Serie A had a surprising show last weekend. Inter Milan, whose title was a foregone conclusion, suffered a defeat at home against relegation rivals Sassuolo. The 0-1 score not only ended Inter's magical record of 28 games unbeaten, but also prevented them from winning the championship 100% and creating a new history in Serie A. The surprise defeat undoubtedly cast a shadow over Inter's joy of early celebration.
Inter's form has fallen
At the beginning of the season, Inter Milan opened up the gap with other teams with strong attacking firepower and iron bucket lineup. By mid-to-late season, they had already secured the title of Serie A seven rounds ahead of schedule. In the face of such a huge disparity, coach Antonio Conte rotated the squad in order to prevent the players from relaxing. But it was clear that the players' form had clearly slipped after celebrating their win ahead of schedule. In the game against Sassuolo, Inter's passing rhythm was very passive, the attack was lackluster, and the defense was also flawed.
Inter coach Antonio Conte also admitted after the game that the team's post-triumph celebrations affected the form of his players. 'We've celebrated too much in the last week and that obviously affected the players' focus. But that doesn't excuse us from losing, we should do better. Conte said.
Sassuolo fought hard to win
For relegation team Sassuolo, the importance of this game cannot be overstated. With Inter behind by several points, they had to do their best to keep their precious points. Soon after the game, Sassuolo relied on a stubborn defense to keep Inter's attack out of the box. In the second half, they caught the gap in the Inter defence with a counter-attack, and finally Lauriant stabbed the ball into the door of the Inter goal from inside the penalty area.
Speaking after the game, the Sassuolo boss burst into tears: "I'm so proud of the players! Playing against the champions at such a stadium, they showed an unrivalled fighting spirit. These three points are crucial for our relegation and we will continue to fight! ＂
Missed the championship 100 per cent
For Inter, this defeat is undoubtedly a heavy blow. According to the original plan, Inter will not only win the Serie A title this season, but also hope to win the title 100%, thus breaking the Serie A record. But now, not only are they missing out on a new miracle, they may even be pushed close to points by Juventus and Napoli.
Inter have said they will go all out to win the Champions League. "The Serie A title is just the beginning, and our goal is to do it again in Europe. A spokesman for Inter Milan said.
Although Inter Milan did not win the title by 100% to set a new record, they are still the biggest winners in Serie A this season. As new champions, they will represent Italy on the European stage in pursuit of higher glory. Sassuolo's fighting spirit is also to be admired, and they will continue to fight for relegation until the end of the final round. This is perhaps the charm of football, which is always pregnant with endless possibilities and moments of surprise. We'll wait and see what the next exciting story will be.