Lautaro Martinez returns with brace as Inter thrash Roma 5-2 to extend Serie A lead
Lautaro Martinez marked his return from injury with two goals as Inter Milan demolished Roma 5-2 at San Siro on Saturday, moving nine points clear at the top of Serie A. The Argentine captain, who had been sidelined for 46 days, opened the scoring after just 60 seconds and added a second-half strike, with Marcus Thuram, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Nicolo Barella also on target for Simone Inzaghi's side. Gianluca Mancini and Lorenzo Pellegrini scored consolations for a Roma side that collapsed after a competitive first half.
This emphatic victory, coming after a disappointing period that included a loss for the Italian national team in Bosnia, reasserts Inter's title credentials. The win temporarily extends their lead over AC Milan to nine points, with Milan set to face Napoli on Sunday. A draw in that match would hand Inter a significant advantage, while a win for either rival would keep the title race theoretically alive, though Inter's performance suggested a team back to its formidable best.
Martinez's quick opener settled any nerves, the striker powerfully heading home a Thuram cross. Roma grew into the game and equalized through Mancini's header, but were stunned on the stroke of halftime by a spectacular 40-yard strike from Calhanoglu. The second half was utterly one-sided, as Inter ruthlessly exploited Roma's defensive frailties. Thuram set up Martinez for his second before scoring himself from a corner, and Barella capped the rout with a fierce drive before Pellegrini's late reply.
The match underscored Martinez's indispensable role for Inter. His absence coincided with a dip in form, but his return immediately restored the team's cutting edge. He now leads the Serie A scoring charts with 16 goals. For Roma, managed by former Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, the heavy defeat deals a severe blow to their hopes of a top-four finish and raises further questions about their defensive solidity, despite missing several key players including Paulo Dybala.
Inter's dominant display, fueled by their core players, sends a clear message to their title rivals. The team displayed the intensity and cohesion that had defined their early-season form, with Calhanoglu and Barella controlling midfield and the Thuram-Martinez partnership proving lethal. With the title now firmly in their grasp, Inter will look to maintain this momentum after the international break. For Roma, the focus shifts to regrouping for a challenging fight for European qualification, with this result highlighting the scale of the task ahead.
