Serie A champions Inter Milan secure Italian Cup warmup victory over ten-man Lazio
Inter Milan defeated Lazio 3-0 in a pre-tournament fixture, with captain Lautaro Martínez extending his league goal tally to 17 while the hosts played with ten men following a red card.
Serie A champions Inter Milan have secured a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Lazio in a warmup match ahead of the Italian Cup final. The match, played on Saturday, served as a final preparation exercise for both institutions before the decisive fixture at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday.
The Serie A title holders, who clinched the league trophy last Sunday, demonstrated their structural superiority throughout the contest. Captain Lautaro Martínez was the primary architect of the win, scoring one goal and providing an assist, which brought his total league tally to 17. This figure places him four goals clear of his nearest rival, teammate Marcus Thuram, as the season concludes with three rounds remaining.
Lazio's defensive stability was compromised when defender Alessio Romagnoli was sent off in the 59th minute. The red card resulted from a high challenge on Inter forward Ange-Yoan Bonny, leaving the capital side to fight the remainder of the match with ten men. Romagnoli is expected to face suspension for Lazio's upcoming fixture against Roma, further impacting the squad's availability for the immediate future.
Inter Milan took an early lead in the sixth minute, with Marcus Thuram nodding a long throw-in to Lautaro, who volleyed the ball from close range. The hosts doubled their advantage shortly before halftime following a combination play involving Lautaro and Andy Diouf, which set up Petar Sucic to fire a shot into the top left corner. Henrikh Mkhitaryan then sealed the result with the third goal.
The match outcome reinforces Inter's position as the dominant force in Italian football ahead of the Cup final. While the warmup nature of the fixture does not dictate team selection for the final, the result highlights the tactical edge the champions hold over their opponents. The final will see the two sides meet again at the Stadio Olimpico, where Inter aims to complete a league-cup double.
In broader league context, the victory comes as other clubs face uncertainty regarding their survival. Cagliari remains not mathematically safe from relegation after a loss to Udinese, while Lecce sits only four points above the drop zone. These developments underscore the intense competitive pressure facing the lower half of the table as the season draws to a close.
