Inter Milan's lead at the top of Serie A was trimmed to eight points after a 1-1 draw with Atalanta at the San Siro on Saturday. The match, played on March 15, 2026, was decided by a late penalty for the hosts, a decision that sparked significant debate.
Atalanta took the lead in the 35th minute through a goal from Charles De Ketelaere. Inter pushed for an equalizer and were awarded a penalty in the 86th minute when Lautaro Martínez went down under a challenge from defender Giorgio Scalvini. After a VAR review, the spot-kick was confirmed. Martínez converted the penalty to secure a point for the Nerazzurri.
The decision to award the penalty dominated post-match discussions. Italian media reports highlighted frustration from Inter, with outlets like Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport noting that similar incidents in the past have consistently been given as penalties, defending the referee's call. Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini, however, publicly contested the decision, calling it soft.
The result leaves Inter with 71 points from 29 matches, while Atalanta remains in sixth place. The title race remains in Inter's control, but the draw offers a slight reprieve to chasing teams like AC Milan and Juventus.
