Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v AS Roma - San Siro, Milan, Italy - April 5, 2026 Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella celebrates scoring their fifth goal with coach Cristian Chivu REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini

Surprise packages Como up next for title-chasing Inter

09 Apr 2026, 12:01 · CNA · Join

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April 9 : Inter Milan head into the final stretch of the Serie A season with the Scudetto in their grasp, and the game at high-flying Como on Sunday looks the main obstacle in their bid for a 21st league title.

Cristian Chivu's side, who hold a seven-point advantage at the top of the standings with seven rounds left, face a side who have emerged as the season’s most improbable success story.

Sitting in fourth place, the lakeside club had won six consecutive matches before a 0-0 draw at Udinese on Monday.

Chivu can take comfort from the fact forwards Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram appear to be back to their best after injuries. The pair dominated Sunday's 5-2 rout of AS Roma, providing the cutting edge for an attack that boasts a league-high goal difference.

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Martinez’s brace against Roma took his tally to 16 league goals this season, but the Argentine dismissed any talk of early celebrations.

"We know we are close, but in football, nothing is finished until the maths says so," Martinez said. "Our focus is solely on the next 90 minutes."

Como will look to their own flourishing partnership of Anastasios Douvikas and Nico Paz. The pair have combined for 21 league goals this season, with Douvikas netting 11 and Paz adding 10 from midfield.

NAPOLI CHALLENGE FOR SECOND

A frantic battle for the remaining podium spots is unfolding behind Inter. Napoli moved into second place, leapfrogging AC Milan after a late goal from Matteo Politano gave the champions a 1-0 home win on Monday.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte, whose side travel to Parma on Sunday, has urged his squad to ignore the standings.

"We’ve got to be realistic here. We would need to not make a single mistake, and at the same time hope that Inter slip up more than once," he said.

"We want to defend the Scudetto to the very end, which we hadn’t been able to do for many months, but now we’ve been able to take back control of our history, our destiny, and we want to keep going, without making proclamations."

Conte must also manage the uncertainty surrounding striker Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian striker reportedly remained in Belgium to train individually beyond the end of the international break against the club's wishes.

MILAN UNDER PRESSURE

The pressure is on Milan, who have slipped to third, two points behind Napoli.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side host Udinese on Saturday with Como five points behind and Juventus six.

The Rossoneri are looking for a spark from Christian Pulisic, who has not scored a goal in 2026.

Allegri received a boost with the return of Portugal international Rafael Leao, who returned to action last week.

"The Scudetto race is not for us now," Allegri said. "We are right now on target for our objective (Champions League qualification)."

Surprise packages Como up next for title-chasing Inter

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