Serie A | Napoli 3-1 Inter: Back on top after Scudetto battle, but De Bruyne hurt

Napoli surged back to the top of the table after a tense victory over an Inter side that had won seven on the bounce, including a controversial penalty and serious Kevin De Bruyne injury.

This was a title showdown last season and again crucial for top spot here, especially after Milan’s 2-2 draw with Pisa last night. The Partenopei were in crisis after losing four of their last seven official games, including a 6-2 hammering at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday. Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Alex Meret, Amir Rrahmani and Romelu Lukaku were injured, so David Neres was launched as a False 9. The Nerazzurri missed Marcus Thuram and Matteo Darmian, but had won their last seven in all competition.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Alessandro Bastoni nodded a corner just wide and Hakan Calhanoglu bent his finish past the post in the opening minutes, then Vanja Milinkovic-Savic rushed out to deny Lautaro Martinez one-on-one after Nicolò Barella intercepted a Leonardo Spinazzola pass.

During a spell of Napoli pressure, the referee pointed to the spot several seconds after Giovanni Di Lorenzo went over between a Henrikh Mkhitaryan nudge and over the Francesco Acerbi sliding tackle. It was a call from the assistant referee, which was then not considered a clear and obvious error by the VAR. Mkhitaryan injured himself in the process and was replaced by ex-Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski.

Kevin De Bruyne stepped up and converted into the near bottom corner, but then immediately clutched the back of his right leg and was distraught, suffering an apparent hamstring strain. The Belgian hobbled off barely able to put his right foot down, another injury for the crowded Napoli treatment room.

Kevin De Bruyne pulled a muscle in the process of putting Napoli ahead against Inter 🥲 pic.twitter.com/SKnGHnsXHN

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025

Inter had a huge opportunity to equalise on a corner, but Alessandro Bastoni’s free header thumped the crossbar with Milinkovic-Savic well beaten.

There was a double chance when Milinkovic-Savic only parried the Calhanoglu strike, then Dumfries pulled back from the right for Lautaro Martinez to sweep first time, shaving a coat of paint off the far post.

Moments later, Dumfries came even closer, his header clipping the outside of the upright on a Bastoni cross.

Calhanoglu fired over from the edge of the area after the restart, but just as Inter were pouring forward seeking an equaliser, they were caught on the counter-attack. Leonardo Spinazzola’s pass allowed McTominay to spring the offside trap in the centre-circle, sprinting forward and letting it bounce to hit the ferocious right-foot half-volley into the far bottom corner.

STUNNING from Scott McTominay! 🎯

What a finish from the Scot 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Uy7honw6aC

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025

Inter got back into the game though, as VAR spotted Alessandro Buongiorno with arm raised to charge down the Lautaro Martinez header, and Calhanoglu beat specialist Milinkovic-Savic from the penalty spot.

The tension erupted with a scuffle on the touchline sparked by Dumfries and the Napoli bench, resulting in some harsh hand gestures between Lautaro Martinez and Antonio Conte.

Napoli struck again on the counter, as a throw-in was knocked down and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa ran from midfield, getting away from Manuel Akanji and Dumfries to blast the finish past Sommer.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa extends Napoli’s advantage against Inter with a brilliant run 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8IQYpqSR1h

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025

David Neres had the chance to add a fourth on the counter, but he hesitated too long, had his finish charged down, then struggled with cramp. Francesco Pio Esposito nodded an Akanji cross over the bar in stoppages.

De Bruyne pen 33 (N), McTominay 54 (N), Calhanoglu pen 59 (I), Anguissa 67 (N)