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• Inzaghi rues missed opportunities in late draw

  Simone Inzaghi was left frustrated as Inter failed to capitalise on their opportunities, needing to come from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with Monza.

  Dany Mota gave Monza the lead in the 81st minute, while Denzel Dumfries spared the champions' blushes by netting the equaliser seven minutes later.

  They were knocked off the Serie A summit after dropping points for the second time this season, with Napoli leapfrogging them to the top of the table.

  "We had difficulties against a team that played a good defensive game," Inzaghi told a press conference. "We had chances that we didn't convert, we made technical mistakes.

  "Then in the second half, we didn't do well, we didn't create dangerous situations, and when we switched to three [up front], we had this great goal from Dany Mota that created difficulties for us."

  Inter intensified their efforts after going behind, but time was not on their side as they tried to wrap up three points. Overall, the visitors managed 16 shots but only got two of those on target in a wasteful performance.

  "We had a great reaction after the goal, maybe we should have had it earlier," Inzaghi added.

  "We had a couple of situations that weren't exactly clear, usually we manage to capitalize on them. In games like this, you have to try to unlock the result... If you stay tied and concede goals, games become difficult."

  Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez had an early chance to put Inter in front but sent his header slightly above the bar.

  Last season's Serie A top scorer, who finished the campaign with 24 goals, remains goalless in Serie A so far.

  "He had a little problem, he couldn't train a lot," Inzaghi said.

  "The attack was the only department where I had one player, [Joaquin] Correa, in the last 10 days [in training]. We thought we would find the goal sooner.

  "The team was a bit slow but until [conceding] the goal [Yann] Sommer had no work. But you accept a goal like that more than the ones we conceded on the first match day, even tonight overall defensively we did well."

  Inter drew 2-2 at Genoa in their season opener, before consecutive home wins against Lecce and Atalanta, in which they kept a clean sheet in both. 

  They get their Champions League campaign underway when they travel to Manchester City on Wednesday.

  "I'm quite calm," Inzaghi assured. "I have all the players available, and this new Champions League is something new for all of us coaches.

  "It's the first year [of the new format], there are two more games without the usual group. We'll have to try to do our best, any opponent we find in the Champions League is difficult."

• Flick hails 'outstanding' Yamal after Girona double

  Hansi Flick heaped praise on Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal after he scored a double to help the LaLiga leaders earn a 4-1 victory at Girona on Sunday.

  Yamal, who grabbed the spotlight as he helped Spain win their fourth European Championship title in July, scored twice in seven first-half minutes to put them in control.

  Dani Olmo and Pedri then secured the win before Cristhian Stuani's consolation and Ferran Torres' late sending-off for a reckless challenge.

  Barcelona maintained their unbeaten start to the season, getting their fifth consecutive win at the start of Flick's tenure.

  "I'm very happy about Lamine's two goals, he's very young, but he's really incredible, a difference maker at such a young age," Flick told Movistar Plus.

  "Having him is key for us not only because of his quality, but he also presses very well high. He combines talent and pressure and that's massive for us. He is outstanding.

  "It was a tough game. Girona played well, but we started very well too, and we deserved to win."

  Flick's Barcelona top the LaLiga standings with 15 points, four ahead of Real Madrid and Villarreal. Last year's surprise package, Girona, are seventh with seven points.

  Barca avenged their two losses to Girona last season, both by a 4-2 result.

  It was a dominant performance by the Catalan giants, whose relentless high press was too much for their opponents to handle as they had 20 shots (nine on target), outperforming their 1.82 expected goals.

  Now, Barcelona will hope to carry their domestic momentum into the Champions League, where they will face Monaco away on Thursday.

  "We have trained very hard for this, and we need to keep going. This last week we have prepared well, but we do it for every game we play because we always want to win, we are in a good moment, and we can't stop," Flick added.

  "It won't be easy against Monaco, but we're taking it one game at a time, and we're really excited. We're all looking forward to it."

• Monza 1-1 Inter: Dumfries spares Nerazzurri's blushes

  Champions Inter were knocked off the Serie A summit on Sunday as they were forced to come from behind to play out a 1-1 draw with Monza.

  Hosts Monza took the lead in the 81st minute through substitute forward Dany Mota, but the Nerazzurri would avoid a surprise defeat to their neighbours as Denzel Dumfries levelled seven minutes later.

  Lautaro Martinez should have put the Scudetto holders in front inside the opening 10 minutes, when he received a perfect cross from Federico Dimarco.

  His header from the centre of the box, however, sailed slightly over the crossbar before Dimarco and Davide Frattesi spurned chances of their own.

  But Monza defended resolutely and they went on to take a shock lead nine minutes from time, Mota nodding home a neat lofted cross from Armando Izzo.

  Inter stepped up their efforts after falling behind and defender Dumfries tapped in a low cross from Carlos Augusto with two minutes of the 90 remaining, but the Nerazzurri could not find a winner.

  While Inter are still unbeaten, their second draw of the campaign means they sit one point adrift of Napoli at the summit, while Monza stay 15th with three points from four games.

  Data Debrief: Stuttering start for Nerazzurri

  Inter's start has not exactly been dismal, Simone Inzaghi's men staying unbeaten and only slipping one point behind the pace at the top of Serie A.

  However, it is in stark contrast to the starts they have made to recent campaigns.

  In fact, this is the first time Inter have failed to win two of their first four matches of a Serie A season since 2020-21, when they drew one and lost one under Antonio Conte.

  The silver lining? They went on to capture the title that season.