AP, Milan :
Crisis-hit Inter Milan enjoyed a morale-boosting 3-2 win over AC Milan in an entertaining Derby Della Madonnina on Sunday to move back above its city rival in the Serie A standings.
Matias Vecino and Stefan de Vrij scored at the start of each half for Inter, and Lautaro Martinez converted a penalty, either side of Milan goals from Tiemoue Bakayoko and Mateo Musacchio.
Inter moved third, two points above Milan and six ahead of fifth-placed Roma. The top four qualify for next season’s Champions League. The Nerazzurri were eliminated after the group stage of this year’s competition and also went out of the Europa League on Thursday.
“Our history is clear, we are Inter so it’s normal for us to be criticized after getting knocked out,” coach Luciano Spalletti said. “We did well to put it straight behind us, showing the right attitude again as a team.
“You need to have players who can turn things around completely, they are the ones that always make the difference. Everyone had Milan as the favorites and it wasn’t easy to take charge of the game.”
The Rossoneri came into the match on a run of five successive league wins. In contrast, Inter had won only one of its last five matches in all competitions, had a number of players out with injury and was still without forward Mauro Icardi. He has not played in more than a month, since being stripped off his captaincy amid protracted contract negotiations.
“Only crazy people and idiots could have thought that today would be a walk in the park for us,” said Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso.
“We gave too much of the pitch to our opponents and that wasn’t a problem only of the defense but of the whole team. We didn’t have the right attitude.”
Inter took the lead with less than three minutes on the clock. Lautaro headed down a cross from Ivan Perisic and Vecino was left unmarked to volley the ball into the roof of the net.
Inter extended its lead six minutes after the break when, following a short corner, De Vrij headed in Matteo Politano’s cross.
Milan pulled one back six minutes later when Bakayoko headed in a free kick for his first goal for the Rossoneri but Inter restored its two-goal advantage shortly after as Lautaro drilled home a spot-kick after Politano had been felled by substitute Samu Castillejo.
