Inter Milan, led by an in-form Romelu Lukaku-Lautaro Martinez duo, secured their place in the Champions League next season by beating Atalanta Bergamo (3-2) on Saturday on the 37th and penultimate day. .
Started strong with two goals in three minutes and more in management then, Inter provisionally takes 2nd place ahead of Lazio Rome, Sunday host of Cremonese, already relegated.
Guaranteed to finish in the Top 4, it is the third Italian team guaranteed to play in the C1, with champion Naples and Lazio. AC Milan (4th, 64 pts) needs a point on Sunday against Juventus (7th, 59 pts) to join them. In the event of a Milan defeat in Turin, the last ticket will be played at a distance during the final day between Milan and Juve.
Atalanta (5th, 61 pts), like Roma (60 pts) beaten at Fiorentina (2-1) at the start of the evening, can no longer hope to play C1, because they are ahead of Milan in direct confrontations. The “Dea” will console itself with the Europa League (5th and 6th places) or the Europa League Conference (7th).
Romelu Lukaku, in great form, led the way by opening the scoring after 30 seconds, launched full axis by Lautaro Martinez to score his seventh goal in his last six appearances. Nicolo Barella took advantage of an Atalanta k.o. entry to double the bet of a recovery without control (3rd).
The “Dea” maintained the suspense by reducing the mark by the opportunist Mario Pasalic on a corner (36th), but gave in for good on a third interist goal signed Martinez, after an action initiated by Lukaku (77th) . Luis Muriel scored too late, with the help of the crossbar and André Onana (90 1st), to hope to shake San Siro.
If it could not fight with Naples for the scudetto, Inter therefore ensures its main objective and will be able to devote itself to its Champions League final against Manchester City on June 10. With the ambition of aiming for a hat-trick in cups after his successes in the Italian Supercup and the Italian Cup.