Inter Milan established a historic 25-point record at the top of Serie A after grinding out a 2-0 win over Venezia courtesy of two late own goals. Standout goalkeeper Ivan Provedel praised his team's defensive resilience as the squad turns its complete focus to Saturday's colossal derby against AC Milan.
Inter grind out victory in Venice to hold top spot
Inter Milan secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory against Venezia at the Penzo Stadium to remain top of the Serie A table with 25 points—their best tally after nine matchdays in the three-point era. Cristian Chivu's side overcame two disallowed Venezia goals before forcing two late own goals from Moreno and Halhal in the final ten minutes.
Goalkeeper Ivan Provedel produced crucial first-half saves from Kike Perez and Lauberbach to keep the hosts at bay and claim his first clean sheet for the Nerazzurri.
The crucial win provides Inter with immense momentum heading into Saturday's highly anticipated showdown against rivals AC Milan.
Provedel outlines mindset for upcoming Milan derby
Speaking after his heroic display,Provedel emphasized that motivation will not be an issue for the squad as they prepare for the derby. "I did my job, and fortunately we managed to break the deadlock and take the three points," Provedel stated. "We took the three points with a performance that wasn't the best, but that can happen."
"We have to arrive at the derby in the best possible shape; I think it's a match that will prepare itself for its motivation; the coach will only have to focus on the tactical side," the goalkeeper added. "Now we'll rest and start thinking about it tomorrow."
Provedel praised the strong harmony in the squad, describing it as the ideal foundation for major fixtures.
Thuram and Diouf underline winning mentality
Match-winner Marcus Thuram and midfielder Andy Diouf echoed Provedel's focus, highlighting the squad's relentless work rate during a congested schedule. "We stayed in the game and scored two important goals to secure the three points," Thuram noted. "We want to win like we do every other game and always give 100%."
Diouf reinforced the significance of the upcoming clash for both players and supporters. "It's never easy to play away against these teams, but we did it and now we're ready for a great match," Diouf said.
"The derby is very important for us and the fans; we want to win," the French midfielder asserted.
All eyes on San Siro for blockbuster derby clash
Having navigated a treacherous trip to Venice, Inter turn their complete focus to Saturday, October 31st, when they visit AC Milan at the San Siro.
Chivu's men enter the derby sitting proudly at the top of the standings.
The Nerazzurri will look to build on their record-breaking start to the league campaign.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
