Inter Milan continued their symphony of victories in the Italian Football League, confirming their absolute dominance over the "Calcio" competitions this season, after achieving a sweeping victory over their host Sassuolo with a score of 5-0, in the match that brought them together on Sunday as part of the twenty-fourth round.

A show of force and a sweeping attack

Inter Milan wasted no time in settling into the game, dominating from the opening minutes and converting their superiority into a flurry of goals. Jan Piszczek opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a perfectly placed header from a corner kick delivered by the impressive Federico Dimarco. Just minutes later, Marcus Thuram doubled the lead in the 28th minute, capitalizing on another cross from Dimarco, who was the star playmaker of the match.

Despite Sassuolo’s attempt to come back and reduce the deficit through Norwegian Christian Thorstedt in the 41st minute, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened to cancel the goal due to offside, ending the first half with a comfortable lead for the visitors.

Second half and confirmation of the lead

In the second half, Inter continued to flex their attacking muscles, with Argentine captain Lautaro Martinez adding a third goal in the 50th minute with a powerful left-footed shot. Dimarco then completed his hat-trick of assists, setting up the fourth goal for Swiss defender Manuel Akanji in the 54th minute. Brazilian Luis Henrique completed the rout with a superb goal in the 89th minute, a shot that nestled into the top corner, confirming the formidable attacking prowess of Simone Inzaghi's men.

Impact of the result on the standings table

With this resounding victory, their fourth in a row and eleventh in their last twelve matches, Inter Milan increased their points tally to 58, maintaining a comfortable eight-point lead at the top of the table over their closest rivals and bitter rivals, AC Milan. This widening gap is further amplified by the postponement of Milan's match against Como this round, due to the San Siro stadium being occupied by the Winter Olympics. The game has been rescheduled for the 18th of this month, putting additional pressure on the Rossoneri to catch up with the league leaders.

Exciting results in the remaining matches

Away from the top of the table, the round witnessed intense drama in the mid-table and relegation battles. Parma secured a historic and dramatic victory over Bologna with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a goal from substitute Cristian Ordoneses in the 94th minute. The match was marked by high tension and two red cards, one for Bologna's Tommaso Pobega and the other for Parma's Mariano Trujillo. This victory lifted Parma to 26 points, while Bologna remained stuck on 30 points, continuing their run of poor results.

In the struggle for survival, Lecce snatched a valuable 2-1 victory over Udinese, achieving their first win in 2026, raising their tally to 21 points and moving slightly away from the danger zone, while Udinese remained ninth with 32 points.

In a move aimed at correcting the team's course and returning it to the path of victories, the management of Al-Najma Club announced the official signing of the British coach, Mr. Nestor El Maestro, to take over the position of technical director of the first football team during the next stage, succeeding the Portuguese coach, Mario Silva, with whom the contractual relationship was terminated.

Urgent rescue mission in the Roshan League

This move comes at a critical time for Al-Najma Club, as the team is experiencing one of its most difficult periods. Currently, the team sits at the bottom of the Roshan League table with only five points, a tally that reflects the extent of the club's struggles this season. In 20 matches played, the team has failed to secure a single victory, managing only five draws and suffering 15 defeats. This situation has necessitated urgent administrative intervention to try and rectify the situation before it's too late.

Technical challenges and the first training sessions

The new coach wasted no time, with the British coach, El Maestro, leading Al-Najma's training session on Sunday in an atmosphere of focus and seriousness. The new coaching staff is working on the players' psychological state to boost morale, in addition to addressing immediate technical issues, particularly in defense, where the team has conceded 41 goals – the weakest defensive record – while scoring only 18.

Preparations are currently in full swing for the anticipated and challenging match against Al-Kholoud, scheduled for 6:35 PM next Saturday, as part of the 22nd round of the Roshan League. This match is considered the first test for the British coach, and fans are hoping it will mark the beginning of a new chapter, restoring their hopes of staying in the league and avoiding relegation.

Context of artistic change

It is well-known in the world of football that changing coaches mid-season, especially for teams struggling at the bottom of the table, is often intended to create a "positive shock" within the dressing room, motivating players to perform at their best to secure their places in the starting lineup under the new coach. Earlier this evening, Al-Najma's management announced the termination of their contract with former coach Mario Silva, thanking him for his time with the club, thus beginning a new era under the British school of coaching.

German coach Matthias Jäissle, manager of the Al-Ahli Saudi football club, has made a crucial strategic decision ahead of their upcoming match against Al-Wahda of the UAE. Al-Ahli is preparing to face the Emirati side at Al Nahyan Stadium in the seventh round of the AFC Champions League group stage.

Jäissle decided to implement a rotation policy in the starting lineup, making changes in several key positions. The German coach aims to give opportunities to players who haven't featured regularly recently, ensuring the entire squad is ready for the busy schedule of domestic and continental competitions, and easing the physical strain on the key players.

According to sources close to Al-Ahli, Saleh Abu Shamat is the most likely candidate to start in the lineup, bolstering his position on the right flank. Additionally, the coach intends to give Matheus Gonçalves more playing time to showcase his abilities. The coaching staff is also seriously considering giving goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi the opportunity to defend Al-Ahli's goal in this continental match, reflecting the coach's confidence in his backup goalkeepers.

Regarding absences, Al Ahli enters this match missing key players, as the absence of Turkish defender Merih Demiral and player Galeno Wenderson has been confirmed due to injuries sustained during the past period, which necessitated their undergoing treatment and rehabilitation programs that prevent them from participating in the Al Nahyan match.

This match holds particular significance within the context of continental competition, as Al-Ahli seeks to reaffirm its dominance in the new format of the AFC Champions League. This tournament, in its new format, represents a crucial opportunity for Saudi clubs to demonstrate their strength on the Asian stage. Yassla's decision to rotate the squad stems from a tactical assessment of the congested fixture schedule, aiming to balance achieving positive results in Asia with maintaining the team's form in the Saudi Professional League.

Moreover, matches between Saudi and Emirati clubs always carry a special significance, characterized by intense rivalry and passionate fan support in the Gulf region. Despite playing away from home, Al-Ahli aims to return with all three points or at least a positive result to strengthen their position in the group standings, capitalizing on their high morale and desire to compete for the continental title, a strategic objective for the club's management and its large fan base.