Serie A: Milan beats Inter in derby and reignites title race; Genoa and Lecce secure crucial wins

The 28th round of Serie A delivered thrilling moments and pivotal results in the race for the scudetto and relegation battles. The highlight was the Milan derby, where AC Milan secured a 1-0 victory over Inter thanks to a decisive goal by Pervis Estupiñan, reigniting the title race with the gap now reduced to seven points behind league leaders Inter.

Milan Derby: AC Milan 1-0 Inter

San Siro witnessed an intense and fiercely contested match, with Milan dominating the first half and taking the lead at the 35th minute through Estupiñan, who cleverly slipped behind Inter’s defense to fire a powerful left-footed shot under the crossbar. Inter had a glaring opportunity disallowed for offside (Mkhitaryan) and pushed hard in the second half but failed to create clear chances. Despite a desperate late surge, Milan held firm, securing a crucial win to keep their scudetto dreams alive.

Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri commented: "Inter has a seven-point lead, and that’s a lot—they’re still the strongest team. Tonight, the players were excellent; we could have been sharper in the final third, but the most important thing is that we’re happy."

Goal scorer Estupiñan shared his joy: "Yes, this is the most important goal of my career. We worked all week, and I found the right moment."

Genoa 2-1 Roma: Rossoblu secure vital win

At Marassi Stadium, Genoa stunned Roma with a 2-1 victory in a hard-fought encounter. After a goalless first half, Genoa took the lead from the penalty spot (Messias, 52’), only for Ndicka to equalize immediately for Roma. The winner came from Vitinha (80’), lifting Genoa further clear of the relegation zone and increasing pressure on Roma, who must respond to Como and Juventus’ recent wins to maintain their Champions League push.

Lecce 2-1 Cremonese: Survival battle heats up

Lecce also secured a home win, defeating Cremonese 2-1 in a tightly contested match. Pierotti (22’) opened the scoring, and Stulic (from the penalty spot) doubled the lead before halftime. Bonazzoli pulled one back for Cremonese in the second half, but Lecce held on, leaving Nicola’s side in deeper trouble in the relegation fight.

Bologna 1-2 Verona: Thrilling comeback

A vibrant clash saw Verona overturn a deficit to beat Bologna 2-1. Rowe (49’) gave Bologna an early lead, but Frese (53’) leveled before Bowie (57’) sealed the turnaround. A late disallowed Verona goal kept the score unchanged, boosting the Gialloblu’s league ambitions.

Fiorentina 0-0 Parma: Stalemate in Florence

The match between Fiorentina and Parma ended goalless, with both sides struggling to break through. Fiorentina, still searching for form, created chances early in the second half but failed to breach Parma’s organized defense, which stood firm in a tightly contested affair.

Standings and Outlook

With this win, Milan reaches 60 points, seven behind Inter (67), while Napoli (56) and Como (51) follow. Roma (51) stays fifth, with Fiorentina, Parma, and Genoa battling to avoid relegation. With 10 rounds remaining, the season promises more drama, as Milan’s derby win has reignited the title race.