The penalty awarded to Napoli during their 3-1 win over Inter continues to provoke debate, as newly released RefCam audio has shed fresh light on how the decision was reached.

The incident, involving a coming together between Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Giovanni Di Lorenzo, broke the deadlock at the Stadio Maradona and significantly shifted the momentum of the match.

The footage, published by Serie A, shows referee Maurizio Mariani well-positioned and initially inclined to let play continue, as per CalcioNews24.

Assistant intervention led to penalty for Napoli against Inter

However, the audio captures intervention from his assistant Daniele Bindoni, who suggests the contact may be sufficient for a penalty. Mariani is heard asking, “Are you sure?”, before reversing his judgment and pointing to the spot after a brief pause.

Kevin De Bruyne converted to give Napoli the lead.

The sequence has reignited frustration among Inter supporters and raised broader concerns about consistency, communication protocols, and perceived external pressure on match officials.

An 81-year-old man in an electric wheelchair was fatally struck this morning by a car driven by Inter‘s second-choice goalkeeper Josep Martinez, reports in Italy claim.

There’s tragic news from Italy this morning, as according to several sources, including Gazzetta, Inter’s second-choice keeper Josep Martinez was involved in a car accident that killed an 81-year-old man in an electric wheelchair.

Inter goalkeeper Martinez involved in car accident that killed 81-year-old man

It happened at around 9:40 am local time on Via Bergamo in Fenegrò, in the province of Como, near Inter’s training centre Appiano Gentile.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene despite the prompt arrival of an ambulance and an air ambulance.

The Italian Police is carrying out investigations to reconstruct the dynamics of the accident.

Inter cancel Chivu’s press conference

According to Gazzetta, the initial hypothesis is that the elderly man may have suffered a sudden illness and veered into the lane where Martinez was driving.

The Nerazzurri goalkeeper immediately stopped and provided first aid to the man.

Following the tragic news and as a sign of mourning, Inter decided to cancel Cristian Chivu’s press conference, which was scheduled for 14:00 CET today.

Təcrübəli futbol mütəxəssisi Fabio Kapello İtaliya A Seriyası çərçivəsində keçirilmiş “Napoli” – “İnter” oyunu ilə bağlı qənaətini açıqlayıb. Arena.az xatırladır ki, A Seriyasının 8-ci turunun oyunu Neapol təmsilçisinin 3:1 hesablı qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşıb. Kapello oyundan sonra ölkəsinin mətbuatına açıqlamasında bunları söyləyib: “Doğrudan da, olmayan penalti ilə oyunun tarazlığı…

Source

“İnter” itki ilə üzləşib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, komandanın yarımmüdafiəçisi Henrix Mxitaryan zədələnib. Bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb.

A Seriyasında “Napoli” ilə matçda (1:3) zədə alan erməni futbolçu bir neçə həftə yaşıl meydanlardan uzaq qalacaq.

Mxitaryan bu mövsüm “İnter”lə 12 oyuna çıxıb.

Jose Mourinho had an opportunity to discuss his time with Inter, and his rivalries with Milan and Juventus alongside Adriano Galliani and Gianluigi Buffon during a special event on Monday evening: ‘I have so much respect for him’. 

Mourinho, Galliani and Buffon were all among the star guests at an event organised by Corriere dello Sport, celebrating the paper’s 100th anniversary on Monday evening. 

Mourinho, who was appointed head coach of Benfica in September, was unable to attend in-person, but joined the special guests on a video call midway through the event on Monday. 

Mourinho, Galliani and Buffon discuss Inter, Milan and Juventus rivalries

Mourinho had a brief opportunity to discuss Inter’s rivalries with Milan and Juventus with Galliani and Buffon, insisting that he always had ‘respect’ for the former, and considers the latter ‘one of the greatest, if not the greatest’. 

Galliani, speaking about his experiences going up against Mourinho during his Milan days, said: “I’ve never felt like an opponent of Jose Mourinho. I respect him and I hope that this feeling will be reciprocated.” 

Mourinho, meanwhile, replied: “I always remember that during my time with Inter, I both won and lost against Milan. But, Galliani and (Silvio) Berlusconi would always come into the dressing room to congratulate us, and for this, I have so much respect for Adriano.” 

Buffon interjected, and insisted that the rivalry between Inter and Juventus was not always as pleasant. 

“There was no ‘good’ blood between Juve and Inter,” Buffon said. “At the time, we wanted to kill them, but then you’d meet Jose, who’d make a joke or say something to you that meant that you couldn’t hate him.” 

Mourinho was then able to exchange pleasantries with Buffon, adding: “I’ve always seen Juve as Juve, even if they were coming back up from Serie B at the time. And Gigi was always among the best, if not the best.” 

Xiaomi has added the Portable Photo Printer Pro to its global website. The compact printer is designed to bring professional-quality photo printing to everyday users.

The printer uses professional dye-sublimation printing technology to produce sharp, high-definition photos. It supports a 313 dpi resolution, a wide 16.7 million colour gamut, and 256 levels of greyscale, ensuring smooth colour transitions and realistic details. Each print captures accurate tones and true-to-life clarity.

Each photo is automatically laminated during printing, protecting it from moisture, fingerprints, and fading. Xiaomi says this feature keeps prints bright and clear over time, helping preserve memories for years. The Portable Photo Printer Pro is small enough to fit in one hand (measures 86.8 x 142.5 millimeters and 26.8 millimeters thick) and can easily be carried in a backpack or jacket pocket.

The printer connects directly to smartphones through Bluetooth using the Xiaomi Home app. It also supports multi-user connections for up to three users, allowing friends and family to print from their own phones without additional setup.

Users can print live photos and AR photos that include short videos (up to 15 seconds) or audio clips (up to 60 seconds). You can also add borders, dates, and watermarks, or use photo templates for collages, stickers, and creative layouts. The Portable Photo Printer Pro has an inbuilt 880 mAh battery.

Price and Availability

The Xiaomi Portable Photo Printer Pro is currently available in the UK for £109.99 and in Europe for €129.99. It is expected to roll out to other regions soon, depending on local distribution channels.

Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

(via: Notebookcheck)

The post Xiaomi Brings Portable Photo Printer Pro to Global Market Delivering True-to-Life Prints in Seconds appeared first on Gizmochina.

Inter have confirmed Henrikh Mkhitaryan sustained a muscular injury, but it is not as serious as first feared for the veteran midfielder.

He limped off during the first half of Saturday’s 3-1 Serie A defeat to Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, right after giving away a penalty.

Extent of Mkhitaryan injury confirmed

Tests were performed today and a formal statement from the Nerazzurri medical staff confirms a strain to the semitendinosus muscle in the left thigh.

Crucially, there is no lesion, which means it is not as serious as first thought.

The official club website merely states the situation will be re-evaluated next week, meaning Mkhitaryan will miss at least the midweek round against Fiorentina and Sunday’s trip to Hellas Verona.

There is some hope that the Armenia international might be back in action for the clash with Lazio on November 9, but it is more likely that he’ll return for the Derby della Madonnina against Milan on November 23, after the break for international duty.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Inter are ‘still irritated’ by Antonio Conte’s claims after Napoli’s 3-1 win at the Stadio Maradona on Saturday.

Tension erupted in Naples over the weekend, both during and after a Serie A match between the Partenopei and Inter.

As reported by Gazzetta, the Nerazzurri are not bothered by the on-pitch argument between Lautaro Martinez and Conte, but are rather annoyed by what happened after the final whistle.

During his post-match interviews, Conte criticised Inter’s decision to send their president, Beppe Marotta, to talk to the media to complain about a penalty kick given to the Partenopei.

What Conte said about Inter

“A team has to evaluate and realise why they lost, doing this, they just create alibis for the players and coach. I would not have allowed it. Now Marotta is President, but it’s not right that he has to come here and make these statements,” Conte said.

“I say with all due respect for the director, leave these things to the people who actually participated in the match, because it is diminishing the role of the coach too.”

Inter also found ‘inappropriate and serious’, according to Gazzetta, that Conte said Inter have been “The best team” in Serie A and “could have won more in the last four years.”

Inter irritated by Conte

Gazzetta notes that Conte behaved differently during his time at Inter, as he publicly requested the directors’ intervention after some disappointing results or debatable referee decisions.

Conte won the 2020-21 Serie A title at Inter, but his relationship with club directors deteriorated at the end of the campaign as the Italian tactician pushed to leave, knowing that the club would need to sell Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi over the summer for financial reasons.

Inter and Conte eventually parted ways by mutual agreement, seeing the Italian tactician get a €7m net severance pay.

Alessandro Del Piero and Beppe Bergomi got into an argument about Inter on Sunday as the Juventus legend insisted that the Nerazzurri have been ‘the best team in Serie A in the last four years.’

Juventus and Inter legends Del Piero and Bergomi showed diverging opinions on Cristian Chivu’s side on Sunday evening as Sky Sport Italia analysed the latest Serie A weekend, in which the Nerazzurri suffered a 3-1 loss at Napoli.

Inter had complained about a penalty kick that gave Napoli the lead in the first half, but Del Piero and Bergomi did not focus on referee controversies.

Del Piero: Inter the best team in Serie A

“Inter have been the best team in Serie A in the last four years. Others who won instead of them were better, but Inter are the best team,” Del Piero said.

Bergomi, however, didn’t agree: “No, why do they never win games against direct rivals?”

Del Piero replied: “For other reasons, but if you look at the Inter team, it’s undoubtedly better than Napoli, Juventus, Milan and Roma.”

The argument continued with Bergomi, who hit back: “No, Ale. I’ve been saying this for four years.”

Bergomi hits back at Del Piero over Inter claims

The Nerazzurri legend continued: “Remember that those who shout more are not necessarily right…You can raise your voice all the time, and respect what I’m saying, too. Especially because I’ve been saying this for four years, and the results are there. But when they lose, then the others are better. So, who is better? The winners or the losers?”

The Italian World Cup winners were unable to find a common ground.

“I respect it, but what I said is the same, with different words. The better one is the one that wins, the best one is another,” argued Del Piero.

“Inter were able to do certain things and reach certain results, winning titles, cups and reaching Champions League Finals,” concluded Bergomi.

“Even beating clubs like Bayern Munich and Barcelona, who are better than Inter.”

The Nerazzurri have lost three of their opening eight Serie A matches this season and are three points below the leading pair Napoli and Roma.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Lazio put Tudor in trouble: now he risks

Juve to the ground

Basic-goal: it’s the third consecutive defeat. The coach: ‘I don’t leave.’ But the club makes assessments

Toro is here

Maripan great final, Granata comeback.

Inter against Conte

Club irritated. Mkhitaryan out for at least one month

Dybala reaches the top

Roma with Napoli. Gasp: ‘Scudetto? If we grow…’

Corriere dello Sport

Top spot and first, decisive, Dybala goal

Roma, double Joya

They won 1-0 at Sassuolo’s home and caught Napoli with 18 points. Fourth consecutive victory away: +8 in the table compared to 2024. Gasperini: ‘Paulo is extraordinary in every role.’

Tudor at the end

Juve in crisis. Third consecutive loss (1-0). Tudor’s future under scrutiny

Lazio sink the Croat

On Wednesday against Udinese, a win might not be enough for the coach. ‘Everyone is responsible. My future? I’m not concerned.’ Decisive Basic, Isaksen close to the 2-0.

Electric Chivu and Chivu’s cure

After Marotta’s protests for the soft penalty to the irritability of a team struggling to cope with difficulties.

De Bruyne risks a long stop

Milan, Gimenez is an issue

Tuttosport

It’s no longer Juve

Basic scores after nine minutes (incredible David assist), sending the Bianconeri into a tilt. Confused reaction and can only complain about a penalty denied to Conceiçao. Eight games without victories. The coach: ‘My future? I don’t care about it at all.’

Maripam-Paleari, ‘Toro happiness’

The super goal from the captain under the Curva completes the comeback at minute 90 after the early Thorsby goal and Sabelli’s own goal, then miraculous saves in the stoppages. Baroni: ‘I scolded my players at halftime.’

Roma, Joya for the top spot

Dybala knocks Sassuolo down

Lashed out by Gasp, he responded like a champion. Napoli reached. The coach: ‘Extraordinary Paulo.’

Napoli-Inter: Rocchi stops the coach, the assistant and VAR referee.

Viola, penalty comeback, but Bologna are furious

Watch and listen to the latest news updates from the world of Calcio courtesy of Football Italia expert Alfredo Pedullà.

Today’s focus is on the aftermath of Napoli’s 3-1 win against Inter on Saturday evening.

Pedullà discusses the opposite fortunes between the two head coaches: Cristian Chivu and Antonio Conte.

Whilst Conte took home the three points, Chivu’s actions off the field gave him an advantage over his counterpart, who was drawn into a clash of words with Nerazzurri Captain Lautaro Martinez.

Watch: Pedullà talks Napoli 3-1 Inter

Inter are concerned Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be ruled out for up to a month or more after the midfielder suffered a thigh injury in Saturday’s defeat away to Napoli.

The Armenian was forced off after 32 minutes, immediately signalling to the bench and leaving the pitch unable to continue.

The 35-year-old will undergo medical tests on Monday to determine the full extent of the damage to his left flexor, as per La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Inter midfielder Mkhitaryan could miss six weeks

Early signs have not been encouraging, with Mkhitaryan still limping heavily on Sunday at Appiano Gentile, and the fear is he could be sidelined for 4-6 weeks depending on the grade of the injury.

Inter’s schedule makes the timing particularly delicate. After the November international break, Cristian Chivu’s side face the Milan derby on November 23 and then Atletico Madrid away on November 26 in the Champions League.

In the best-case scenario, Mkhitaryan could return around that period or shortly after, but a second-degree lesion would push his comeback well into December. Recovery time will depend not only on the scan results but also how the muscle responds to treatment and reconditioning.

Positive news for Nerazzurri as Thuram progresses nicely

There is, however, better news regarding Marcus Thuram. The French forward is making encouraging progress and is expected to increase his workload in training this week.

Inter will resume work on Monday and as the squad returns to Appiano to recover from the Napoli match and celebrate Cristian Chivu’s 45th birthday, Thuram will undergo his first full on-pitch session since the injury.

If all goes well, he should rejoin group training soon and be available for selection afterwards.

Sunday’s reports indicate that referee Maurizio Mariani and assistant Daniele Bindoni will be dropped for the next round of Serie A fixtures after awarding a controversial penalty during Napoli’s 3-1 win over Inter on Saturday evening. 

What happened in Napoli 3-1 Inter?

Napoli went back to the top of the Serie A standings thanks to goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in an eventual 3-1 win over the Nerazzurri, who had won seven games in a row prior to Saturday’s match. 

There have been complaints from the Inter camp, however, regarding the decision to award a penalty to Napoli five minutes before the end of the first half. 

Giovanni Di Lorenzo found himself in the penalty area and went down under the challenge of Henrikh Mikhtaryan. Some argue, however, that Di Lorenzo was looking for the contact, and that Mkhitaryan did not make any intentional moves towards the Napoli captain, and that the penalty should not have been given. 

Now, as per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the AIA have concluded that a penalty should not have been awarded to Napoli last night. 

Sunday’s reports suggest that assistant referee Bindoni was the one who originally signalled for a penalty, that Mariani did not originally give it, but then changed his mind after a VAR review. 

Assistant referee Bindoni is the one who has come under the most criticism for signalling for the penalty, although Mariani has also been criticised from changing his original decision. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that it is likely that both referees, who were also involved in the U20 World Cup final in Chile earlier this week, will be dropped for the next round of Serie A fixtures.

Napoli head coach Antonio Conte and Inter striker Lautaro Martinez exchanged insults during the meeting of their two sides in Serie A on Saturday evening, but this was not the first time the former colleagues have clashed on the pitch. 

Here is a reminder of what happened the last time Conte and Lautaro came to blows. 

Napoli 3-1 Inter: Conte and Lautaro clash again 

Napoli claimed a 3-1 victory at home against the in-form Inter on Saturday evening thanks to goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. The Partenopei are now back at the top of the Serie A standings as a result. 

Around the hour mark at the Stadio Maradona, Conte and Lautaro were seen throwing insults and gestures towards each other following an argument between the players on the pitch. 

• Read more: Conte and Lautaro insult each other in tense Napoli vs. Inter clash

This was not the first time that Conte and Lautaro have found themselves arguing with one another in Serie A, though. 

They also spent two seasons together at Inter between 2019 and 2021. 

During the Scudetto-winning 2020-21 season, Conte and Lautaro found themselves arguing after the coach decided to ‘double sub’ the striker during a 3-1 win over Roma in May, 2021. 

Lautaro, who had been accused of showing poor attitude on the pitch at the time, reacted to his substitution by shouting and throwing his shirt when Conte took him off. 

The following day, Conte and Lautaro returned to the training ground, and in an effort to put their difference to one side, organised a friendly boxing match on the training pitch, which ended in hugs and laughter. The same will not happen this time around, though.

Fabio Capello has had his say on Inter after their 3-1 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Napoli in Serie A on Saturday evening, and while he admits that Kevin De Bruyne’s penalty was ‘non-existent’, he feels that the Nerazzurri can only look at themselves. 

Napoli returned to the top of the Serie A standings thanks to their 3-1 win over Cristian Chivu’s side, courtesy of goals from De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty was not enough for Inter to get back into it. 

• Read more: Napoli 3-1 Inter: Player ratings! 

Capello on Napoli 3-1 Inter: ‘Unrecognisable’

Capello agrees with the Inter camp that De Bruyne’s penalty was ‘non-existent’, and that it impacted the rest of the game, but he also feels that Inter were ‘unrecognisable’ in their performance. 

“It’s true that it was a non-existent penalty that shifted the balance of the game, the one from which De Bruyne broke the deadlock. It is also true that this should not and cannot be an excuse for the Nerazzurri,” Capello explained in his La Gazzetta dello Sport column.

“Aside from Bastoni hitting the crossbar and Dumfries the post, Inter were unrecognisable. There was space in behind for Napoli to counter attack every time they lost the ball, and the thing that surprised me the most was the lack of balance between the different departments. That had been the strength that pushed Lautaro and his teammates to seven wins in a row across all competitions.”

Capello feels that Chivu’s decision to give his players an extra day off after their recent Champions League victory over Union Saint-Gilloise was a mistake that backfired. 

“Maybe the victory against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League ended up affecting Inter too much, overconfidence in football can play tricks on you.

“In retrospect, it felt that the decision to give the players a day off between the trip to Brussels and the trip to Naples was an attempt to lighten the load within the group. The Inter coach is usually good at calming his players’ minds, and attempted a difficult move, but evidently, it wasn’t enough.”

And in terms of Inter’s play on the pitch, Capello said: “they often looked messy, and those who came off the bench, this time, took away more than they added. Instead of looking for speed, the changes off the bench tried to carry the ball too much. 

“Missteps are part of any season, and nothing has been fully compromised. Milan happened to slow down the other night against Pisa, too, Inter slipped during a Scudetto clash against the reigning champions. 

“The Nerazzurri have all the tools required to get back on their feet immediately, as long as they understand that they have to give more than what they showed on Saturday. Without that unity and purpose, they will not go far.” 

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Call to the top 

Napoli: 3-1 and first place, Inter furious 

Debatable penalty from De Bruyne (who gets hrt while scoring the goal for 1-0). Marotta: ‘We’re angry, it changed the game’. Conte: ‘Stop acting like the pope’. Arguments and insults with Lautaro. Goals from McTominay and Anguissa, Calhanoglu’s penalty unhelpful

Juve

Tudor: ‘Not afraid’. David with Vlahovic, Yildiz on the bench, but he is about to sign 

Roma 

Dybala attack, they need goals to take the lead

Corriere dello Sport 

Napoli cackle 

Conte silences Inter and Marotta

What a lesson: 3-1

The champions return to first place: Gasp’s Roma could draw level today

De Bruyne, McTominay and Anguissa decide the clash. Calhanoglu’s goal at 2-1 no good. The President: ‘Their victory came from a soft penalty’. Antonio: ‘Those are excuses, I wouldn’t have let one of my directors complain like that’. Sparks also fly with Lautaro at the end

Tudor wall: ‘Sacked? I’m not afraid’

Lazio-Juve at 19.45: Igor hasn’t won in seven games 

The Croatian: ‘Yildiz being like Del Piero? Comparisons are tricky’. Sarri: ‘We might have different ideas to Lotito, but our relationship is normal’

Kean and Castro, Derby call 

Fiorentina-Bologna at the Franchi 

The viola have lost three in three at home in the league. The Argentine could push Italiano to -2 from Napoli

Tuttosport

‘I’m not afraid’ 

Tudor against his Old Lazio. Needs to find goals and wins again. ‘I’m not afraid of the sack. And I want a more attacking Juve’

The coach protects his team: ‘I’m only thinking about the players, not about myself’, and tries to take the pressure off Yildiz: ‘Like Del Piero? Calm down’. Tempted to play the Turk with Conceicao behind Vlahovic and David. Zhegrova case. Perin in goal? 

Conte rises Napoli, Inter and Lautaro on a tilt 

Penalties, woodwork, battles, injuries, scuffles: The 3-1 at the MAradona had it all 

‘Go on Toro! Ride the wave of enthusiasm’ 

Against Genoa at 11.30, in a full stadium

Baroni: ‘The hug with the supporters was great, we can’t take anything for granted now’ Cholito looking for his third consecutive goal. Israel out, there’s Paleari

Gasp to Dybala: ‘Words weren’t right, score goals and assist, you’ 

Paulo critical after the Euro-flop 

Cristian Chivu and Antonio Conte continued to trade insults in the press room after Napoli’s 3-1 win, the Inter coach noting he ‘isn’t interested in complaining or showing how great I am.’

There had already been tension on the touchline at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with a scuffle that broke out between the Partenopei bench, Denzel Dumfries and Lautaro Martinez.

After the match, Inter sent President Beppe Marotta to speak to the media before Chivu to complain about the penalty, which Conte in turn said was “delegitimising the coach” and giving “alibis” for the defeat.

Chivu hits back at Conte comments

When Chivu spoke at the press conference, he sent out what seemed to be some barbed comments aimed at Conte.

“The club has to the right to do whatever it feels is right. I as a coach remain consistent, I will never come here to complain,” said the Romanian.

“I have a different approach to some others, I am not interested in my reputation, nor at showing how great I am. I am what I am, I try to transmit those values to the players.

“I am trying to change things, even if I do it by myself. As long as I am here, I will try to change the way football is perceived in Italy. They are accustomed here to moaning and crying over spilt milk.

“We need to change things in the right way. I am not interested in what other people think about me.”

So is Chivu not going to say anything about the controversial penalty awarded to Napoli in this 3-1 defeat?

“We will wait to hear the explanation. We don’t have to seek excuses or alibis, we just have to think about our football. We must be positive and remain on the bench.

“After all, they won’t change their decisions based on protests, so it’s a waste of energy.”

Cristian Chivu believes Inter lost 3-1 to Napoli because they ‘wasted energy arguing’ with the opposition bench, but feels ‘even more confident’ of their future success.

The Nerazzurri were the favourites going into the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after winning their last seven on the bounce in all competition, while the Partenopei were struggling with an injury crisis.

However, a controversial Kevin De Bruyne penalty, Scott McTominay and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa counter-attacks sealed the result, despite a Hakan Calhanoglu spot-kick.

Chivu refuses to discuss Napoli-Inter controversy

It was that penalty that hit the headlines and prompted Inter President Beppe Marotta to speak to the media first, but Chivu did not want to be drawn on the matter.

“I talk about football and the match,” Chivu told DAZN Italia.

“I would like to talk about the good things the players did in the first half. We tried to stay in the game after that, to keep our balance, but we hit the woodwork twice and reacted to going behind.

“We lost our balance in the second half because we were so eager to get the game back on track, so we conceded for 2-0. Despite that, we were still able to get back into it, then wasted energy arguing with their bench and from that moment on we lost sharpness.”

The argument was largely between the Napoli staff and coach Antonio Conte, Inter players Denzel Dumfries and Lautaro Martinez.

After that, the hosts scored a third goal with Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa after a flicked-on throw-in.

“It is down to the waste of energy that we threw away for nothing. We should’ve understood the moments of the match,” continued Chivu.

“In the second goal, we didn’t sense the danger, as there were so many of us pushing and building, we were unprepared on a ball Spinazzola just hit upfield to McTominay.

“Then we reacted too slowly to the third goal, which was down to losing sharpness. We cannot concede so easily from a throw-in.”

Inter had won seven in a row in all competition before this setback, but it is the second Scudetto showdown defeat after their 4-3 to Juventus.

“I am proud of what the lads are doing, and even more confident after tonight,” assured Chivu.

“I saw a great first half, despite the Napoli enthusiasm, as we were dominant. We came here to play our game, but unfortunately this is football. You have to maintain concentration and we lacked something in the second half.”

There was an extremely tense moment on the touchline between Denzel Dumfries and the Napoli bench, which then saw Antonio Conte and Lautaro Martinez exchange ugly hand gestures.

“I don’t know what happened and I don’t care. I will tell the players in future not to waste their energy just to argue. We’ve got to focus on the game and where we want to go,” concluded Chivu.

Antonio Conte angrily hit back at Inter for ‘creating alibis’ over the penalty, lashed out at Lautaro Martinez, and assured Napoli ‘had no intention of getting killed’ today.

The Partenopei came into this game with an injury crisis and losing four of their last seven competitive games, including a 6-2 Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven midweek.

When they took the lead with a Kevin De Bruyne penalty, the former Manchester City midfielder injured his right hamstring in the process and might be out for a while, as he was spotted on the bench towards the end with crutches.

Scott McTominay doubled their lead, then Hakan Calhanoglu converted a spot-kick, but Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa completed the 3-1 rout.

Conte had a fiery contribution

“I live the game with my players, for good and bad, and we played against in my view the best squad in Italy,” Conte told DAZN Italia.

“They dropped some points along the way, but their squad is on paper on a completely different level to all the others. They didn’t get to the Champions League Final twice in three years because of a fluke.

“To have won this game, with all the difficulties that we had, missing players like Lobotka, Rrahmani, Meret and Hojlund, then losing De Bruyne, with Lukaku out since pre-season…

“Perhaps someone has cursed us, but we keep going anyway. Inter came here today aiming to on a sporting level ‘kill’ us, as they were in great shape and coming off a run of seven straight wins, facing a side like ours that had lost to Torino and Eindhoven.

“If you understand that moment of the campaign, you have to kill your opponent, but we had no intention of dying. In amongst all those problems, we put in a great performance.”

There was a moment of real tension too, as Conte was booked for his part in a touchline scuffle involving Denzel Dumfries and especially Lautaro Martinez, as the coach exchanged some rather harsh hand gestures with the Inter captain.

Was there something left over from the time they worked together at Inter?

“When you play games at this level, these things can happen,” noted the coach.

“I just want to remind Inter that I brought the Scudetto back to the club after 10 years, including nine consecutive Juventus titles, and you know what that means to me. I retain very good memories of that experience.

“Lautaro is a very good player, perhaps I didn’t get to know him that well on a personal level. I wish him all the best, that’s fine.”

Inter sent President Giuseppe Marotta to speak to the media after the match rather than coach Cristian Chivu, to complain about the controversial opening penalty.

“Inter send Marotta and the directors whenever they get the opportunity, whereas at Napoli I come here,” replied Conte.

“A team has to evaluate and realise why they lost, doing this they just create alibis for the players and coach. I would not have allowed it. Now Marotta is President, but it’s not right that he has to come here and make these statements…

“I say with all due respect for the director, leave these things to the people who actually participated in the match, because it is diminishing the role of the coach too.

“I always stood up for myself, so a club making these sorts of statements… It’s fine,” concluded a visibly irritated Conte.

Scott McTominay reveals he had a surprising problem scoring for Napoli against Inter, while Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa gives his view on the tactical change.

The Partenopei were not the favourites going into this Scudetto showdown, as they had lost four of their last seven competitive games, whereas the Nerazzurri had won seven on the bounce.

However, a Kevin De Bruyne penalty, McTominay screamer and Anguissa counter-attack cancelled out the Hakan Calhanoglu penalty to seal a 3-1 victory.

Napoli thank McTominay and Anguissa goals

“I don’t know if we sent a signal, but we have to take it one game at a time and the objective is to keep winning. We pushed hard, we won as a team, and had the right attitude,” Anguissa told DAZN Italia.

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Napoli 3-1 Inter

Napoli changed to a 4-3-3 system after De Bruyne went off injured, and that seemed to give them more balance, not to mention being familiar from last season.

“I wouldn’t say the system made the difference, but rather the approach. We had energy, we wanted to win, we work on many different systems in training and ultimately the coach decides. We are here just to follow his instructions.”

This puts Napoli top of the table, as AC Milan were held 2-2 by Pisa last night, while Roma could join them with a victory away to Sassuolo tomorrow.

McTominay scored his first home goal since the Scudetto winner against Cagliari back in May, so he only seems to reserve his goals for some big fixtures.

“We knew we had to give a reaction after the Champions League and I thought we did that really well. Inter are a top team with great players, but it was a top response,” McTominay told DAZN Italia.

When asked about the pass from Leonardo Spinazzola, the Scotland international revealed some difficulty with the situation.

“I lost it in the lights, so the pass took me by surprise, the lights are so bright I couldn’t see it. Then I just thought to shoot. Leo is a top player, he put in some great passes this year, now we need to find that consistency so we can continue to push.”

Inter President Giuseppe Marotta took the unusual step of speaking to the media after the 3-1 defeat to Napoli, complaining the controversial penalty was ‘decisive to shift the balance.’

The Nerazzurri were the favourites going into this clash, having won their last seven competitive games in a row, but they were beaten 3-1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

The deadlock was broken by a very controversial penalty, converted by Kevin De Bruyne, then Scott McTominay doubled the lead with a ferocious strike.

Hakan Calhanoglu also converted from the spot, while Alessandro Bastoni and Denzel Dumfries hit the woodwork, but Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa sealed the 3-1 result after a throw-in.

Inter President Marotta leads protest against refereeing

Rather than coach Cristian Chivu, it was President Marotta who arrived first at the post-match interview area.

“My presence is simply a contribution I wish to give to the football movement and I too am eager to understand,” Marotta told DAZN Italia.

“Even though Napoli eventually legitimised the victory, largely in the final 20 minutes, the penalty was decisive to shift the balance of the game. It came from an evaluation made by the assistant referee. It is clear the referee was in the perfect position to evaluate, he viewed it and turned away, then blew the whistle eight seconds later.

“I thought this was an ideal situation for VAR to intervene, seeing as the referee had initially evaluated and ignored the situation. The footage would’ve allowed the referee to view it again and make his own decision.”

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Napoli 3-1 Inter

Giovanni Di Lorenzo had run into the box and gone down between a Henrikh Mkhitaryan nudge and the Francesco Acerbi sliding tackle in front, but neither of them seemed to make any significant contact.

The penalty seemed odd because the referee turned his back to the move and walked away, but eight seconds later he blew the whistle, having evidently been told by his assistant that it was a foul.

“Napoli’s victory was sparked by this incident, then of course they won 3-1 eventually, but if we look at the dynamics behind the penalty, it is a reflection that Rocchi has made more than once, saying no more soft penalties. Many journalists and your refereeing pundit Luca Marelli all said this is not a penalty,” continued Marotta.

“We need to understand what a penalty is and is not. I am someone who would prefer to keep the referee at the centre, and if he saw the incident and turned away, then listened to the assistant manager in a worse position, he let himself be influenced far too easily.”

Inter went into the break 1-0 down, having hit the frame of the goal twice with Alessandro Bastoni and Denzel Dumfries.

“I was in the locker room at half time and clearly that penalty had a strong effect on the mood of the team. I am not saying Napoli would not have won anyway, but we are here to protest the way the penalty was assigned.”

There was some tension on the touchline when Inter captain Lautaro Martinez exchanged some harsh words and hand gestures with Napoli coach Antonio Conte. Did this go back to their time together at Inter?

“No, these things happen on the field, we see this a lot in football. I wouldn’t say too much about that,” concluded Marotta.

Zambo Anguissa is Football Italia’s MVP in Napoli’s 3-1 win over Inter on Saturday.

Player Ratings: Napoli 3-1 Inter

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic 6; Di Lorenzo 6.5, Buongiorno 5.5, Juan Jesus 6.5, Spinazzola 6.5; Gilmour 5.5; Politano 6 (81′ Elmas N/A), Anguissa 7.5, De Bruyne 6 (37′ Olivera 6), McTominay 7; Neres 6.5 (81′ Lang N/A). Coach: Conte 7.

Best Napoli player: Anguissa 7.5 – The second half was absolutely stunning. Anguissa dominated in central midfield and even scored the third goal for the Partenopei, finalising a perfect counter-attack.

Lowest Napoli rating: Buongiorno 5.5 – Same rating as Gilmour, but Buongiorno caused a penalty kick with a clumsy handball that could have had worse consequences for the Partenopei.

Napoli coach: Conte 7 – His argument with Lautaro is already a classic scene in Italian football, but Conte will rightly make headlines thanks to a perfect game plan. Napoli were happy to leave the ball to Inter and hurt the Nerazzurri on counter-attacks. The penalty kick in the first half, more than debatable, helped them, but the Napoli defending was even more resolute once they took the lead.

Inter: Sommer 5.5; Akanji 5, Acerbi 5, Bastoni 5.5; Dumfries 5.5 (75′ Luis Henrique 5.5), Barella 6 (73′ Frattesi 6), Calhanoglu 7 (73′ Sucic 6), Mkhitaryan 5.5 (32′ Zielinski 5.5), Dimarco 5.5; Lautaro Martinez 5, Bonny 5.5 (62′ Pio Esposito 5.5). Coach: Chivu 5.

Best Inter player: Calhanoglu 7 – Converted a spot kick to keep Inter in the game and maintained a high passing accuracy despite the physicality and press from Napoli midfielders. It wasn’t enough to get a result.

Lowest Inter rating: Acerbi and Akanji 5 – Both poor in the build-up, but mostly unable to cope with Napoli’s counter-attacks, especially in the second half.

Inter coach: Chivu 5 – Inter were probably the better side in the first half and had a convincing reaction after Napoli had taken the lead. However, they showed no balance and were too exposed defensively after the break. Not even Calhanoglu’s goal gave them the push to go for the equaliser.

Napoli surged back to the top of the table after a tense victory over an Inter side that had won seven on the bounce, including a controversial penalty and serious Kevin De Bruyne injury.

This was a title showdown last season and again crucial for top spot here, especially after Milan’s 2-2 draw with Pisa last night. The Partenopei were in crisis after losing four of their last seven official games, including a 6-2 hammering at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday. Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Alex Meret, Amir Rrahmani and Romelu Lukaku were injured, so David Neres was launched as a False 9. The Nerazzurri missed Marcus Thuram and Matteo Darmian, but had won their last seven in all competition.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Alessandro Bastoni nodded a corner just wide and Hakan Calhanoglu bent his finish past the post in the opening minutes, then Vanja Milinkovic-Savic rushed out to deny Lautaro Martinez one-on-one after Nicolò Barella intercepted a Leonardo Spinazzola pass.

During a spell of Napoli pressure, the referee pointed to the spot several seconds after Giovanni Di Lorenzo went over between a Henrikh Mkhitaryan nudge and over the Francesco Acerbi sliding tackle. It was a call from the assistant referee, which was then not considered a clear and obvious error by the VAR. Mkhitaryan injured himself in the process and was replaced by ex-Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski.

Kevin De Bruyne stepped up and converted into the near bottom corner, but then immediately clutched the back of his right leg and was distraught, suffering an apparent hamstring strain. The Belgian hobbled off barely able to put his right foot down, another injury for the crowded Napoli treatment room.

Kevin De Bruyne pulled a muscle in the process of putting Napoli ahead against Inter pic.twitter.com/SKnGHnsXHN

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025

Inter had a huge opportunity to equalise on a corner, but Alessandro Bastoni’s free header thumped the crossbar with Milinkovic-Savic well beaten.

There was a double chance when Milinkovic-Savic only parried the Calhanoglu strike, then Dumfries pulled back from the right for Lautaro Martinez to sweep first time, shaving a coat of paint off the far post.

Moments later, Dumfries came even closer, his header clipping the outside of the upright on a Bastoni cross.

Calhanoglu fired over from the edge of the area after the restart, but just as Inter were pouring forward seeking an equaliser, they were caught on the counter-attack. Leonardo Spinazzola’s pass allowed McTominay to spring the offside trap in the centre-circle, sprinting forward and letting it bounce to hit the ferocious right-foot half-volley into the far bottom corner.

STUNNING from Scott McTominay!

What a finish from the Scot pic.twitter.com/Uy7honw6aC

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025

Inter got back into the game though, as VAR spotted Alessandro Buongiorno with arm raised to charge down the Lautaro Martinez header, and Calhanoglu beat specialist Milinkovic-Savic from the penalty spot.

The tension erupted with a scuffle on the touchline sparked by Dumfries and the Napoli bench, resulting in some harsh hand gestures between Lautaro Martinez and Antonio Conte.

Napoli struck again on the counter, as a throw-in was knocked down and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa ran from midfield, getting away from Manuel Akanji and Dumfries to blast the finish past Sommer.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa extends Napoli’s advantage against Inter with a brilliant run pic.twitter.com/8IQYpqSR1h

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025

David Neres had the chance to add a fourth on the counter, but he hesitated too long, had his finish charged down, then struggled with cramp. Francesco Pio Esposito nodded an Akanji cross over the bar in stoppages.

Napoli 3-1 Inter

De Bruyne pen 33 (N), McTominay 54 (N), Calhanoglu pen 59 (I), Anguissa 67 (N)

25-10-2025 17:00

MatchDay 8

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

Napoli

Inter

3 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Kevin De Bruyne		33'
Giovanni Di Lorenzo		43'
Billy Gilmour		45+6'

2nd half

Scott McTominay (Assist: Leonardo Spinazzola)		54'
		59'		Hakan Calhanoglu
Frank Anguissa (Assist: David Neres)		66'
		77'		Alessandro Bastoni

Match statistic

44

Possession %

56

7

Total shots

15

3

Shots on target

3

1

Shots off target

9

3

Blocked shots

3

1

Corners

4

1

Offsides

1

15

Fouls

10

Napoli

Inter

Starting lineups

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

90'

22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo

Defender

5

Juan Jesus

Defender

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

90'

99

Frank Anguissa

Midfielder

6

Billy Gilmour

Midfielder

11

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

37'

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

7

David Neres

Attacker

81'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

82'

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny

Defender

62'

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

15

Francesco Acerbi

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

2

Denzel Dumfries

Midfielder

73'

20

Hakan Calhanoglu

Midfielder

73'

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Midfielder

32'

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

73'

10

Lautaro Martínez

Attacker

Substitutes

26

Antonio Vergara

Midfielder

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

27

Lorenzo Lucca

Attacker

69

Giuseppe Ambrosino

Attacker

35

Luca Marianucci

Defender

25

Mathias Ferrante

Goalkeeper

95

David Spinelli

Goalkeeper

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

37'

70

Noa Lang

Attacker

81'

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

82'

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

90'

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

90'

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

40

Alessandro Calligaris

Goalkeeper

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

32'

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

62'

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

73'

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

73'

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

73'

Antonio Conte and Lautaro Martinez were caught on camera insulting each other during the second half of a tense Napoli-Inter on Saturday.

The incident happened around minute 61 after an argument had sparked between Napoli and Inter players.

What Conte and Lautaro said in tense Napoli-Inter

Lautaro, who had played under Conte at Inter, was seen pointing at the Italian tactician and making a gesture as to say: ‘You are sh****** yourself,’ but the Napoli boss replied (via Daniele Mari): ‘Wrap your laughing gear around this,’ also making an unequivocal gesture.

Napoli were leading 2-1, but Hakan Calhanoglu had just scored a penalty kick goal to put Inter back into the game.

Conte and Lautaro already argued during the Italian tactician’s final season at the Stadio Meazza in 2020-21.

When Conte and Lautaro argued at Inter

That time, Lautaro openly complained about a substitution and kicked a bottle on the touchline.

Conte didn’t take it well and hit back at the Argentine, telling him to shut up.

Inter players and staff members jokingly organised a boxing fight at Inter’s training ground a few days later to clear the air between the two.

Watch as Scott McTominay scores a spectacular strike to double Napoli’s lead in the Scudetto showdown with Inter, picking up where he left off last season.

You can see how that game unfolds on the Liveblog.

The Scotland international was the key player in their Serie A title success during his maiden campaign with the club, earning the crown of Player of the Season, as well as a nomination for the Ballon d’Or.

He showed why this evening when facing Inter at the Stadio Maradona, as he started the run from the centre-circle onto an inspired Leonardo Spinazzola pass, let it bounce and thumped the ferocious finish on the half-volley into the far bottom corner.

McTominay turns on the style for Napoli vs. Inter

STUNNING from Scott McTominay!

What a finish from the Scot pic.twitter.com/Uy7honw6aC

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025

The former Manchester United man scored 12 goals with six assists in his first Serie A season, but this was his second of the current campaign.

SUPER SCOTT MCTOMINAY pic.twitter.com/62xTbn5ZGf

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 25, 2025

DAZN reports that Antonio Conte urged Kevin De Bruyne to take a penalty against Inter instead of David Neres, but referee pundit Luca Marelli argues that the spot kick should have been revoked by VAR.

Napoli took the lead in the first half of a home game against Inter on Saturday thanks to a penalty kick converted by De Bruyne, who even got injured while kicking the ball.

DAZN reports that David Neres had already put the ball under his arm to take the penalty, but Conte said De Bruyne should have stepped up instead.

David Neres not allowed to take Napoli penalty

According to the report, Conte told Matteo Politano to inform his teammates that KDB should have taken the spot kick.

There will surely be controversy regarding the penalty given to the Partenopei, which was awarded for a Henrikh Mkhitaryan foul on Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

DAZN referee pundit Luca Marelli has already claimed that it was a wrong call from the official Maurizio Mariani and the VAR.

Marelli: ‘Napoli-Inter penalty should have been revoked’

“I repeat that there was no penalty for Napoli. It should have been overturned by VAR,” Marelli said via Daniele Mari.

“The contact was clearly initiated by Di Lorenzo. Mkhitaryan did not move towards Di Lorenzo. There was no foul from Acerbi, who played the ball. It’s a penalty that should have been revoked.”

Follow Napoli-Inter live on the Football Italia LIVEBLOG.

It went from celebration to drama in the space of a second for Kevin De Bruyne, as he converted a penalty to give them the lead against Inter, then sustained a serious injury in the process.

You can follow the action as it happens from that game on the Liveblog.

The Belgium international was not seemingly even meant to take the spot-kick, as David Neres had initially taken the ball, but the order came from Antonio Conte on the touchline to hand it to De Bruyne.

Napoli joy and pain for De Bruyne

It proved a correct decision, as the former Manchester City midfielder converted past Yann Sommer to put his team in front.

However, the player immediately grabbed the back of his right thigh and had to be consoled by teammates rather than surrounded in celebration, as it immediately looked to be serious.

Kevin De Bruyne pulled a muscle in the process of putting Napoli ahead against Inter pic.twitter.com/SKnGHnsXHN

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025

De Bruyne was substituted by Matias Olivera and could not even put his right foot down when held up by two members of the Napoli medical staff.

He eventually had to be taken away on the motorised stretcher to applause from the Napoli fans at the Stadio Maradona.

It adds to the growing list of Partenopei injuries, as they already went into this Scudetto showdown without Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Alex Meret, Amir Rrahmani and Romelu Lukaku.

What a bizarre few moments in Naples…

Kevin de Bruyne steps up to take the penalty for Napoli and appears to pull his thigh as he scores pic.twitter.com/ICcaJ8Xuf9

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 25, 2025

Alessandro Bastoni warns Inter must be ‘on guard’ because Napoli will be fired up to put their recent problems behind them, but is sure Cristian Chivu is ‘the right coach’ for the task.

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Napoli are the reigning Champions of Italy after pipping Inter to the title in the final day last season, but have struggled to balance European commitments with Serie A football this time around.

They have lost four of their last seven games, whereas the Nerazzurri are on sparkling form with seven consecutive victories in all competition.

Bastoni expects Napoli fightback

“We went through moments like that too, and we know that a wounded team will be even more fired up than usual to give their all in front of these passionate home fans, so we’ve got to be on guard, Napoli will come out fighting,” Bastoni told DAZN Italia.

It had been said that this ageing Inter side had to be totally torn apart and rebuilt after Simone Inzaghi’s departure, but Chivu is making the best out of essentially the same players.

“Teams that have to be revolutionised don’t reach the Champions League Final,” insisted Bastoni.

“We needed to be shaken up, as losing two Champions League Finals in three years is tough, it’s not easy to start from scratch every time. We found the right coach in Chivu, he showed understanding, and we are glad to have him here.”

Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo admits they are ‘trying to do something different’ against Inter, as Antonio Conte reshuffles his pack with a False 9.

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The injury crisis continues with Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Alex Meret, Amir Rrahmani and Romelu Lukaku on the treatment table, but Lorenzo Lucca is shelved in favour of David Neres as the centre-forward.

Di Lorenzo overseeing Napoli experiments

“We are trying to do something different, but without losing our tactical balance. We need to find the right medium, as great teams fall, but they know how to get back on their feet. We are against very strong opponents and want to challenge ourselves today,” Di Lorenzo told DAZN Italia.

There was reportedly a crisis meeting where Antonio Conte pushed the ‘old guard’ in the squad to give a bigger contribution, and Di Lorenzo acknowledges the importance of their role.

“Those of us who have been here for longer have to inspire the new arrivals. We need to rediscover the spirit that we had last season, and we certainly didn’t see in Eindhoven. The desire to fight together, defend together, attack together, that was the key to our success last season.”

Napoli won their second Serie A title in three years after a head to head battle with Inter that lasted to the final day, allowing them to secure the Scudetto.

Now those teams meet again at the Stadio Maradona and are once more fighting for top spot, as AC Milan were held 2-2 by Pisa last night.

Inter President Giuseppe Marotta insists they are back to the ‘normality’ of winning ways as they visit Napoli, noting Cristian Chivu is now ‘respected by many who criticised him.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Nerazzurri had stuttered early into Chivu’s reign, losing to Udinese and Juventus, but have now won seven on the bounce between Serie A and the Champions League.

Marotta and Inter had faith in Chivu

“If we look back, then that defeat to Juve was also paradoxical, as we had been winning until stoppages,” Marotta told DAZN Italia.

“Aside from that, the change was a natural result of Chivu’s daily work in training, the way the team put the work in with the staff, and with all due humility and respect, we got back to the normality of winning ways.

“We are a big club and therefore destined to follow a certain path to go as high as possible. We are second in the table, facing the reigning champions of Italy, so we need an extraordinary performance. You can just sense the atmosphere from the fans in this stadium and how important the game is.”

Inter missed out on the Scudetto in a battle that raged to the final day last season, and this is another head-to-head for top spot, as Milan were held 2-2 by Pisa last night.

It had been said that the Nerazzurri squad needed to revolutionised, but Chivu is doing well with practically the same players Simone Inzaghi had last season.

“It’s not an alibi, but Chivu had his first official game in charge during the Club World Cup, just days after the end of the previous season. It was atypical, so was the fact we could not have a ‘normal’ pre-season training routine,” added Marotta.

“We managed eventually to deal with these situations, but nobody should be surprised at how good a coach Chivu is. We evaluated this choice and knew who we were dealing with, so we’re not surprised that he is now respected by many who had criticised him.”

Napoli director Giovanni Manna assures Antonio Conte’s complaints are ‘not alibis,’ but also warns they don’t want to ‘get sucked into a negative vortex’ ahead of facing Inter.

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

This was the Scudetto showdown last season and could well be again, especially after leaders AC Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Pisa last night.

It is crisis time for the Partenopei, who lost four of their last seven competitive games, including a 6-2 mauling by PSV Eindhoven midweek.

Napoli looking for way back from crisis

“When we win or lose, it is always as a team,” Manna told DAZN Italia.

Conte had complained repeatedly that Napoli needed time to find their form after bringing in nine new faces, which was reiterated by Manna.

“The coach said things we’ve been saying since the start of the season, as we needed to change nine players and that is not an alibi. Conte speaks for the good of Napoli, it is only normal that with so many changes, it will take a while to recreate the right alchemy.

“If we add some serious injuries, as Rrahmani only played two games, Buongiorno just returned, we were without seven players against Torino, it makes consistency difficult.

“We are not happy, as we suffered a heavy defeat making mistakes that were not like us. Now we want to get back on track, we’re against an Inter side who are in incredible form, brought in some fresh faces to reinvigorate them, so it’s going to be tough.”

Alex Meret fractured a finger in training, joining Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Amir Rrahmani and Romelu Lukaku on the treatment table.

Rather than start Lorenzo Lucca, who was sent off in the Champions League after another misfiring performance, it is David Neres chosen as a False 9.

“These are important absences, as we are missing the spine of the team. If you are out for 10 days, you miss four games now. Again, this is not an alibi, it is just something to be acknowledged. We don’t want to be sucked into a negative vortex that would not be helpful to anyone,” concluded Manna.

“Neres is an alternative, he has quality and pace, the game lasts 90 minutes and changes are important. It is a different tactical solution.”

{rsn-live-v2}

Məlum olduğu kimi, “İnter” İtaliya A Seriyasının 7-ci turu çərçivəsində “Roma”nı “Olimpiko”da 1:0 hesabı ilə məğlub edib. Arena.az məlumat verir ki, bu qələbə sayəsində Milan klubu İtaliya A Seriyasında mütləq rekord müəyyənləşdirib. Belə ki, “neradzurri” ölkə çempionatlarında “canavarlar”ı “Olimpiko”da ardıcıl 5 dəfə məğlub etməyi bacarmış ilk klub ünvanına sahib olub.

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