Inter secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Cagliari at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, with Nicolo Barella leading the charge in a dominant Serie A performance.
Inter entered this match sitting at the top of the Serie A table, aiming to maintain their title push. Cagliari arrived in 16th place, desperate for points to secure their safety after a difficult run of form.
The first half remained scoreless despite Inter controlling the tempo of the game. Both sides struggled to find a breakthrough, though the tension was evident as Cagliari players S. Esposito and G. Borrelli received yellow cards within two minutes of each other.
Inter pushed hard to break the deadlock before the interval. They moved the ball with intent, yet the Cagliari defense remained disciplined enough to keep the hosts at bay until the halftime whistle blew.
The second half began with renewed energy from the home side. Inter finally broke through in the 52nd minute. Michel Thuram found space inside the box and fired home to give his team a deserved lead.
The momentum stayed firmly with the hosts after the opening goal. Just four minutes later, in the 56th minute, Nicolo Barella doubled the advantage. He capitalized on the team's relentless pressure to extend the lead.
Cagliari struggled to respond as the game progressed. They managed only one shot on target throughout the entire match, failing to threaten the Inter goal effectively despite having 44 percent of the possession.
Inter continued to dictate play, managing 18 total shots. Their expected goals (xG) metric of 2.16 reflected their constant attacking threat against a struggling opponent.
As the match neared its conclusion, Piotr Zielinski added a final touch to the scoreline. He found the net in the 90+2 minute, ensuring a comprehensive 3-0 victory for the league leaders.
This result keeps Inter firmly at the top of the standings with 75 points. For Cagliari, the defeat highlights the ongoing challenges they face in their fight to avoid relegation this season.
