Inter continue Scudetto march at battling Bologna
Inter took another step towards a 20th Serie A title yesterday with a 1-0 win at in-form Bologna which extended their massive league lead to 18 points.
Yann Bisseck headed home the only goal of a tight contest in the 37th minute at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara as Inter geared up for Wednesday’s Champions League decider with Atletico Madrid in positive fashion.
Germany defender Bisseck’s second goal of the season extended Inter’s all-competitions winning streak since the turn of the year to 13 matches and emphasised how the league crown is more a matter of when rather than if.
“This is one of the most difficult places to play... beating Bologna is not easy. We gave everything,” said Nicolo Barella to DAZN.
“Who knows how soon we can win it (the league), it depends on the other teams. It’s difficult for those chasing us, let’s hope it stays difficult for them.”
Second-placed Juventus can cut the yawning gap between themselves and Inter when they host Atalanta today.
However, with the title race effectively done and dusted it will be Atalanta with more to play for as they battle Bologna, in fourth, for a spot in next season’s revamped Champions League.
Defeat for Bologna snapped a six-match winning streak and left an opening for the other teams aiming for the top four.
Atalanta are five points off Bologna in sixth while Roma will move to within one point of
Augsburg vs Heidenheim ....... 1-0 B. Munich vs Mainz ................ 8-1 B. Gladbach vs Cologne ......... 3-3 Leipzig vs Darmstadt ............. 2-0 W. Bremen vs B. Dortmund ..... 1-2
Leverkusen vs Wolfsburg ..19.30 Bochum vs Freiburg ........... 15.30 E. Frankfurt vs Hoffenheim17.30
B. Leverkusen 64; B. Munich 57; Stuttgart 53; B. Dortmund 47; RB
Thiago Motta’s team with a win at Fiorentina today.
Bologna have been the season’s surprise package and were unbeaten in two league and cup matches against Inter before yesterday’s fixture.
Under a downpour in northern Italy, where rain has been falling for weeks, Bologna dominated for long stretches but couldn’t find a way past Yann Sommer.
“You can’t concede in the way we did because once you’re behind against a team like Inter they know how to manage the game,” said Motta to DAZN.
Leipzig 46; E. Frankfurt 37; Hoffenheim 33; Augsburg 32; W. Bremen, Freiburg 30; Heidenheim 28; B. Gladbach 27; Wolfsburg, U. Berlin 25.
Cadiz vs A. Madrid ................. 2-0 Girona vs Osasuna ................. 2-0 Granada vs R. Sociedad ......... 2-3 Valencia vs Getafe ................. 1-0 PLAYING TODAY
Alaves vs R. Vallecano ....... 14.00
“You can only congratulate Inter because they deserve everything they’re getting at the moment.”
Bologna are bidding to qualify for the Champions League for the first time, although the seven-time Italian champions played one round in the old European Cup in 1964, the same year that they most recently won the Scudetto.
Last season’s ninth place was the highest Bologna had finished in Serie A for over a decade and they are still on course for their best placing in years.
Inter now turn their attentions to Atletico as they defend
Las Palmas vs A. Bilbao ..... 16.15 R. Madrid vs Celta Vigo ...... 18.30 R. Betis vs Villarreal .......... 21.00
Almeria vs Sevilla .............. 21.00
R. Madrid 66; Girona 62; Barcelona 61; A. Madrid 55; A. Bilbao 50; R. Sociedad 43; R. Betis 42; Valencia 40; Las Palmas 37; Osasuna 36.
Lorient vs O. Lyon .................. 0-2
a 1-0 lead from last month’s first leg at the San Siro.
Earlier, Cagliari moved out of the relegation zone with a thrilling 4-2 win over rock-bottom Salernitana, who continued to slide towards the drop.
Claudio Ranieri’s side climbed all the way up to 13th with their second straight win while Salernitana’s winless run extended to 11 matches.
Sassuolo won their first match under new coach Davide Ballardini 1-0 against Frosinone, but they stay 19th and one point behind their opponents who are just outside the bottom three.
Lens vs Brest ......................... 1-0
Le Havre vs Toulouse ......... 15.00 Metz vs Clermont ............... 15.00 PSG vs Reims ...................... 13.00 Lille vs Rennes ................... 17.05 Marseille vs Nantes ........... 21.00 Strasbourg vs Monaco ....... 17.00
PSG 55; Brest 46; Monaco, Lens 42; Lille 41; Nice 40; Marseille 36; Rennes 35; Reims 34; Lyon 31; Toulouse 29; Montpellier, Strasbourg 26; Nantes, Lorient 25; Le Havre 24.
Lecce vs Verona .................. 12.30 Milan vs Empoli .................. 15.00 Juventus vs Atalanta ......... 18.00 Fiorentina vs Roma ............ 20.45
Lazio vs Udinese ................. 20.45
Cosenza vs Cittadella ............ 0-0 Modena vs FeralpiSalo .......... 2-3 Spezia vs Sudtirol .................. 2-1 Catanzaro vs Reggiana .......... 0-1 Cremonese vs Como ............... 2-1 Pisa vs Ternana ...................... 1-0
Lecco vs Palermo ............... 16.15 Venezia vs Bari ................... 16.15
Sampdoria vs Ascoli ........... 20.30
Parma 62; Cremonese 56; Como 52; Venezia 51; Catanzaro 48; Palermo 46; Brescia 38; Pisa, Cittadella 37; Modena, reggiana 36; Sudtirol 35; Sampdoria, Bari, Cosenza 34; Spezia 30; Ternana 29; Ascoli 28; Feralpisalo 27; Lecco 21.
18.30 Fulham vs Tottenham. W. Ham vs
Villa
55; Leyton Orient 54; Northampton 50; Bristol Rovers 49; Wigan 47; Charlton, Wycombe 44; Exeter, Shrewsbury 41; Reading, Cambridge, Burton Albion 39; Cheltenham 34; Fleetwood, Port Vale 32; Carlisle 23.
Accrington vs Bradford ......... 0-3 Barrow vs Colchester ........... 2-0 Doncaster vs Crewe .............. 2-0 F. Green vs Walsall ............... 2-0 Gillingham vs Tranmere ........ 1-1 Harrogate vs Crawley ........... 1-2 Mansfield vs Swindon ........... 3-2 MK Dons vs Salford .............. 3-1 Morecambe vs Wrexham ...... 1-3 Notts County vs Wimbledon..0-2 Stockport vs Newport .......... 1-0 Sutton vs Grimsby ................ 1-1
Mansfield 69; Stockport, Wrexham 66; MK Dons 64; Crewe 61; Barrow 59; Gillingham 55; Wimbledon, Walsall, Morecambe 54; Crawley 52; Bradford 50; Newport, Harrogate 49; Notts County 47; Accrington 46; Tranmere, Swindon 44; Doncaster 43; Salford 40; Grimsby 35; Colchester 32; Forest Green 30; Sutton 27.