Has Inter's big-game blind spot reopened the Serie A title race? Magnificent Milan cut gap as leaders' major flaw continues to cause concern

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Inter had the chance to put one hand on the Serie A trophy on Sunday when they faced rivals AC Milan in the Derby della Madonnina at San Siro. However, Pervis Estupinan's winner earned the Rossoneri their second win of the season in the fixture to cut the gap between the top two teams to seven points. It also underlined a season-long issue that has cost Cristian Chivu's side at home and abroad.

Highlights: Milan claim derby triumph over Inter to keep title hopes alive

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Is the Serie A title race back on?

Milan’s stirring 1-0 win over rivals Inter in a tense Derby della Madonnina on Sunday night ensured that the Scudetto battle has a pulse, at the very least.

Pervis Estupinan’s first-half strike sealed the victory in front of a jubilant San Siro crowd, reducing the gap between the top two sides to seven points and completing a derby double for the first time since 2010/11.

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Stones signs for Serie A champions Inter

30/07/2026 at 22:26

That is still a comfortable lead for the Nerazzurri as they look to bounce back from a shock UEFA Champions League exit to Bodo/Glimt by claiming a domestic double in Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

Should they do so, it would be a triumphant debut season for rookie head coach Cristian Chivu, who replaced Simone Inzaghi last summer despite having just three months of senior coaching experience at Parma on his CV.

With 10 rounds to go, Inter need to be on their guard to keep the Rossoneri at bay.

'What a moment for him!' - Estupinan scores first Milan goal to break deadlock against Inter

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They have by far the best attack in Serie A, with 64 goals in 28 games, by far the best goal difference at +42, and what is widely viewed as the strongest and deepest squad in the division.

But they also have one crucial flaw.

Inter’s big-game blind spot

From a distance, Inter might have seemed huge favourites heading into the second Milan derby of the season, even with it being their ‘away’ game.

But Interisti know better than to take such games for granted after a season where, in general, the higher the stakes have got, the worse their team has performed.

Inter have now played home and away against all of their three biggest rivals in Serie A: cross-town cousins AC Milan, Derby d’Italia foes Juventus and reigning champions Napoli.

Sunday’s defeat left them with a paltry record of four points from a possible 18 across those six matches and three losses in three away games.

Opponent	Home result	Away result
Juventus	W 3-2 (Feb 14)	L 3-4 (Sep 13)
AC Milan	L 0-1 (Nov 23)	L 0-1 (Mar 8)
Napoli	D 2-2 (Jan 11)	L 1-3 (Oct 25)

Asked about the performance afterwards, Inter wing-back Federico Dimarco told DAZN: "When we concede a goal we struggle to react. That is, we react, but we aren't clinical.

"Then in the big matches, what can I say...if eight months ago we were told we would find ourselves seven points clear, we would not have believed it. We must keep clear heads and think about the 10 games we have left."

The same stage fright seemed to strike the squad in the Champions League, where Inter racked up early wins against Ajax, Slavia Prague, Union St Gilloise and Kairat Almaty – opponents they were huge favourites against – but froze when they faced more daunting tasks.

By the end of November, Inter were in prime position for a top-eight spot, but consecutive defeats to Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal meant that a final day win over Borussia Dortmund was not enough for them to avoid the play-off round.

When they got there, the same problem struck again. Bodo/Glimt may not be the most illustrious name in European football, but the pressure of facing the Norwegians in a knockout tie proved too much as Inter folded again in back-to-back defeats for a 5-2 aggregate loss.

Highlights: Bodo/Glimt make history with stunning victory over Inter

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The intriguing question now is if this stage fright will creep in during an intriguing run of games coming up.

Inter’s next four are against Atalanta (H), Fiorentina (A), Roma (H) and Como (A). While Fiorentina are battling relegation, the others are all chasing Champions League places and will be eyeing an upset.

The Nerazzurri appear to be wobbling, with two wins, one draw and three defeats in their past six games in all competitions. Could there be life in this Scudetto race yet?

Allegri: Season decided now

Luka Modric once again ran the show in midfield for Milan as he continues to defy father time at the age of 40.

The Croatian was delighted to play his part in another big win for the Rossoneri, particularly under the gaze of his former Real Madrid team-mate and captain Sergio Ramos, who was present at San Siro for the game.

"It was nice to see Sergio Ramos at the stadium," Modric told DAZN. "When the captain comes here, you need to win."

'Milan might regret this!' - Modric pounces on 'bad' Inter error but misses the target

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Addressing the game, Modric said: "We always believed. We're not thinking ahead, we take it one game at a time.

"In the first half we played a great match, in the second Inter improved. But we defended as a team and deserved to win. Now our focus is on the end of the season and continuing like this."

Sergio Ramos looks on during the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy

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Allegri was also in the Milan dugout the last time they managed to go back-to-back in derby matches, back in 2010/11.

Asked if he remembered how that season ended, Allegri responded: "That season we won the league, but now Inter have a seven-point advantage and that is a lot. We could have been more clinical in the final third but we are happy.

"We have reached 60 points and kept Como and Juventus behind us. We have worked for six months to get to March in the best possible condition; the season is decided now."

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