Simone Inzaghi was left "disappointed" after Inter failed to protect their late lead at Genoa, who snatched a last-gasp 2-2 draw on matchday one of the Serie A season.

The Nerazzurri were on course to make a winning start to their Scudetto defence at Luigi Ferraris, where a Marcus Thuram brace cancelled out Alessandro Vogliacco's earlier effort.

However, they were denied all three points in the fifth minute of stoppage time, when Junior Messias slotted home the rebound after Yann Sommer saved his initial penalty to ensure a share of the spoils.

Inzaghi acknowledged the trip to Genoa provided a tough start to the campaign for his players, most of whom were involved in the European Championship and Copa America during the close season.

But the Inter head coach insisted that was no excuse for them not seeing out the victory, and said his side would struggle to defend their Serie A crown if they produce similar performances.

"A team like ours, leading in the 84th minute, shouldn't concede any more goals, especially in that way," he told DAZN. "Football owes you nothing. Today, we had to give a bit more.

"Conceding two goals like that makes it difficult to win matches. Credit to Genoa, but it's a draw that doesn't leave us much satisfaction given what we created. If you take the lead, you have to be better at managing it.

"Yes, winning is difficult, winning it again even more so. The boys know it, they are mature enough and that's why I'm disappointed."

Junior Messias scored a last-gasp equaliser as Genoa held Inter to a 2-2 draw, denying the Nerazzurri a winning start to their Scudetto defence at Luigi Ferraris.

Messias struck in the fifth minute of stoppage time to ensure a share of the spoils, slotting home the rebound after Yann Sommer saved his initial penalty.

Genoa took the lead after 20 minutes when Alessandro Vogliacco tapped in after Mattia Bani's strike ricocheted kindly into his path via the crossbar.

Although, Inter were level just 10 minutes later as Marcus Thuram rose to head home Nicolo Barella's lofted cross.

The Nerazzurri's second-half pressure eventually paid dividends eight minutes from time when Thuram completed the turnaround, latching onto Davide Frattesi's throughball and lifting it over the advancing Pierluigi Gollini.

There was to be a late twist in the dying moments of stoppage time, however. Yann Bisseck was penalised for handball following a VAR review and, despite Sommer thwarting Messias, the Brazilian reacted quickest to snatch a point for Il Grifone.

Data Debrief: Inter's winning streak stalls 

Inter were on course to win on matchday one for a sixth successive Serie A season, until Messias had other ideas with one of the final kicks of the game.

It marked only the second time in the last 14 seasons that the Scudetto holders had failed to win their league opener, after Juventus in 2015-16.

The Nerazzurri have now drawn three straight Serie A matches for the first time since doing so under Antonio Conte in January 2020.

Simone Inzaghi said that Inter will begin their Serie A title defence without key players Stefan de Vrij and Piotr Zielinski against Genoa on Saturday.

The Nerazzurri ended last season 19 points ahead of second-placed AC Milan, and have kept most of their squad for the new campaign, with Zielinski being perhaps the most high-profile addition.

Last season's Serie A top scorer, Lautaro Martinez, will play despite only having a short break after helping Argentina win the Copa America last month.

"Everyone is available except Zielinski, who will rest for a few more days, and De Vrij," Inzaghi told reporters on Friday, but added that the Pole will be ready for their first home game against Lecce.

"It's up to me whether he [Martinez] starts the game or comes on, but he is motivated, as always, and wants to get going."

Inter have added six new players to their squad ahead of the new campaign, but the 48-year-old admitted he would like to get at least one more addition before deadline day to bolster his defence as Tajon Buchanan is out for the foreseeable future. 

"We know that the market will evolve until the end of the month and right now we feel covered," Inzaghi said.

"We have a convincing attack and are trying to identify a valuable left-wing back."

Inzaghi, who signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2026 last month, comfortably won his first league title with the club last season, but he has refused to make predictions about the upcoming campaign.

"I see a more level league," he said. "All the top sides have brought in reinforcements and even middle-of-the-table sides have been very organised with good additions and coaches."

Stefano Pioli said he respects the opinions of Milan's supporters after thousands of fans carried out a silent protest during Sunday's 3-3 Serie A draw against Genoa at San Siro.

With Milan enduring a second straight trophyless season, trailing champions Inter by 18 points, Pioli has come under pressure amid suggestions the Rossoneri have held talks with former Spain and Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui.

Irritated fans unfurled banners demanding improvements to the team during Sunday's match, while the club's ultras stayed silent in protest throughout the game.

Fans then left behind a banner which read "the sound of silence" as they filed out en masse from the Curva Sud shortly after Olivier Giroud had put Milan 3-2 ahead in the 75th minute.

By the time Genoa pulled level late in the match, thanks to an own goal by Malick Thiaw, the stand was completely empty.

"The fans have chosen this type of protest and we just need to respect them," Pioli, whose side have already secured their spot in next season's Champions League, said.

"Our fans have been an added value in recent years. They will have their reasons if they chose this protest."

Sunday's draw also means Milan are winless in their last four league matches.

"The start was poor. We didn't have the proper concentration and unity in the opening 20 minutes and conceded an early opener," Pioli said.

"Then, we created many opportunities but also made many errors. It's a shame we didn't win because it would have been important for the table."

Milan were pegged back to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Genoa in Serie A on Sunday.

Second-half goals from Matteo Gabbia and Olivier Giroud put Milan on course for victory, but a late own goal from Malick Thiaw rescued a point for the visitors.

Genoa's Mateo Retegui converted a penalty five minutes in, but Milan equalised just before half-time through an Alessandro Florenzi header.

The visitors regained the lead three minutes into the second half, however, when Caleb Ekuban sent a towering header home.

Milan turned the game around in three minutes, as Gabbia headed home in the 72nd and Giroud scored the hosts' third of the match with a volley from an acute angle.

Yet Genoa continued to push and a cross into the Milan box was inadvertently turned into his own net by defender Thiaw.

Second-placed Milan have 71 points, six ahead of Juventus who play later on Sunday. Genoa are 12th with 43 points.

Data Debrief: Like a fine wine

Age really is just a number for Milan's veteran campaigner Giroud, who has scored 14 goals in Serie A this season.

It is his highest tally in a single league campaign since netting 16 for Arsenal in the Premier League in 2015-16.

Massimiliano Allegri wants Juventus to get their rapidly derailing Serie A season back on track against Genoa on Sunday before the international break gives their title rivals chance to breathe.

Juve have won only one of their last seven league matches, losing three, and last weekend’s 2-2 home draw with Atalanta allowed AC Milan to take over as top side Inter’s closest challengers for the Scudetto.

Next opponents Genoa have been less than impressive away from home this term and Bianconeri head coach Allegri hopes this offers his team an opportunity to put a match to bed and make a statement before his players disappear on international duty.

He told a press conference: “We’ve had a good week, we all understand the period we’re going through.

“We’ve decided to stay together as a team for one more evening, knowing that we need to get back on track. We have goals to reach and we know tomorrow’s importance.

“In the last few games we haven’t given up many chances, but have conceded a lot of goals.

“At times that can happen. We need to improve defensively as a team, not just as individuals. There are some mistakes that we need to resolve and we’re working on it.”

On his selection issues, the Tuscan boss added: “We’re without (Arkadiusz) Milik and we’ll have to re-evaluate him after the international break, but (Mattia) Perin and (Mattia) De Sciglio are back. We have all of our forwards available, like (Moise) Kean.

“(Adrien) Rabiot doesn’t have 90 minutes in the tank just yet but just having him available is a positive.”

Genoa head to the Allianz Stadium on the back of two straight defeats, the first to Inter, while a 3-2 home defeat by Monza is still stinging a week later.

Head coach Alberto Gilardino, the former AC Milan and Parma striker, told reporters: “Allegri is a really great manager and Juve have a very strong squad full of world-class players.

“They’ve won a lot and are on an arc of improvement with lots of young stars coming through alongside plenty of experienced, quality players. They started the season among the favourites to win the title this year.

“They’re a difficult team to go up against as they have players who can change the game at any moment. But, as we saw in the first game, what counts is what we can do out on the pitch.

“We need to maintain great balance and pay even more attention to the fine details so we can maximise what the team, and the individual players, are trying to do.”

Inter Milan dropped points for only the fourth time this season as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw away to Genoa on Friday.

Marko Arnautovic headed the Serie A leaders in front late in the first half, but Radu Dragusin headed the hosts level in added time before the break and Inter could not get back in front as Genoa threatened a winner in the second half.

The result leaves Inter five points clear of Juventus who host Roma on Saturday, while Genoa remain 13th.

Inter threatened just a minute into the match as Arnautovic found the run of Henrikh Mkhitaryan to set him through on goal, but the Armenian could not get his shot on target.

Josep Martinez clawed away a Marcus Thuram header before the match was held up at the quarter-hour mark, with the number of pyrotechnics being set off leaving a thick smoke cloud over the pitch.

Play eventually resumed after an eight-minute delay and Inter quickly reasserted their dominance, with Arnautovic setting up a chance for Carlos Augusto, and then shooting wide himself after the Brazilian’s effort was blocked.

The breakthrough came in the 42nd minute as Genoa struggled to deal with a long throw into the box.

Nicolo Barella’s deflected strike was pushed on to the post by Martinez, but bounced up into the path of Arnautovic who could hardly miss with an open goal in front of him.

Genoese appeals for a push by Yann Bisseck on Kevin Strootman in the build-up fell on deaf ears.

Genoa had been decidedly second best up to that point but responded well to the setback. Caleb Ekuban saw his header saved as the first half moved into stoppage time, but they drew level in the seventh of the nine added minutes.

Albert Gudmundsson sent in an outswining corner and Dragusin got great power on his header to beat Yann Sommer low to his right.

Genoa carried that momentum into the second half as they put up a much better fight and Inter grew increasingly frustrated.

Genoa were screaming for a penalty early in the second half when Johan Vasquez’s header was blocked by Bisseck, but the defender’s arms were by his side and the officials showed no interest.

Inter’s best chance of a winner came in the 67th minute when Mkhitaryan chipped a free-kick into the box and Francesco Acerbi got his head to the ball, but Martinez got down smartly to save.

At the other end, Vasquez forced a save from Sommer who then spilled the ball, offering hope to Dragusin who was harshly booked for colliding with the goalkeeper as he challenged for the loose ball.

Dragusin had a late chance to win it but headed wide as Inter were forced to settle for a point.

Juventus missed the chance to move into top spot in the Serie A table as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Genoa.

Juve’s only dropped points in their previous eight games had come in a draw against leaders Inter, and a win would have left their rivals playing catch-up in Sunday’s clash with Lazio.

Federico Chiesa put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in the 28th minute at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, but Albert Gudmundsson levelled three minutes after half-time and Juve could not find a winner.

Massimiliano Allegri was without Adrien Rabiot, who joined Mattia De Sciglio and Moise Kean on the sidelines because of a minor foot problem, while Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli were both suspended.

Genoa’s options in the attacking areas, meanwhile, were limited by the unavailability of Kevin Strootman and Mateo Retegui.

The hosts had the first shot in the sixth minute through Ruslan Malinovskyi, but it was from a long way out and was comfortably saved by Wojciech Szczesny.

Chiesa looked the man most likely at the other end and he tried to catch out Josep Martinez in the home goal with a fierce shot from the tightest of angles that was pushed behind.

Chiesa then turned creator in the 22nd minute with a brilliant cross to the edge of the six-yard box, where Dusan Vlahovic met the ball but could not keep his effort down.

Six minutes later the visitors took the lead, with Vlahovic seizing on a heavy touch in defence to play in Chiesa, who had his legs taken out by Martinez.

The striker picked himself up and confidently found the bottom corner from the penalty spot for his first goal in Serie A since September.

Genoa tried to hit back, but the closest they came before the break was a Johan Vasquez effort from a corner that flew just over the crossbar.

Alberto Gilardino sent on Caleb Ekuban for the second half in place of Vasquez and within three minutes he had created the equaliser, chesting the ball down and then heading it on for Gudmundsson to fire into the net on the stretch.

Martinez made amends for his own mistake three minutes later, this time timing his challenge on Chiesa perfectly after he had given the ball straight to the Juventus forward.

He then pushed away an Andrea Cambiaso cross that just evaded the onrushing Vlahovic.

But Martinez saved his best for last, reacting very smartly to push the ball over the bar after a corner hit Gleison Bremer on the hip and securing an impressive point for Genoa.

AC Milan moved to the top of Serie A with a 1-0 win at Genoa that saw Christian Pulisic score late on before both sides had their goalkeepers sent off in stoppage time.

After substitute Pulisic broke the deadlock by firing home in the 87th minute, the Rossoneri were then reduced to 10 men in the eighth minute of time added on when Mike Maignan was dismissed.

Pulisic’s fellow substitute Olivier Giroud took over from Maignan in goal, and saw the Milan bar rattled moments later – before the drama continued with Genoa keeper Josep Martinez being shown a second yellow card.

With Giroud then making a save in the final few moments, Milan saw out the victory as they managed to take maximum advantage of Inter Milan being held 2-2 at home by Bologna earlier in the day.

Securing a fourth successive league victory and eighth in nine Serie A games, Stefano Pioli’s went two points clear as they replaced Inter at the summit.

Pioli made five changes to his starting line-up from the 0-0 Champions League draw at Borussia Dortmund, including replacing the front three of Giroud, Pulisic and Rafael Leao with Luka Jovic, Samuel Chukwueze and Noah Okafor.

Two of that trio brought in almost combined for an early goal, with Chukwueze lofting the ball forward and Okafor just unable to finish as Martinez grabbed it.

The hosts then appealed for a penalty when Johan Vasquez went down in a tangle with Alessandro Florenzi but nothing was given.

A spell of Milan pressure around the quarter-hour mark saw Martinez deal with a shot from Florenzi and then block Tijjani Reijnders’ strike.

Florenzi subsequently got himself in the way of a Vasquez shot, before Theo Fernandez and Florenzi hit drives off-target.

After Pioli opted to bring on Pulisic and Leao for Chukwueze and Okafor at the interval, Milan continued to be frustrated in their search for a breakthrough early in the second half, struggling to fashion much in attack.

Leao then saw Martinez make a fine save to tip his bouncing header over the bar in the 65th minute, shortly before Giroud was introduced to the fray.

Genoa then threatened to grab the lead as Radu Dragusin’s shot deflected off Reijnders, with Maignan doing well to turn it around the post, and substitute Caleb Ekuban headed over.

It looked as if Milan would miss their opportunity to replace Inter at the top, but Pulisic then controlled a Yunus Musah delivery, turned and fired in, the effort standing after a VAR check for handball.

That proved only the start of a dramatic finale as stoppage time saw Maignan given a red card, via VAR, for clattering Ekuban, Giroud don the gloves, and the resulting free-kick by Albert Gudmundsson diverting off Fikayo Tomori and onto the Milan bar.

Martinez then fouled Musah and was sent off himself, before Giroud came out to bat the ball away from George Puscas as Milan emerged with all three points.

Roma head coach Jose Mourinho has labelled the Coppa Italia as "the worst cup in Europe" despite Giallorossi's 1-0 win over Genoa on Thursday.

Mourinho's side booked their place in the quarter-finals with Thursday's triumph, courtesy of Paulo Dybala's 64th-minute winner, setting up a clash with the winner of the Napoli-Cremonese Round of 16 encounter.

But the Portuguese legend was damning of the Coppa Italia format in light of Torino's upset 1-0 extra-time win over Milan on Wednesday, which saw them progress to the last eight where they will face Fiorentina away.

"First of all, I'll say I would love to win it, I won it once playing against Roma, I would love to win it playing with Roma in Rome," Mourinho told Sportmediaset.

"I think it's the worst cup in Europe, it doesn't protect the smaller teams. It doesn't put on a show.

"I'm talking about Torino for example who win on the pitch of the Italian champions Milan, then they have to play the next elimination game away from home, I don't understand this structure of the Coppa Italia.

"We played against a Serie B team with a full stadium, if there are empty stadiums they must understand why we are full and the others are not.

"Last year we finished sixth, the year before we finished seventh and I want to invest in the Coppa Italia, but a lower team doesn't want to play, what motivation do these people have?

"Torino won against the Italian champions, they made great history in the Round of 16 and they have to play away. Where is the beauty of the Coppa Italia? It would be nice to play on a Serie B or Serie C pitch, where is that? Because people accept it.

"The next elimination game will be either in Naples or at home with Cremonese, if we lose like last year, we'll lose, but we'll try to win. For a squad like ours, playing three competitions together is very hard.

"There's too much build-up for people of more quality, it's a big risk to play three or four players who don't play all the time or to put so many kids together, I could have done Bove-Tahirovic but I didn't.

"If we want to win the Coppa Italia I won't say we want to, because everyone wants to, we will try to win the next game of the tournament."

Roma, who have advanced to the Europa League knockout round playoffs, bowed out in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals last season to eventual winners Inter.

Napoli have announced the arrival of Italy goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu on a free transfer, with the former Paris Saint-Germain player reportedly penning a one-year deal with the club.

Sirigu, who won the most recent of his 28 Italy caps in a win over Lithuania last September, left Genoa upon the expiry of his contract after they were relegated to Serie B last season.

The 35-year-old will be expected to compete with Alex Meret for a starting spot in Naples after David Ospina left for Saudi Arabian outfit Al Nassr, although Luciano Spalletti's men have also been linked with moves for Keylor Navas and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Sirigu made 190 appearances for PSG between 2011 and 2016, and has also spent time at Palermo, Torino, Sevilla and Osasuna.

Napoli boasted Serie A's joint-best defensive record as they finished third last season, conceding just 31 goals, but have seen the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens leave ahead of the new campaign.

Napoli travel to Verona for their first outing of the 2022-23 Serie A season on Monday.

Juventus have allowed Andrea Cambiaso to join Bologna on loan, just a day after signing the left-back from Genoa.

Massimiliano Allegri's side confirmed the arrival on Thursday of Cambiaso, who agreed a five-year deal after Juve paid a reported €8.5million to Serie B side Genoa. 

Cambiaso, who made 26 league appearances as Genoa suffered Serie A relegation last season, will eventually hope to compete with the likes of Alex Sandro, Danilo and Juan Cuadrado for a starting spot in Turin.

But the 22-year-old will have to wait for his chance to prove his worth as he will spend the 2022-23 season on loan at Bologna, who sold full-back Aaron Hickey to Brentford.

Cambiaso will aim to fill the void left by Hickey, who departed for a fee in the region of £14m (€16.6m), after the Scotland international appeared 48 times in all competitions, 36 of those outings coming last season.

The former Genoa defender will hope to get his first Serie A appearance for Bologna at Lazio on August 14, the day before Juve host Sassuolo to start their league campaign.

Lorenzo Insigne pledged to return to Napoli after scoring on his final home appearance for the club, having agreed to join Toronto FC at the end of his contract next month.

The 30-year-old scored from the penalty spot as Napoli secured a top-three finish in Serie A with a 3-0 win over Genoa on Sunday, taking his tally to 122 goals in all competitions for the club he joined as a 15-year-old in 2006.

That goal made Insigne the second-highest goalscorer in Napoli's history in his own right, moving him clear of Marek Hamsik's tally of 121. Only team-mate Dries Mertens, with 148, has scored more goals for the club.

Insigne has scored nine penalties in Serie A this season, more than any other player in the top-five European leagues, and has hit double figures for both goals (13) and assists (10) in all competitions in his final season with Luciano Spalletti's side.

After the full-time whistle, Insigne was in tears as he told DAZN that Napoli was his "home". 

"I thank all the fans who came to the stadium today to cheer me on, as a Neapolitan it is an immense joy," he said. "In time, the first thing I will do is come back here, this is my home, and you never forget home.

"The love for the city and the jersey is too strong. There are also moments in which choices have to be made. 

"Unfortunately, the club and I made this choice, we are happy, both me and them.

"I gave everything, I have no regrets. The fans have always shown me their affection for me, I will always carry it inside."

Insigne refused to comment on whether he would have preferred to end his career with the Naples club, however, stressing that he simply wished to enjoy his send-off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

"Now I don't feel like saying these things, I made my choice and the club theirs. We are fine like this. I just want to enjoy this moment," he said.

"Even if I go far away my heart is here. I will come to see Napoli in the stands as soon as possible because this is my home."

Dusan Vlahovic's performance in Juventus' surprise 2-1 loss to Genoa in Serie A on Friday was defended by Massimiliano Allegri. 

Serbia international Vlahovic appeared unhappy on the bench after being replaced by Alvaro Morata in the 74th minute at Marassi with Juve in front through Paulo Dybala's goal. 

However, Albert Gudmundsson equalised and Domenico Criscito completed an incredible turnaround for relegation-threatened Genoa in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time. 

Vlahovic only had one shot on goal and 25 touches during his time on the pitch, but Allegri insisted he was impressed by the 22-year-old's display. 

The Juve boss said the striker was only withdrawn because he had one eye on the Coppa Italia final against Inter on Wednesday.

"He had one of his best matches on a technical level. I'm very happy with how he played technically," Allegri told Sky Sport Italia. 

"I tried to explain it before, but I was attacked like I was the one ruining Vlahovic. He's not played many matches in Serie A and we must find a balance. Sometimes I say things but they don't understand or they pretend not to understand.  

"He maybe doesn't realise it was a good performance, but slowly he will find a balance. He will find the ability to play at the right pace on a mental level. These are steps he must take. 

"He feels like it's his fault because he didn't score, but that's not the case. I'll tell him his game was technically good. If he always played like this, it would be good for the team." 

Moise Kean made his first Serie A start since March 12 but failed to take any of the six chances that came his way, including one with the goal gaping two minutes before Criscito's winner. 

"Sometimes he scores with a half-chance, tonight he didn't score with five or six chances. Sometimes things go well, and sometimes you have many chances and don't score," said Allegri. 

"He has a lot of experience but sometimes he does too much – he has to play simple and not use up too much energy in little duels that don't really help the team." 

Genoa moved one point behind Salernitana and Serie A safety thanks to the victory, which saw Criscito score a penalty just six days after missing one – also taken in the 96th minute – in a 1-0 loss to arch-rivals Sampdoria. 

"Football gives and it takes away. Tonight it gave me so much. It's incredibly emotional after the disappointment of last weekend," Criscito told DAZN. 

"I arrived at Genoa in 2001. It is my life. I'm happy to be here. I love Genoa." 

Domenico Criscito gained redemption by breathing new life into Genoa's Serie A survival bid with a late penalty winner to secure a 2-1 success over Juventus. 

Genoa captain Criscito erred from the spot in a 1-0 loss to local rivals Sampdoria on Saturday but got the better of Wojciech Szczesny with the final kick of the game from 12 yards in an incredible finale at the Marassi. 

Paulo Dybala appeared to have Juve heading into Wednesday's Coppa Italia final on the back of a win, but Albert Gudmundsson equalised in the 87th minute. 

Moise Kean inexplicably missed a chance to win it for Juve with the goal gaping, and Criscito took full advantage after Mattia De Sciglio tripped Kelvin Yeboah to spark scenes of jubilation.