Inter Milan continued their impressive start to the Serie A season with a commanding 3-0 victory over Parma on Saturday, while Kevin De Bruyne scored twice to inspire Napoli to an identical win against Frosinone following the international break.
Inter took control early at the San Siro, with Petar Sucic opening the scoring before Hakan Calhanoglu converted a penalty and Marcus Thuram added a third, all within the opening 31 minutes.
The victory lifted Cristian Chivu’s side to 16 points from six matches, strengthening their position at the top of the standings.
“After a three-week break, we didn’t know how things would go. We’ve worked well during this period, the players have trained well. I’m happy,” Chivu said.
For Parma coach Alberto Gilardino, the defeat marked a disappointing start to his tenure following Carlos Cuesta’s departure in late September.
“Parma started well, but when you are naive, you pay the price,” Gilardino said, stressing the need for his players to remain composed and make better decisions during matches.
In Naples, De Bruyne delivered a match-winning performance as Napoli overcame a sluggish start to dispatch Frosinone 3-0, while Scott McTominay made his return after recovering from a heart problem.
Napoli broke the deadlock in the 29th minute after being awarded a penalty. Rasmus Hojlund’s initial effort was saved by Lorenzo Palmisani, but the kick was retaken after the goalkeeper was penalised for moving off his line.
De Bruyne converted the second attempt before Noa Lang doubled Napoli’s advantage just three minutes later.
McTominay entered the game shortly after the hour mark, receiving a standing ovation from the home supporters as he returned to action, although he made little impact on the contest.
De Bruyne completed the scoring late in the game, finishing from close range to register his second goal of the evening and sealing a much-needed victory for Napoli.
The result offered Napoli a welcome lift after a difficult run of form that had produced two defeats and a draw in their previous five matches. They moved to sixth place with 10 points.
“We had to win,” De Bruyne told Sky. “It’s a very difficult schedule, but we have to move forward and do our best.”
Elsewhere, second-placed AS Roma and Lazio, both on 13 points, will be in action on Sunday. Roma travels to Como, while Lazio hosts Monza.
Cagliari, one of the season’s early surprises and fourth in the standings with 12 points, face a challenging home encounter against Juventus.
