Key Takeaways:
- Inter secured a 2-0 away victory against Cremonese, marking their fourth consecutive league win
- Lautaro Martínez scored his 128th Serie A goal and matched Alessandro Altobelli for fourth on Inter’s all-time top-flight scorers list
- With 55 points, Inter extended their lead over second-placed Milan to eight points ahead of Milan’s upcoming fixture against Bologna
Match Overview
Inter continued their dominant Serie A form with a 2-0 triumph over Cremonese away from home, capturing their fourth consecutive league victory. Captain Lautaro Martínez (16’) and Piotr Zieliński (31’) both found the net in a match that ensured the Nerazzurri have prevailed in their last six encounters with Cremonese.
Team Line-Ups and Tactical Choices
Cristian Chivu implemented four alterations to Inter’s starting line-up following their 2-0 Champions League win against Borussia Dortmund. Alessandro Bastoni was reinstated at the back in place of Francesco Acerbi, while Davide Frattesi – amid ongoing transfer speculation – took over from Henrikh Mkhitaryan in midfield. The attacking partnership was completely reshuffled, with Lautaro and Francesco Pio Esposito stepping in for Ange-Yoan Bonny and Marcus Thuram. Cremonese, aligning in a 3-5-2 system, began with Jamie Vardy and Federico Bonazzoli as their two strikers.
Abbiamo vinto anche a Cremona 💪 pic.twitter.com/bPUALETlpq
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) February 1, 2026
First Half: Inter Take Control
The encounter’s opening attempt arrived in the fifth minute as Alessio Zerbin directed a header well wide of goal. Inter responded with several attacks: Esposito’s headed effort was denied, and subsequent long-range shots from Petar Sučić and Lautaro missed the mark. Inter’s breakthrough came in the 16th minute, when Lautaro Martínez nodded home from a corner – a goal he dedicated to his daughter Nina on her fifth birthday. This strike also moved him level with Alessandro Altobelli for the fourth highest number of Serie A goals in Inter’s history.
Federico Ceccherini soon had an opportunity to equalise, but his effort drifted wide. Frattesi twice spurned close-range chances to double Inter’s advantage, but in the 31st minute, Piotr Zieliński delivered a superb finish from distance to give Inter a commanding 2-0 lead. Just before the interval, Bonazzoli was unable to reduce the deficit for the hosts.
Second Half: Incidents and Missed Opportunities
The second half began with an unfortunate incident, as a flare thrown from the Inter fan section landed next to home goalkeeper Emil Audero, resulting in an injury to his right leg and a brief stoppage. Play resumed with Yann Sommer saving a shot from Zerbin. Inter were limited to two more notable efforts, with Lautaro’s shot stopped and substitute Thuram missing the target. Cremonese struck the post in the 84th minute via a sharp Zerbin effort; near full time, debutant Milan Djurić could not find a way past Sommer.
League Position and Head-to-Head Statistics
This result propelled Inter to 55 points atop Serie A, extending their cushion to eight points over Milan, with the Rossoneri due to visit Bologna on Tuesday. Cremonese remain 15th with 23 points, and have now endured nine matches without a victory. Inter’s record against Cremonese was further strengthened by this sixth successive win in their direct duels.
| Match | Score | Scorers |
|---|---|---|
| Cremonese v Inter | 0:2 |
0:1 Lautaro (16’) 0:2 Zieliński (31’) |
