Lautaro Martinez scored twice as Inter came from behind to get back on track in Serie A with a 2-1 victory over lowly Cremonese.

Martinez netted either side of the interval in Saturday's Lombardy derby at Giovanni Zini Stadium.

With a sharp finish having cancelled out David Okereke's sensational opener in the first half, Martinez lashed home from inside the area in the 65th minute.

The victory took Inter onto 40 points and, temporarily at least, into second place, though runaway leaders Napoli hold a 10-point lead.

Inter's bright start failed to produce a true chance, and they were stunned by an incredible 11th-minute opener when Okereke curled a sublime strike in off the underside of the crossbar.

Yet Cremonese's lead lasted just 10 minutes, with Martinez reacting sharply to turn home after Marco Carnesecchi parried Edin Dzeko's volley.

Andre Onana's save prevented Marco Benassi's close-range flick restoring Cremonese's lead, before Martinez drilled just wide at the other end.

Martinez snatched at another chance before the break, sending a tame rebound at Carnesecchi following Federico Dimarco's shot.

Carnesecchi was called into action again following the restart to ensure Dimarco's cross did not find its way in, but Inter kept on the pressure and were rewarded with 25 minutes remaining – Dzeko slipping in Martinez, who hammered beyond Carnesecchi.

Martinez made way for Joaquin Correa soon after with his work done, though Matteo Darmian's last-ditch block from Cristian Buonaiuto's scuffed attempt was required to ensure Inter headed home with the three points.

What does it mean? More misery for winless Cremonese

Cremonese became only the second side since Serie A returned to a 20-team league (2004-05) to have failed to win a match in the first half of the season (after Hellas Verona in 2015-16) – and despite their best efforts, that victory still eludes them with 20 games of the campaign accounted for.

They did forge some chances, having 12 shots and getting four on target, but on the balance of play the result was a fair one. Inter finished with 2.5 expected goals (xG) and had 30 attempts, while home goalkeeper Carnesescchi made eight saves, including an excellent stop late on from Denzel Dumfries, as well as having to pick the ball out of his net twice.

Double figures for Martinez, again

With Romelu Lukaku desperately out of form – he has now failed to score in seven Serie A appearances after replacing Dzeko, his worst run in the competition – Inter at least have Martinez to call on.

Martinez's double took him to 11 league goals for the season, making him the third foreign player in Inter's history to hit double figures in Serie A in at least four seasons, after Stefano Nyers and Mauro Icardi.

The Argentina forward has now been involved in 13 goals in his last 10 Serie A games against promoted opponents, scoring 11 and setting up two more. He also netted in the reverse fixture back in August.

Okereke fades after stunning start

It was a quite superb opener from Cremonese forward Okereke, who gave Onana little chance with his excellent finish, catching Inter off guard.

However, the 25-year-old struggled to keep himself in the game from then on, and when he went off in the 72nd minute, that was the only shot he had managed, while he also conceded three fouls and lost possession 12 times.

Key Opta facts

– With his latest exploits, Martínez became the first player to score 10 or more goals in each of the last four Serie A campaigns.
– Inter have conceded 21 goals in 10 away matches in Serie A this season. They have never conceded more after the same number of games in a Serie A campaign, shipping 21 also in 1947-48, in 1931-32 and in 1930-31.
- Only Salernitana (25) have conceded more goals than Inter in away matches in Serie A this season. The Nerazzurri have conceded in each of their last 14 league away games, their longest such streak in Serie A since 1988 (18 games under Giovanni Trapattoni).

What's next?

Inter host Atalanta in a Coppa Italia quarter-final on Tuesday, with Cremonese facing Roma in the same competition a day later.

Lautaro Martinez scored twice as Inter came from behind to get back on track in Serie A with a 2-1 victory over lowly Cremonese.

Martinez netted either side of the interval in Saturday's Lombardy derby at Giovanni Zini Stadium.

With a sharp finish having cancelled out David Okereke's sensational opener in the first half, Martinez lashed home from inside the area in the 65th minute.

The victory took Inter onto 40 points and, temporarily at least, into second place, though runaway leaders Napoli hold a 10-point lead.

Inter's bright start failed to produce a true chance, and they were stunned by an incredible 11th-minute opener when Okereke curled a sublime strike in off the underside of the crossbar.

Yet Cremonese's lead lasted just 10 minutes, with Martinez reacting sharply to turn home after Marco Carnesecchi parried Edin Dzeko's volley.

Andre Onana's save prevented Marco Benassi's close-range flick restoring Cremonese's lead, before Martinez drilled just wide at the other end.

Martinez snatched at another chance before the break, sending a tame rebound at Carnesecchi following Federico Dimarco's shot.

Carnesecchi was called into action again following the restart to ensure Dimarco's cross did not find its way in, but Inter kept on the pressure and were rewarded with 25 minutes remaining – Dzeko slipping in Martinez, who hammered beyond Carnesecchi.

Martinez made way for Joaquin Correa soon after with his work done, though Matteo Darmian's last-ditch block from Cristian Buonaiuto's scuffed attempt was required to ensure Inter headed home with the three points.

Chelsea's busy January is showing no signs of slowing down, despite landing five players already.

The Blues, who are 10th in the Premier League, have brought in Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile during this window.

Chelsea are 10 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and desperate for a top-four finish to bring Champions League football back to Stamford Bridge.

And another signing is now imminent.

TOP STORY –  CHELSEA AGREE DEAL FOR LYON'S GUSTO

Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea have agreed to a deal with Lyon to sign right-back Malo Gusto.

The 19-year-old will fly to London and undergo medical tests on Saturday, with the player to join the Blues in June 2023.

Lyon will receive €30million plus add-ons and retain the player on loan for the remainder of the season.

OL head coach Laurent Blanc had said the club's board guaranteed that he would remain with the club this season, with the loan solving that roadblock. 

ROUND-UP

– Arsenal will make an improved offer for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo , according to The Telegraph. The Seagulls turned down Arsenal's initial £60m bid for the Ecuadorian, who took to social media to plead with the club to let him go.

– Atletico Madrid are back in for PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe , having been interested in him during the off-season, reports Le Parisien. Kimpembe, who is out of contract in mid-2024, may slip out of favour at PSG with the French champions pushing to sign Inter's Milan Skriniar.

– Real Madrid have ruled out an off-season transfer for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice , according to The Daily Mail. The report claims Rice has "given his word" to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta that he will join the Gunners next season.

– Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo has rejected a move to Premier League strugglers Bournemouth despite the club's board travelling to Italy, preferring Milan or Tottenham instead, claims Fabrizio Romano.

– FootMercato claims PSG are readying a bid for Lyon's 19-year-old winger Rayan Cherki. PSG have previously tabled two bids for him.

– Lyon are also set to lose 22-year-old Brazilian winger Tete who will join Leicester City until the end of the season, reports The Sun. West Ham, Brentford and Leeds United were also interested in Tete.

Arsenal are reportedly weighing up a potential £75million bid for young Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

Caicedo, 21, has been one of the breakout stars of the Premier League season, starting 18 of Brighton's 19 league fixtures to help his side up to sixth.

The talented central midfielder has already earned 28 caps for Ecuador and collected valuable experience at the Qatar World Cup, where he scored against Senegal in the group stage.

Brighton have rejected some serious bids already this month, and while they have reportedly set Caicedo's price at nine figures, Arsenal are prepared to test how much money they are willing to turn down.

TOP STORY – ARSENAL PREPARE BUMPER BID FOR BRIGHTON TALENT

According to Fichajes, Arsenal are determined to add reinforcements before the end of January, and they will see if £75m is enough to pry Caicedo away from Brighton.

Metro had previously reported Brighton would hold out for a fee in the range of £100m, having already batted away a £50m approach from Chelsea.

Fichajes believes Arsenal are willing to outspend Chelsea in the pursuit of Caicedo, which has them in the driver's seat if Brighton are willing to budge before the transfer window closes.

ROUND-UP

– According to the Daily Telegraph, Chelsea and Liverpool will both pursue 24-year-old Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes, who is expected to cost £55m.

– 90min is reporting Tottenham are confident they will complete their move for 23-year-old Sporting right-back Pedro Porro in the coming days after negotiations over his release clause.

– 90min adds Sporting will target 22-year-old Brighton full-back Tariq Lamptey as Porro's replacement, although Lyon are also interested in the Seagulls defender.

– Everton have lowered their asking price for Anthony Gordon to £40m plus add-ons after their initial £60m valuation put off Newcastle United, per the Telegraph.

– Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting Inter will demand £35m (€40m) for 26-year-old right-back Denzel Dumfries, who is a target of Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United.

In 2004, Jose Mourinho set out his stall early at Chelsea.

"We have top players and, sorry if I'm arrogant, we have a top manager," said the Portuguese in his first press conference at the Premier League club, not long after he had led Porto to Champions League glory.

"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one."

Devilishly handsome, with a wicked charm and natural bravado. Men wanted to be him. Women wanted to well... you get the gist. Not only did Mourinho talk the talk, but he walked the walk, winning the EFL Cup and the Premier League in his first season.

That was Chelsea's first domestic title in 50 years, and at the time they broke the record for the most points in a Premier League season (95) and fewest goals conceded (15).

Mourinho was, indeed, 'The Special One', and it's undoubtedly his most famous quote.

But there are plenty of others. To celebrate his 60th birthday, here are some classic Mourinho moments.

Announcing himself in England

With seconds left on the clock in a 2003-04 Champions League last-16 tie, Mourinho's Porto needed a goal at Old Trafford. "If we don't score we are out, if we score we are in, these are the details of the knock-out," Mourinho told UEFA in 2015, when reflecting on that night in March 2004.

Benni McCarthy saw a long-range free-kick parried out by Tim Howard, and Costinha was on hand to hammer home and silence the crowd. As his players charged towards one of the corners to celebrate, Mourinho leaped off the bench and cantered down the touchline, arms aloft. By full-time, he was already heading down the tunnel.

"We were in the dressing room, and it didn't look like it was the last 16, it was like it was the quarter-finals," Mourinho recalled. "Then someone knocks on the door, and it was Sir Alex [Ferguson] and Gary Neville, the captain, and they told us congratulations, you deserved it, enjoy it and good luck.

"It was something that in Portuguese culture we are not used to, but it's something I kept and during my career I did it a few times, when some opponent did something magnificent against my team. I kept something from big people, that can make others feel special.

Wenger wars

Mourinho enjoyed a fierce rivalry with Arsene Wenger during his first stint in the Premier League, and even went as far to suggest the Arsenal boss was something of a voyeur.

"There are some guys who have this big telescope to see what happens in other families. He must be one of them," Mourinho said.

Parking the bus

You would be forgiven for thinking the term "parking the bus" had been common footballing parlance in Britain for many, many years. However, it was Mourinho who first introduced it, after his Chelsea team were held to a goalless draw by Tottenham.

None too happy with Spurs' defensive approach, Mourinho said: "They brought the bus and left the bus in front of the goal as we say in my country." 

In October of last year, the phrase "park the bus" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Too many medals

It must be nice when you've won so much you can throw medals away. That's just what Mourinho did after he had guided Chelsea to a second straight league title in 2006.

The success marked Mourinho's fourth straight domestic title, and after being presented with his winners' medal, he threw that and his suit blazer into the stands. He was quickly presented with another medal; that, too, ended up in the crowd.

The knee slide

During Mourinho's second season at Real Madrid, a late Cristiano Ronaldo goal saw off Manchester City in the Champions League group stages, and Mourinho celebrated like only he can, jumping from the bench and sliding to his knees.

It was a match that also saw former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher reprimanded by police in the crowds. Rock 'N' Roll on and off the pitch.

Mourinho's time at Madrid unravelled the following campaign when he fell out with key players, including Ronaldo. "Maybe he thinks that he knows everything and that the coach cannot improve him anymore," Mourinho said of his compatriot.

I prefer not to speak...

Mourinho's second stint at Chelsea bore a league title in the 2014-15 season, but also proffered a quote that has lived on as an online meme and a viral clip ever since.

Chelsea lost 1-0 to Aston Villa in March 2014, with his team having Willian and Ramires sent off, and seeing a goal disallowed. Mourinho, too, was sent to the stands.

"I prefer not to speak," he told Sky Sports. "If I speak I am in trouble, big trouble, and I prefer not to be in big trouble. If I speak, I am accused of bringing the game into disrepute." 

Mourinho went on to speak about the referees for a few more minutes.

Gerrard's slip

Mourinho famously 'shushed' Liverpool fans in an encounter with the Reds during his first spell at Chelsea, and it was his team that dealt a severe blow to Liverpool's title hopes in the 2013-14 season.

In April 2014, Liverpool had just three games left and held a three-point lead over Manchester City. Yet a slip from club great Steven Gerrard allowed Demba Ba to pounce and put Chelsea ahead.

Chelsea netted a second late on, leading Mourinho to charge down the touchline and celebrate in front of the Kop. City went on to win the title.

Respect, respect, respect

Mourinho's time as Manchester United manager ended in typically volatile fashion, and the signs were there from the start of the 2018-19 season.

Following a 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham, Mourinho delivered a scathing response to his doubters as he stormed out of a press conference. 

"Just to finish, do you know what was the result – 3-0," Mourinho said while holding up three fingers. "It means 3-0. But it also means three Premierships, more Premierships alone than the other 19 managers together. Three for me, two for them. Respect, respect, respect."

The Dele warning

Mourinho's words of advice to Dele Alli were featured prominently in the Tottenham-focused All Or Nothing documentary series, aired in 2020.

"I am 56 now and yesterday I was 20. Time flies. One day I think you will regret it if you don't reach what you can reach," Mourinho, then at Spurs, told Alli.

"I am not expecting you to be the man of the match every game. I am not expecting you to score goals every game. I want just to tell you that you will regret it. You should demand more from yourself."

Less than 18 months after the documentary aired, Alli's Tottenham spell was over, moving to Everton on what was initially a free transfer at the age of 25. Six months after that, he was in Turkey with Besiktas, where he has been heavily criticised for his performances.

History maker

As Mourinho celebrates his 60th, one thing cannot be denied – he will go down as one of the best managers to ever grace the game.

He joined Roma in 2021 and does what he does best. He won.

Last year, Roma won the Europa Conference League, making Mourinho the first coach to complete the UEFA treble by winning the Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League, and Europa Conference League (in place of the defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup).

He was the fifth manager to reach the final of all three current major European competitions and the first to reach a major European final with four different clubs.

Mourinho's record speaks for itself. Of his 1,076 games as a coach, he has won 677 (62.9 per cent), with his teams scoring 2,082 goals. 

He is, after all, The Special One.

Milan Skriniar's expected departure from Inter is down to "a problem of management" at the club, former midfielder Wesley Sneijder has told Stats Perform.

Slovakia international Skriniar, who is a confirmed target for Paris Saint-Germain, is into the final five months of his contract after rejecting fresh terms in December.

The January transfer window is therefore Inter's final chance to receive a fee for the centre-back, who is into his sixth season as an Inter player.

Inter have seen a number of players depart on free transfers in recent years, and ex-Nerazzurri midfielder Sneijder has questioned why that is still happening.

"This is a problem of management," he said. "When management is not good it's hard to control all the details. On the pitch it is easier, while off it, it is harder but just as important.

"You cannot let the players say they want to leave, let alone at this very moment. You have to take precautions in time to prevent all this."

Inter are reported to have already lined up possible replacements for Skriniar, with Fiorentina's Nikola Milenkovic among those to have been linked with a switch to San Siro.

While Sneijder believes Inter have the resources to cope without Skriniar, the former Netherlands international called on the Italian giants to take more responsibility.

"Inter have a great squad and won't suffer from this problem, but there will be others," he said. 

"They need someone to take responsibility and say 'enough is enough, now we only talk about playing football and that's it'.

"I don't know who is responsible for [the Skriniar situation], but someone has to tell the players they are there to play."

Skriniar has played 242 times for Inter in all competitions since joining from Sampdoria in July 2017, helping the club to Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana success.

Providing an update on PSG's interest in the 27-year-old this week, head coach Christophe Galtier said: "I cannot say if he will arrive in [January] or in the summer.

"He is a player we've been tracking for a long time. In fact, we thought that we had already got him last summer."

Skriniar may have already played his final game for Inter after his sending off against Empoli on Monday, with that 1-0 loss leaving Inter 13 points behind runaway leaders Napoli.

Inter have "no possibility" of renewing the contract of Milan Skriniar beyond its expiration date in June, according to the defender's agent Roberto Sistici.

Skriniar was strongly linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain last year, but no move materialised and the centre-back began renegotiating a new deal with Inter.

However, his agent confirmed on Monday that Inter's offer was ultimately rejected in December, and he has since made clear to the club they are in talks with other teams.

Skriniar, who was sent off in Monday's 1-0 defeat by Empoli, is widely expected to eventually sign for PSG, though Sistici refused to name the clubs he is speaking to.

"The truth is that the decision to place Milan Skriniar on the transfer market in the summer was made by Inter, obviously not by the player," Sistici told TeleNord.

"It was a choice by the club that led to a negotiation between Inter and PSG, of which we had obviously been informed. At a certain point, the negotiation broke down, and we had also been informed of this step, a decision that was not up to us and which the player accepted calmly, with professionalism and absolute respect for the contract.

"Last autumn, we responded to all the meeting requests made by the club. After a series of preliminary meetings, we presented our financial request and subsequently, at the beginning of November 2022, the club presented us with a proposal.

"About a month later, before Christmas, I communicated to Inter the decision not to accept their offer, a choice reiterated at the beginning of January, before the Supercoppa, when I also informed the managers [Giuseppe] Marotta and [Piero] Ausilio that we thought we were free to listen to offers from other clubs.

"Maybe it wasn't mandatory communication, but for the player and myself it was the most correct way to proceed, knowing that seriousness and transparency are the best way to proceed for us. I repeat, we have never missed any appointment with Inter."

He added: "We didn't talk about PSG, just as we didn't leak our and Inter's positions, given that with Inter we had agreed to handle the matter with the right confidentiality, in the interest of serenity and the performance of the team and of the player.

"There are contacts with some clubs. Not Italian [clubs]."

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi responded after the shock loss by saying the club were "trying to resolve" the situation with Skriniar, without clarifying whether he meant by selling the player or making a new contract offer.

At a similar time, PSG coach Christophe Galtier was also asked about Skriniar following the Parisians' 7-0 Coupe de France win over Pays de Cassel.

He did not offer much clarity either, though he acknowledged PSG were convinced last year they had done enough to sign him.

"I cannot say if he will arrive this winter [January], or this summer," he told beIN SPORTS. "He is a player we've been tracking for a long time.

"In fact, we thought that we had already got him last summer."

Simone Inzaghi told Inter to forget Monday's dismal defeat to Empoli, after which the Nerazzurri were still not giving up hopes of winning Serie A.

Inter remained 13 points behind runaway leaders Napoli after going down 1-0 at home following a first-half Milan Skriniar red card.

Empoli were good value for their win against Inzaghi's out-of-sorts side, and the head coach appeared to recognise that as he sought to move on swiftly from this match.

"We have to archive it immediately," he said. "We will have another difficult game, and we have to forget immediately, looking ahead.

"Of course, we will analyse the mistakes, but we have to think about the next matches."

The season is now at the halfway stage, and Inzaghi acknowledged Inter must improve.

"This is a defeat that stings," he told DAZN. "We finish the first half of the season with 37 points and many regrets.

"Now, we know we'll have to do better over the second part."

However, midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is remaining optimistic, saying in an interview with Sky Sport: "Thirteen points [to Napoli] is a huge gap, but we have to keep going and not stop.

"I know it feels hard to believe, but there's still a long way to go."

Inter were brought crashing back down to earth after their Supercoppa Italiana win as they were deservedly defeated 1-0 by Empoli at San Siro on Monday.

Simone Inzaghi's side looked to be set for a big second half to the season after dismantling champions and rivals Milan in Saudi Arabia last week.

But the Nerazzurri's return to action in Serie A saw them completely out of sorts and beaten by teenager Tommaso Baldanzi's goal following a first-half red card for Milan Skriniar.

Defeats such as these may not now cost Inter in the race for Champions League qualification due to Juventus' points deduction, but any remote title hopes appear to have been quickly quashed.

Skriniar's dismissal epitomised an erratic first half from Inter, who could have trailed early on as Andre Onana saved unconvincingly from Nicolo Cambiaghi before Henrikh Mkhitaryan escaped punishment from the subsequent corner when his high boot caught Francesco Caputo's head.

Caputo continued in a bandage while Inter threatened only through Federico Dimarco, who had a volley well saved and also squared for Lautaro Martinez to stab awkwardly wide.

Skriniar, already booked, then became the second Inter man to kick Caputo in the head, and this time the foul was spotted by referee Antonio Rapuano, leading to his dismissal.

Inter showed precious little improvement after half-time and trailed when Onana, whose shaky showing had included another unorthodox stop, was beaten by a Baldanzi shot that was straight at him.

Stefan de Vrij headed against the post from inside the six-yard box but Inter proved as unimaginative in attack as they had been hapless at the back in a frustrating finale.

Manchester City have topped the Deloitte Football Money League for the second year running, with 11 of the world's 20 highest-earning clubs coming from the Premier League.

Reigning English champions City last year became just the fourth club ever to top the list, which examines the top-performing football clubs in terms of revenue every year.

City remained the world's highest revenue-generating club in the 2021-22 campaign – the first season in which fans returned to stadiums as coronavirus restrictions were eased.

They made £619.1million (€731m) over that period to finish ahead of LaLiga giants Real Madrid (€713.8m), while Liverpool climbed from seventh to their highest position of third after making £594.3m (€701.7m).

Fellow English clubs Manchester United (fourth), Chelsea (eighth), Tottenham (ninth) and Arsenal (10th) also make the top 10, with West Ham (15th), Leicester City (17th), Leeds United (18th), Everton (19th) and Newcastle United (20th) in the top 20.

It marks the first time in the report's 26 years that a single country has provided more than half of the rich list.

"The Premier League was the only one of the big five European leagues to experience an increase in its media rights value during its most recent rights sale process," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group.

"It continues to appeal to millions of global followers and its member clubs have a greater revenue advantage over international rivals."

Paris Saint-Germain (fifth), Bayern Munich (sixth), Barcelona (seventh), Juventus (11th), Atletico Madrid (12th), Borussia Dortmund (13th), Inter (14th) and Milan (16th) make up the rest of the top 20.

In the women's game, Barcelona generated the highest revenue (€7.7m) after winning the Champions League in 2021 and reaching the final last year.

Hakan Calhanoglu relished Inter's Supercoppa Italiana win over Milan more than most, saying karma came back to bite the Rossoneri.

The former Milan player, who switched allegiance to Inter on a free transfer in 2021, faced mockery from a number of former team-mates when Stefano Pioli's team won last season's Serie A title.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was among those who invited scorn to be poured during Milan's celebrations, but Inter's 3-0 victory on Wednesday not only gave them the first silverware of the Italian season, it also gave Calhanoglu a chance to hit back.

"It was a very important victory, even more so for me. I'm very happy. We were hungry, we showed what we are worth on the pitch," Turkish midfielder Calhanoglu said.

"I always prefer to shut up, it was tough for me to see things I didn't expect. Karma comes back, and today we were hungry."

Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sport Mediaset, Calhanoglu said: "They have to respect the 3-0, we sent them home quickly. We ate them up."

On the prospect of a push for the Scudetto, Calhanoglu added: "We will believe it until the end. Let's continue like this."

Napoli have made a runaway start to the season, opening up a nine-point lead over second-placed Milan after 18 rounds of games, with Inter a further point back.

The Supercoppa win on Wednesday over Milan came at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, with Inter's goals coming from Federico Dimarco, Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez.

The next meeting between the city rivals comes in Serie A on February 5, with Inter the home side as they face Milan at the San Siro stadium the clubs share.

Milan can have no excuses for their heavy Supercoppa Italiana loss to Inter and must now "grow up and take responsibility", according to defender Simon Kjaer.

Stefano Pioli's side were on the end of a 3-0 loss at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on Wednesday as fierce rivals Inter retained the cup.

It is the first time since Juventus' 4-0 win over Lazio in 2013 that the contest between the reigning Scudetto and Coppa Italia holders has been won by a three-or-more goal margin.

The Rossoneri were also eliminated from the Coppa Italia at the last-16 stage by Torino last week and are nine points behind leaders Napoli in Serie A after drawing their past two games.

After ending the club's 11-year wait for Scudetto glory last year with a team that had the youngest average age of any title winner across Europe's top five leagues, Kjaer accepts there is no explanation for their current form.

"We got off to a bad start, then it became difficult," Kjaer, who was recalled to the starting line-up, told Milan TV. "They are good at what they do, but tonight we didn't put in the performance to deserve the win.

"We have to apologise to the fans. We have to analyse this match and then start again. There is no time to put our heads down but this match hurts. 

"The talk of young players lacking experience is over. We have to grow up and take responsibility. We have not played with our identity and we have to learn and look carefully at our mistakes. 

"It was a tough evening, especially mentally, but in these moments we have to find our identity and we have to improve in many aspects of the game."

Inter became the first side since Roma in 2006 to score twice in the opening 25 minutes of a Supercoppa Italiana clash, with goals from Federico Dimarco and Edin Dzeko putting them in control.

Milan's defence was far too easily beaten for both goals, as was the case when Lautaro Martinez added a third in the second half after getting the better of Fikayo Tomori.

Now on their longest winless run since February 2021, Pioli admits something has to change in terms of the team dynamic.

"We've missed out on one trophy but there is still lots of the season to turn it into a positive one," he said at his post-match press conference.

"But if we want different results, a little bit needs changing from a mental point of view and the way we approach matches. We play Lazio next and can go back to playing our football.

"The aim is to get back to being a team with confidence. We need to think about raising the quality of our game."

Edin Dzeko joked he feels like a 21-year-old again after playing a starring role in Inter's Supercoppa Italiana victory over Milan in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international became the competition's oldest goalscorer, overtaking Cristiano Ronaldo, with his well-taken strike in Inter's 3-0 triumph.

He had earlier played in Nicolo Barella with a delightful pass for the midfielder to tee up Federico Dimarco in a display that landed him the sponsors' man of the match award.

Dzeko turns 37 in March and is due to be out of contract at San Siro at the end of the campaign, but the veteran striker is not thinking about his future for now.

"That's not for today," he told Sport Mediaset. "We're happy for the fans because we deserved this win. Today we'll celebrate and then we can think about everything else."

Asked to confirm his age after rolling back the years, Dzeko laughed and said: "I'll be 22 soon!"

Lautaro Martinez profited from some more sloppy Milan defending – with Fikayo Tomori in particular at fault – to seal an emphatic Derby della Madonnina victory in Saudi Arabia.

Inter's win was their first over their fierce rivals in a final in what was the third such meeting, with Milan previously prevailing in the 2011 Supercoppa and the 1977 Coppa Italia.

Milan pipped Inter to the Serie A title last season, but Dzeko does not consider the victory at King Fahd International Stadium as any sort of revenge.

"That isn't the case," he said. "I always prefer to look ahead, just like everyone in the team. We won a cup today, one we already knew how good it is to win.

"We prepared well for the game and went onto the pitch with the aim of winning it. We played a great game and gave everything from the first minute until the last.

"I'm delighted to bring another cup home and hopefully there will be more in the future."

Having defeated Juventus 12 months ago, Inter retained the trophy and are now level with Milan on seven Supercoppa triumphs – within two of record-holders Juve.

Simone Inzaghi is now a four-time winner of the competition as a coach – twice with Inter and twice with Lazio – which tied the record with Marcello Lippi and Fabio Capello. 

Reflecting on his latest success, Inzaghi said: "The lads had the perfect approach today, always sharp and focused. We need to enjoy this as beating Milan in a final is wonderful.

"Our first target for the season was to get through the group stage of the Champions League; the second was winning this trophy. It is pleasing for a coach to witness this."

Inter retained their Supercoppa Italiana crown with a convincing 3-0 victory over fierce rivals Milan at King Fahd International Stadium on Wednesday.

Simone Inzaghi's side have been in far better form than Milan since the World Cup break and that showed in Riyadh as they raced into a two-goal lead inside 21 minutes.

Federico Dimarco finished off a flowing team move and Edin Dzeko, who played a pivotal role in that opener, added a second to put Inter in command.

Last season's Coppa Italia winners Inter added a third in the 77th minute through Lautaro Martinez to seal a seventh Supercoppa triumph, drawing them level with Milan's tally.

Dzeko played a delightful first-time pass into the feet of Nicolo Barella, who in turn squared to Milan-born Dimarco for a simple finish for Inter's 10th-minute opener.

That goal was allowed to stand following a VAR check, with semi-automatic offside technology being used for the first time in Italian football ahead of its roll-out in Serie A.

Inter added a second through a well-taken Dzeko goal after the striker collected the ball down the left, skipped inside Sandro Tonali and swept a shot past Ciprian Tatarusanu.

Not since Roma against Inter in 2006 had a team struck twice inside the opening 25 minutes of a Supercoppa Italiana match, and Milan could not find a route back into the game.

After sitting back for most of the second half, Inter added some gloss to the scoreline when Fikayo Tomori failed to clear a long ball and Martinez finished with the outside of his boot.

Milan coach Stefano Pioli dismissed the suggestion his team are suffering from a lack of "hunger" as they prepare to face city rivals Inter in Wednesday's Supercoppa Italiana.

The Rossoneri have not won any of their previous three games as they threw away a 2-0 lead in a 2-2 draw with Roma, found themselves dumped out of the Coppa Italia by 10-man Torino, and then had to fight back from 2-0 down just to rescue a point at Lecce.

Although in that period they have moved above Juventus in the Serie A table to take ownership of second, Milan are now nine points behind leaders Napoli.

Much of the build-up to the Supercoppa has been centred around Milan and Inter – who are a point further back in Serie A – requiring a trophy success to boost their respective title chances.

But the suggestion Milan are less motivated than last year did not sit well with Pioli, who said: "How does such a young team that has only won on trophy not be hungry?

"There's only one thing we can control: the quality of our game. If we lower the quality, it becomes difficult to win games. It's not a question of having a 'full stomach'."

In fact, Pioli recognises Wednesday's game in Riyadh as an opportunity to have continuity in terms of success, with Milan hoping last season's Serie A title triumph was the start of a successful new era rather than a flash in the pan.

"It's an important match. We have the chance to win another trophy, it would mean giving continuity to the path we started," Pioli added.

"We know that the last week or so hasn't been the best, but tomorrow is a game in itself, like every other derby is.

"There is a trophy up for grabs and this raises the level of the match, and so we have to raise our level."

The idea that Supercoppa success could be a catalyst was also put to Pioli's counterpart, Simone Inzaghi.

Inter's board has reportedly made it clear to Inzaghi that they view beating Milan as a possible turning point in the season, though he is seemingly not convinced there is a link between victory in this game and subsequent improvement.

"We'll have to wait and see. I remember last year that we enjoyed the Supercoppa final win over Juventus in the right way, because a few days later we were back playing away to Bergamo," he recalled.

"Football never stops. Three days later, we were talking about a 0-0 draw in Bergamo against Atalanta.

"We need to just take one game at a time. Now we've got Milan, and we're preparing for it in the best way we can.

"The players need to work hard for their team-mates because in these types of games it's the only way you end the game without regrets."