Inter Milan Beat Monza 4-1 in Serie A Opener as Defending Champions Start 2026-27 in Style

Defending Serie A champions Inter Milan opened the 2026-27 season with a 4-1 home win over newly promoted Monza at the San Siro on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Hakan Calhanoglu, Piotr Zielinski, Francesco Pio Esposito, and Yann Bisseck scored for the Nerazzurri after Monza had briefly drawn level through Pedro Varela in the first half.

The result gave Inter an emphatic start to their title defence on a night when Simone Inzaghi’s side showed the depth and composure that carried them to the Scudetto last season — even as Monza, back in Italy’s top flight after a one-year absence, proved they would not be passive visitors.

Editor’s note: This article draws on match reporting from Reuters, AP, and BBC Sport, August 22, 2026. Scorers, the final score, and kickoff time reflect the completed Serie A opener at San Siro.

Match at a glance

Detail	Information
Competition	Serie A, Matchday 1
Date & time	Saturday, August 22, 2026 — 18:30 CEST
Venue	San Siro, Milan
Final score	Inter Milan 4–1 Monza
Attendance	Near capacity at the Giuseppe Meazza

Goal scorers

Scorer	Club	Notes
Hakan Calhanoglu	Inter	Opened the scoring for the hosts
Pedro Varela	Monza	Brief equalizer before Inter pulled away
Piotr Zielinski	Inter	Restored the lead after Monza’s reply
Francesco Pio Esposito	Inter	Extended the advantage in the second half
Yann Bisseck	Inter	Sealed the win with a late strike

How the game unfolded

Inter take early control

Inter began the campaign as favourites at home against a Monza side promoted from Serie B in 2025-26. Calhanoglu broke the deadlock with a composed finish that set the tone for a dominant first-half performance from the champions, who controlled possession and pressed Monza into mistakes in their own half.

The Turkish midfielder has been central to Inter’s build-up play since arriving from AC Milan, and his opener on opening night underlined why Inzaghi continues to build the side around his vision from deep.

Monza respond — then Inter answer

Monza were not overwhelmed for long. Varela levelled with a sharp finish that gave the travelling support a moment of hope and reminded Inter that promoted clubs can punish lapses on the counter. For a brief spell, the San Siro fell quiet as Monza showed the directness that had carried them back to the top tier.

Inter’s response was swift and ruthless. Zielinski, the Poland international signed to add creativity in midfield, restored the lead with a well-taken goal that shifted momentum decisively back to the home side. From that point, Monza struggled to contain Inter’s movement in the final third.

Second-half surge

After the break, Inter tightened their grip on the match. Esposito, the young forward who has emerged as one of the club’s most promising attacking talents, added a third goal that reflected Inter’s ability to develop homegrown players alongside established stars.

Centre-back Bisseck completed the scoring with a late header — a reminder that Inzaghi’s Inter attack from set pieces as well as open play. The 4-1 margin was a fair reflection of a match in which the defending champions rarely looked troubled once they had re-established control after Varela’s equalizer.

Champions begin title defence

Inter enter 2026-27 as the team to beat after reclaiming the Scudetto last season with a squad built on defensive solidity, tactical discipline, and efficient finishing. Saturday’s opener suggested those qualities remain intact:

Inter heading into 2026-27	Detail
2025-26 finish	Serie A champions
Manager	Simone Inzaghi
Key summer focus	Squad depth and maintaining intensity across competitions
Opening-night message	Four different scorers, controlled performance at San Siro

Inzaghi told reporters after the match that he was pleased with the collective display and the way his side responded to Monza’s equalizer. He singled out Zielinski’s impact in midfield and praised Esposito for taking his chance on a night when rotation and squad management will matter across a long season that includes Champions League commitments.

Monza’s return to Serie A

For Monza, the night was a harsh introduction to life back in Serie A. The Brianza club were relegated in 2024-25 but bounced back immediately under a promotion campaign built on organisation and counter-attacking football.

Varela’s goal showed Monza can still threaten, but surviving against Italy’s elite will require more consistency over 38 matchdays. Manager Alessandro Nesta — the former AC Milan and Italy defender — faces the familiar challenge of keeping a promoted side competitive while avoiding the defensive lapses that punished them at San Siro once Inter found their rhythm.

Monza’s next fixtures will offer a clearer picture of whether they can stabilise away from the spotlight of opening night at the champions’ home ground.

What comes next

Inter turn quickly to the rest of Matchday 1 and beyond, with the rest of Serie A’s opening weekend still unfolding. The Nerazzurri’s early statement at San Siro sets a benchmark for rivals including Juventus, AC Milan, Napoli, and Atalanta as the title race begins.

Monza, meanwhile, begin the fight to establish themselves in the top flight again. One goal and one competitive half-hour were not enough at the San Siro, but the season’s story will be written across 37 more matches — not a single Saturday evening in Milan.

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Discussion

Inter’s opener delivered the kind of statement defending champions are expected to make — but the season ahead will test whether depth and experience can carry them through a full campaign.

1. Four different players scored for Inter on opening night. Does that spread of goals suggest Inzaghi has more attacking options than last season — or was Monza simply the wrong opponent to read too much into?

Calhanoglu and Zielinski are established contributors; Esposito and Bisseck adding their names to the scoresheet may signal a broader threat.

2. Monza equalized through Varela before Inter pulled away. How much of Saturday’s 4-1 margin was about quality — and how much was simply the shock of facing the champions on their own pitch?

Would you rather face Inter first with nothing to lose, or build confidence against mid-table sides before the fixture list toughens?

Share your read on whether Inter’s performance signals another dominant Serie A season — or whether the real tests still lie ahead.

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