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Marko Arnautovic played a crucial role in helping Inter Milan extend their lead to six points at the top of Serie A with a goal and an assist in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Cagliari, just ahead of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
Filling in for Marcus Thuram as coach Simone Inzaghi looked to the quarter-final second leg, Arnautovic fired the champions ahead in the 13th minute.
The Austria international then provided a brilliant sweeping pass 13 minutes later for Lautaro Martinez, who cleverly scored his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.
Yann Bisseck's powerful header in the 55th minute ensured Inter secured all three points at the San Siro, following Roberto Piccoli's goal that reduced the deficit for 15th-placed Cagliari shortly after half-time.
Inter must now wait for the outcome of their nearest competitors Napoli's match against Empoli on Monday, as all focus will shift to Bayern, whom they currently lead 2-1 after the first leg in Germany on Tuesday.
Inzaghi expressed confidence heading into the match, stating, “We’ll go in that match with a lot of confidence even though we know that we’ll be playing one of the three or four best teams in the world.” He emphasized the need to replicate the pace, aggression, and organization displayed in the first leg.
Arnautovic, who has played a limited role at Inter, has made a significant impact in recent weeks, with Saturday's goal marking his fifth in his last ten appearances for the club. Inzaghi’s squad is aiming to replicate the Serie A, Champions League, and Italian Cup treble achieved under Jose Mourinho 15 years ago.
Arnautovic, 35, recalled being on loan at Inter during the 2010 Champions League triumph over Bayern, describing it as feeling “like a fan cheering for the team.” He noted, "Of course we believe in the treble because we’re Inter, but there’s a long way to go," despite having featured only three times for Inter under Mourinho.
In other news, Venezia improved their chances of survival by defeating last-placed Monza 1-0, bringing them within two points of Lecce, who are just outside the relegation zone and face Juventus later that day. A win for Juve in Turin would elevate them into the top four, while third-placed Atalanta is set to host fourth-place Bologna on Sunday.
