Serie A | Inter 3-2 Juventus: Zielinski seals thrilling and controversial Derby d’Italia | OneFootball

Juventus kept coming back even after a controversial Pierre Kalulu red card, but Inter snatched the dramatic 3-2 win with Francesco Pio Esposito and Piotr Zielinski.

The Derby d’Italia had seen some chaotic recent clashes, including a 4-4 draw last season and a 4-3 Juve victory back in September. Both Thuram brothers were on target in that game, but Khephren was out injured here with Dusan Vlahovic and Arek Milik, so the midfield was reshuffled for a new 4-3-3 formation. Nicolò Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu returned to the squad, leaving only Denzel Dumfries on the treatment table, but the Turkish veteran started from the bench.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The hosts took the lead in bizarre circumstances, as Luis Henrique was trying to roll across for the return pass to Marcus Thuram, but it took a deflection off Andrea Cambiaso and surprised Michele Di Gregorio, who clumsily tried and failed to kick it away at the near bottom corner with his trailing foot.

Juve threatened moments later, Weston McKennie’s header straight at Yann Sommer on a Pierre Kalulu cross, while Francisco Conceicao curled over from a tricky angle.

Cambiaso made up for the howler by scoring the equaliser in the right net this time, as Jonathan David failed to connect with a McKennie cross, so it kept going to find the full-back to tap in at the far post.

Sommer flew to palm away the Kenan Yildiz right-foot curler, then Gleison Bremer had to clear practically off the line from Piotr Zielinski on Thuram’s back-heel flick.

There was chaos on the stroke of half-time and the game changed completely. Di Gregorio flew to parry a Thuram header on a corner, then Alessandro Bastoni tried to prod in the rebound, somehow managing to hit both uprights with the same effort.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale Milano shoots and hits the post during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Juve then tried to play their way out and Bastoni went down under a Kalulu challenge, with the referee showing a second yellow card. VAR cannot intervene on bookings, so the understandably frustrated Juventus defender couldn’t call on them to confirm there was no contact with Bastoni.

Despite being down to 10 men, Juventus still had a triple chance after the restart, as Sommer parried the Cambiaso strike, then the Kenan Yildiz rebound, and finally smothered a Miretti effort.

Calhanoglu made his first appearance since January 11 and immediately forced a flying save out of Di Gregorio with his rocket from the edge of the box.

McKennie had timid appeals rejected for a Carlos Augusto challenge, while Thuram cut inside from the left for a right-foot scorcher that skimmed the crossbar.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: Fabio Miretti of Juventus and Marcus Thuram of FC Internazionale Milano battle for possession during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Inter finally broke down the 10 men with Dimarco’s 14th assist of the season, whipping in a cross from the left for substitute Pio Esposito, who peeled away from Manuel Locatelli for a looping header into the far top corner.

Dimarco could’ve scored another on the Andy Diouf counter-attack, but couldn’t keep his finish down, as the Bianconeri were unbalanced seeking an equaliser.

Locatelli made up for the earlier error to draw Juve level with a first-time sweeping finish from just inside the area on the McKennie roll across from the right.

It remained wide open, Di Gregorio getting across to push a Yann Bisseck towering header off the line, then Zielinski restored Inter’s lead with a strike through Locatelli’s legs from the D to wrong-foot the goalkeeper again.

Teun Koopmeiners had his header plucked out of the air, then sprinted back to make practically a goal-line clearance after Ange-Yoan Bonny’s dummy sent McKennie to ground.

Inter 3-2 Juventus

Cambiaso og 17 (I), Cambiaso 26 (J), Esposito 76 (I), Locatelli 83 (J), Zielinski 90 (I)

Sent off: Kalulu 42 (J)