Inter Milan’s iron grip on the Serie A title feels just a little looser tonight. In a match defined more by refereeing controversy than tactical chess, Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by a resilient Atalanta at the San Siro on Saturday.
The title race is officially back on.
The Early Spark
For the opening half-hour, it looked like business as usual for the Nerazzurri. After a frantic start, Francesco Pio Esposito rewarded Inter’s dominance in the 26th minute, latching onto a Nicolo Barella pass and firing a low strike that squirmed under Marco Carnesecchi. It wasn’t the cleanest finish, but it felt decisive.
“We did the hard work early,” a source close to the dressing room noted. “But you can’t leave the back door open in this league.”
The Boiling Point
The game unraveled in the final ten minutes. In the 82nd minute, Denzel Dumfries appeared to be pushed by Kamaldeen Sulemana in the buildup to an Atalanta attack. Referee Gianluca Manganiello briefly put the whistle to his lips but didn’t blow, allowing Sulemana to fire a shot that Yann Sommer could only parry into the path of Nikola Krstović. The substitute made no mistake with the tap-in.
Inter were incensed. The protestations were so fierce that manager Cristian Chivu was shown a straight red card for his reactions on the touchline. To make matters worse, a late penalty appeal for a challenge on Davide Frattesi was waved away, sending the home crowd into a state of disbelief.
Radio Silence
In a move that speaks volumes about the club’s fury, Inter enforced a total media blackout immediately after the final whistle. No players, no coaches, and no directors spoke to the press, leaving the stadium in stony silence as they processed a result that feels like a defeat.
With AC Milan facing Lazio on Sunday, Inter’s lead at the top could be slashed to just five points by tomorrow night. They’ve now failed to win in three consecutive games across all competitions. For a team that looked invincible a month ago, the cracks are starting to show at the worst possible time.
