ROME – Inter Milan, known for its recent challenges when playing at Bologna, faced familiar difficulties on Sunday. In a dramatic turn, Riccardo Orsolini’s bicycle kick in stoppage time secured a 1-0 win for Bologna against the Serie A leaders, causing Inter to drop into a tie with second-positioned Napoli with just five matches left in the season.
Simone Inzaghi, Inter’s coach, expressed the team’s disappointment saying, “It’s painful to concede such a goal just seconds before the end. However, our season doesn’t conclude here. We still have multiple goals to pursue and will regroup moving forward.”
The match rekindled memories of a costly goalkeeping mistake by Ionut Radu three years ago, which handed Bologna a victory and paved the way for AC Milan to clinch the championship. Inter also stumbled at Bologna in a rain-soaked match the following season.
Though Inter emerged victorious at Bologna last season, they exhausted crucial energy reserves, which left them unable to effectively compete in their Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid that ensued mere days later.
This encounter came to its resolution when Inter defender Yann Bisseck inadvertently flicked a long throw-in towards Orsolini, who capitalized on the opportunity with a stunning acrobatic left-foot volley, thrilling the home crowd at Renato Dall’Ara.
Inter is ambitiously eyeing a treble this season, with critical encounters ahead in both the Champions League and the Italian Cup. Coach Inzaghi had earlier marked the Bologna fixture as the pivotal match of the season.
Now matched on the points table with Antonio Conte’s Napoli, who are free from other commitments and singularly focused on chasing their second title in three years, Inter is under increased pressure. Napoli bagged a 1-0 victory at bottom-dwellers Monza on Saturday to add pressure on Inter.
Bologna’s victory moves them into fourth place, just a point ahead of Juventus, who are set to visit Parma on Monday. Inter’s schedule is unrelenting, with their next challenge being the Italian Cup semifinal’s second leg against Milan on Wednesday following a 1-1 outcome in the first encounter. Inter also prepares for a domestic face-off with Roma before traveling to Barcelona for their Champions League semifinal first leg.
A potential Italian Cup final clash with Bologna looms, as Bologna triumphed 3-0 over Empoli in the first leg of the other semifinal.
If Inter and Napoli finish the season on equal points, a decisive single match will be held to proclaim the next Italian league champion.
Meanwhile, Atalanta triumphed over AC Milan, with a 1-0 win to retain its third-place grip, distancing itself by four points from Bologna. Atalanta’s Ederson capitalized on a counterattack in the second half for the win.
AC Milan now finds itself languishing in ninth place, trailing sixth-placed Roma by six points for Italy’s Conference League qualification.
Adding to the suspense, Empoli and Venezia locked horns in a 2-2 draw, leaving both clubs entrenched in the relegation zone.