Inter Milan’s grip on the Serie A title race got shakier on Saturday as they let a comfortable two-goal lead slip away, settling for a frustrating 2-2 draw against a gutsy Parma side. What looked like a routine victory turned into a night of regret, leaving the door wide open for Napoli to close the gap at the top.
The Nerazzurri struck early through Matteo Darmian and Marcus Thuram, seemingly cruising towards three points. For Thuram, the goal was personal—it was his first time playing at Parma, the club where his father, Lilian Thuram, made history in the late ’90s. With dad watching from the stands, it felt like a script written for a fairytale finish.
But Parma had other ideas.
The second half told a different story. Adrian Bernabé ignited the comeback with a stunning long-range effort, and just nine minutes later, Jacob Ondrejka’s deflected strike left Inter’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer rooted to the spot. In a flash, the game was level—and Inter had no answers.
Assistant coach Massimiliano Farris, filling in for the suspended Simone Inzaghi, admitted the team was running on fumes. “We just came off a tough derby, and mentally and physically, we didn’t have enough to finish the job,” he said.
Critics were quick to question the decision to sub off key players Lautaro Martinez, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, and Federico Dimarco just moments before the collapse. The changes left Inter flat, unable to reignite their earlier spark.
To make matters worse, Alessandro Bastoni exited at halftime with a knee concern—just days before a crunch Champions League quarter-final clash with injury-hit Bayern Munich.
Now, Inter must look over their shoulders. Napoli are breathing down their necks and could cut the gap to just one point with a win against Bologna on Monday. What once looked like a confident title defense suddenly feels uncertain.
For Parma, the draw was a gritty lifeline in their fight against relegation. For Inter, it was a warning: no lead is safe, and no match can be taken for granted.
