Inter recover from 2–0 down as Lautaro strikes twice before Bernabéu visit

Inter delivered a warning before their Champions League trip to Real Madrid. The Italian champions fell two goals behind against Napoli but recovered to win 3–2, with Lautaro Martínez scoring twice and settling the match in stoppage time.

NAPOLI STRIKE TWICE IN THREE MINUTES

The first half ended goalless, but the contest changed immediately after the restart.

Matteo Politano gave Napoli the lead in the 50th minute. Rasmus Højlund doubled the advantage only three minutes later, leaving Inter with a considerable recovery job at home.

Lautaro began the response in the 56th minute. His first goal restored belief and allowed Inter to regain control before Napoli could settle into their two-goal lead.

LAUTARO COMPLETES THE TURNAROUND

Marcus Thuram made it 2–2 in the 82nd minute, but Inter continued to push for a winner.

It arrived in the first minute of added time. Lautaro reacted at the back post following a corner and scored his second goal of the evening, completing a dramatic comeback and preserving Inter’s perfect start to the Serie A season.

The performance showed Madrid exactly why Inter cannot be dismissed when a match begins to turn against them. It also exposed a weakness. Napoli scored twice in three minutes and briefly pulled the hosts apart after half-time. Inter repaired the damage on this occasion, but another lapse at the Bernabéu could be far more difficult to reverse.

MADRID HAVE RECEIVED THEIR WARNING

Real Madrid will begin the Champions League league phase against Inter at 21:00 CEST on Tuesday, 8 September. Lautaro arrives after a decisive performance, making his movement inside the penalty area an obvious concern for the Madrid defence.

His winning goal against Napoli was a reminder of his awareness around crosses and set pieces. Leaving him unattended at the back post would give Inter’s captain exactly the kind of opportunity he punished on Saturday.

The fixture also carries a personal connection for José Mourinho. Madrid’s coach won the Champions League with Inter in 2010, completing the treble by winning the final at the Santiago Bernabéu. His latest European campaign will now begin against his former club at the same stadium.

RECENT HISTORY FAVOURS REAL MADRID

Inter travel with momentum, but Madrid can take confidence from the teams’ recent Champions League meetings. Real won all four encounters across the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, recording victories by 3–2, 2–0, 1–0 and 2–0.

Those results will not decide Tuesday’s match, particularly with Lautaro in this form. They do show that Madrid have consistently found solutions against Inter in recent years. The visitors have demonstrated their resilience. Real now have the opportunity to answer that warning at the Bernabéu.