Inter starts Serie A title defense with 4-1 win over Monza

Inter Milan launched their Serie A title defense with a convincing 4-1 victory against Monza on August 22, 2026. Hakan Calhanoglu opened the scoring just six minutes into the match, followed by an equalizer from Gustavo Varela. Inter secured the win with three goals from Piotr Zielinski, Pio Esposito, and Yann Bisseck in the second half. The performances of Andy Diouf and Zielinski highlighted a strong showing, suggesting new signings Curtis Jones and Djed Spence may need to wait for their chances under Cristian Chivu. Italian media indicate Diouf's impressive debut could complicate selection decisions for Inter's midfield and defense as the season progresses.

• 9:50 AMYahoo Sports — Spence and Jones may need to be patient after stand-out Inter performances