Rome (AFP)

The nerazzurro replaces the rossonero at the top of the Serie A: Inter Milan took advantage of the surprise defeat of AC Milan to settle in the leader's chair on Sunday, a week away from a derby that will be expensive.

Inter Milan, whose ambitions are now reduced in the championship after the fiasco in the Champions League and elimination this week in the Italian Cup, can thank Romelu Lukaku, author of a brace and an assist against the Lazio Rome (3-1) Sunday night on Matchday 22.

Inter are one point ahead of Milan ahead of next weekend's derby.

- Inter on a cloud -

The defeats on Saturday of Milan, surprised by the promoted La Spezia (2-0), and Juventus, beaten in Naples (0-1), had opened a boulevard: the Nerazzurri did not miss the opportunity this time to rush into it.

Faced with a Lazio in confidence and mistress of the ball, who remained on six victories, Inter mainly applied to defend as a team and then plant his banderillas against.

On one of them, Lautaro Martinez got a penalty, after a somewhat desperate tackle from Wesley Hoedt when the Argentinian appeared alone in front of Pepe Reina.

Romelu Lukaku transformed him (22nd) for his 15th goal.

The Belgian added the 16th just before the break, to join Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the scorers' standings, converting into force a ball which came back to him with a little luck (45th).

For his 500th appearance in Serie A, Nerazzurro goalkeeper Samir Handanovic has been vigilant to get out in front of Manuel Lazzari (12th) and then stop the vicious strike from Ciro Immobile (38th).

The Milanese fortress has cracked only once: on a free kick from Milinkovic-Savic, deflected by his teammate Gonzalo Escalante (61st).

But this implacable Inter against took only three minutes to kill the hope returned to the Romans.

Lukaku, titanic, climbed the field at full speed to offer an unmistakable goal to Martinez, his 11th.

Success was then in his pocket, and with him first place but also, perhaps even more important for Antonio Conte, a Juventus (4th) now at eight points.

- Roma on the podium -

The Turin defeat is also the business of Roma who returned to the podium (3rd, 7 pts from Inter) thanks to their quiet victory over Udinese (3-0), to which Jordan Veretout, omnipresent in midfield and double scorer.

The Frenchman cleared the match quickly with a header on a cross from Gianluca Mancini (5th) then transformed the generous penalty awarded (25th).

With 15 league goals since arriving in Rome in 2019, he also became the French player with the most goals for the giallorosso jersey on Sunday, overtaking Vincent Candela (14).

This season, Veretout is at 9.

"I have a challenge with him on the number of goals scored: I told him he had to exceed ten goals" this season, underlined the coach Paulo Fonseca after this "very good match", sealed by a third goal signed Pedro.

- Atalanta on the wire -

Atalanta Bergamo, long neutralized by Cagliari (18th), snatched a precious success (1-0) in a twisting end of the match marked by the decisive goal of Luis Muriel (90th), author of his 13th goal of the season , then a penalty awarded and then refused to the Sardinians (90 + 5th) after resorting to VAR.

The "Dea" (6th) thus remains in contact with Naples (5th) and Lazio (7th), a trio just two points behind Juve's fourth place, qualifying for the Champions League.

"Taking all three points is a good signal, especially after such a difficult match," said Bergamo coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

© 2021 AFP