Lautaro Martinez netted the only goal of the game in Bergamo for Inter who lead Milan, 3-0 winners against Verona thanks to Christoper Nkunku’s first Serie A goals, by a single point at the top of the division.

The Argentina striker has scored in four consecutive league matches to end what has been a tricky 2025 in positive style.

“I ended last season in a lot of pain… I kept going during the Club World Cup and international duty and I had a very short summer break,” said Martinez who scored 15 Serie A goals over the calendar year.

Martinez’s league-leading ninth goal of the campaign decided an engaging match which could have gone either way, with both teams having chances to break the deadlock before Martinez pounced.

Marcus Thuram and Charles De Ketelaere had goals ruled out for offside for each side while Nicolo Barella wasted a great chance to score for Inter just after Luis Henrique was denied by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.

But once Martinez rifled home with his left, after Berat Djimsiti sloppily gave away possession just outside his own penalty area, Atalanta had an uphill task to stop a second home defeat of the season.

It was an encouraging performance from Atalanta who have been a different team since Raffaele Palladino replaced Ivan Juric last month but sit 10th, fifth points away from the European positions.

Atalanta would have come away with a point had Lazar Samardzic not fallen over his own feet when presented with a glorious opportunity to level by De Ketelaere with three minutes remaining.