leads to the corner. 

From the freeze-frame of the pass to the Frenchman, indeed, the position of the Inter striker seems borderline! There's the uncertainty of perspective, so Doig might be keeping him onside. In any case, as is well known, since it's not directly a goal-scoring action, the VAR cannot intervene. 

⚽️ Bisseck! 1-0 Inter

After 10 minutes of difficulty, with Sassuolo having three counterattacks to strike, at the 11th minute Inter scores! Corner perfectly taken as always by Dimarco, who draws an inswinging trajectory that Muric reads very poorly!

For Bisseck, at that point, it's child's play to overpower Thorstvedt and head it into the net. Everything is easy when Dimarco takes the kick. Today's is the 9th assist in this championship for the class of '97, a new record for a defender in the first 24 Serie A matchdays!

😱 Koné, what a chance!

Ready, set, and Sassuolo after 1 minute goes millimeters away from the lead goal! Nice counterattack by the Neroverdi, with Laurienté freeing Koné in the box.

The 2002 midfielder has all the time to place it and does so, but incredibly Dimarco manages to clear it off the line with his body! The Inter winger celebrates as if he had scored!

⚫️🔵 Chivu: "Those who love football, love Lautaro! The calendar..."

For Inter, Cristian Chivu arrives:

"We need attention and attitude, in duels and in the approach to the match. It's a not easy game, against a tough opponent that has put everyone in difficulty. It's a newly promoted team that is having a great championship.”

Then on the formation choices: “The best thing is that we have a fully involved squad, ready to support the group. To be competitive, everyone needs to work well, the championship is very long, and we know continuity will be needed. Lautaro? He has incredible hunger and desire. He always wants to improve. He has many important qualities, like many strikers who have played here. For those who watch football, it's great to see players like Lautaro”.

Finally, a comment on the February tour de force: "It's a complicated month, like all the past ones. We are aware of what we are doing and of our growth, as well as the fact that we need continuity and important performances that allow us to be competitive".

🟢⚫️ Carnevali: "Inter the strongest! Muharemovic..."

Before the match, Sassuolo's CEO, Giovanni Carnevali, spoke to DAZN's microphones:

"Inter is the strongest in the championship, but when you play against these teams, you find extra energy. Muharemovic for now has had some requests. We only have a percentage that we will have to give to Juventus when we sell the player. Today the only thought we have is that he can grow, we know he has important qualities. He is young, he needs time to express his abilities at best.”

✅ The official line-ups

SASSUOLO (4-3-3): Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Koné; Berardi, Pinamonti, Laurienté.

INTER (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Sucic, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Lautaro, Thuram.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

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