Supercoppa: Inter triumphs with Lautaro, Napoli angry at Simeone's red card

Lautaro Martinez, always him. Thanks to a goal from his captain in the second half inter Milan beat Napoli 1-0 in Riyadh and won for the third time in a row, the eighth ever, the Italian Super Cup. The Azzurri were furious with the referee Rapuano for the expulsion in the second half, perhaps excessive, of Simeone that actually paved the way for the Nerazzurri triumph. And yes, because up to that moment Napoli were holding up well to the onslaught of Lautaro and his companions, indeed in the second half they were even trying to come out on top. Then the numerical inferiority forced Mazzarri to review the tactical line-up and to defend to the bitter end in an attempt to at least reach the penalty shootout. Heroic the Azzurri defence, which was not enough to stop the relentless Lautaro. Inter thus brought home their first trophy of the season and also sent a message to Juve in terms of the Scudetto. For coach Simone Inzaghi, it is also the fifth Super Cup victory, the third consecutive with the Nerazzurri, an absolute record better even than Fabio Capello and Marcello Lippi. On the night of Gigi Riva's death, it is a bomber like Lautaro who decides the challenge and it could only be so.

In the Azzurri's ranks, Mazzarri confirms the change of module with the 3-man defence, but the real novelty is the presence of young Zerbin as a starter on the left flank given the absence of Mario Rui. The other new signing Mazzocchi plays on the right, with Cajuste preferred to Zielinski in midfield. Up front, the Tuscan coach will line up Politano and Kvaratskhelia behind Simeone given the absence of Osimhen and Anguissa in the African Cup of Nations. Newcomer Ngonge is also on the bench. In Inter, however, Inzaghi leaves Bastoni on the bench as a precaution and lines up De Vrij in defence with Pavard and Acerbi on either side. Darmian plays on the right, with Dumfries also sidelined because he is not at his best. In attack the Lautaro-Thuram duo. Before the match, a veil of sadness also fell at the Riyadh stadium for the news of Gigi Riva's death at the age of 79.

It was Napoli who played the game in the first minutes, Inter waited and then broke away. After a quarter of an hour's study in midfield, the Nerazzurri were the first to make themselves dangerous with a left-footed volley from the edge by Dimarco that went just wide. Then Calhanoglu and Mkhitaryan tried two more shots, but without precision. Napoli struggled to contain Inzaghi's attacking flurries, and on the half-hour mark Lautaro Martinez's header went just wide. Mazzarri's team could no longer keep up the high tempo of the beginning and ended up being crushed in front of their own penalty area. Shortly before half-time Inter also found the goal with the usual Lautaro, but the referee cancelled for an offside by Thuram, the author of the assist. The last thrill of the half was again in the Azzurri's box with Thuram's header just wide. Inter dominated, Napoli never dangerous at Sommer's side with Kvaratskhelia defused by an excellent Pavard.

Before the game resumed, a minute's silence was observed in memory of Gigi Riva . Mazzarri, who also coached at Cagliari during his career, was particularly moved. The two teams resumed to face each other in a rough manner, especially in midfield, so much so that yellow cards flowed. The first breakthrough came from Napoli, with Kvaratskhelia finally managing to get his shot away, but Sommer was on hand to deflect it into a corner. In Rapuano's string of yellow cards to keep the game in their grasp, of particular note were those given to Calhanoglu and Barella, both of whom will miss the next league game against Fiorentina because they are cautioned. The match heated up, Inter were again showing themselves in Gollini's sides with Thuram from distance. The Azzurri goalkeeper parries. Half an hour from the end the turning point, with Simeone perhaps hastily sent off for a double caution. Napoli were down to ten. Inzaghi immediately sent Frattesi and Carlos Augusto on for Barella and De Vrij for a more offensive line-up given the numerical superiority. The Nerazzurri poured forward and repeatedly came close to taking the lead with Lautaro, Thuram twice and again with the Argentine. By now Napoli could do nothing but defend and try to go for penalties. In the final assault on Gollini's goal, the newly-entered Arnautovic, Carlos Augusto and Frattesi also tried, but the Azzurri's wall resisted. Indeed, in the second half Napoli tried their luck with the newly-entered Lindstrom, who tried to surprise Sommer from a long distance with a shot that went just high. When the penalty shootout seemed inevitable, however, Inter found the winning goal with their captain Lauraro Martinez surgical in beating Gollini with a first-time shot from the centre of the box on Pavard's assist from the right.