Inter Milan remained in touch with Napoli after beating struggling Empoli 3-1 on Sunday and falling three points behind the Serie A leaders. Second-half goals from Lautaro Martinez, Denzel Dumfries and Marcus Thuram secured a narrow win for Inter at the San Siro. Napoli became the team to beat thanks to a thrilling 3-2 win over Atalanta, who are seven points adrift in third place, on Saturday, but Inter also have a game in hand.
However, Inter have a busy schedule due to their Champions League commitments, while Napoli have no European football after their disastrous title defense last season.
In addition to the final matches in the Champions League’s two league stages – against Sparta Prague and Monaco in successive weeks – Simone Inzaghi’s side will have the Milan derby and trips to Juventus, Napoli and Atalanta between now and mid-March.
Captain Martinez’s goal from long range in the 55th minute took his total in the league to eight goals in 18 matches, just shy of the 24 goals he scored en route to leading Inter to their 20th league title last season.
The Argentine forward had not scored at home since early November before Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Bologna, but his goal against Empoli was his second in as many matches at the San Siro.
Dumfries’ stunning header, from a Christian Aslani corner in the 79th minute, was key as Inter were far from their best, and once Inter loanee Sebastiano Esposito pulled a goal back for 14th-placed Empoli in the 79th minute, a wave of anxiety washed over the pitch.
The fans breathed a collective sigh of relief 10 minutes later when Thuram scored his 13th goal in the league this season to seal the points and continue Inter’s defense of the title.
Lazio remains in fourth place
Earlier, Lazio remained in the Champions League positions after beating struggling Verona 3-0.
Lazio, led by Marco Baroni, took the lead after just one minute through Samuel Gigo in Verona, then added two more goals from Boulay Dia and captain Mattia Zaccagni to place fourth, two points behind Juventus, which beat Milan on Saturday.
Sunday’s success ended a three-match winless run for Lazio, which included a derby defeat to rivals Roma, and left Verona in the relegation zone.
Verona suffered a 14th defeat in 21 league matches against new president Italo Zanzi after the club was taken over by US private equity firm Presidio Investors on Wednesday.
The new owners have a task at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, with Verona locked in a relegation battle, sitting in 18th place and separated on goal difference from Como, who sit just outside the relegation zone and host Udinese on Monday.
Verona are in the relegation zone after Cagliari’s 4-1 win over fellow strugglers Lecce lifted the Sardinian side to 13th place.
Only two points separate Cagliari and Verona, while Lecce, Parma – who drew 1-1 with second-placed Venezia – and Empoli each have 20 points.
Verona, who finished the match with ten men after Ondrej Duda was sent off, will make a short trip to regional rivals Venezia next week.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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