Serie A news - Champions Inter Milan crush Sampdoria as Alexis Sanchez scores a brace for home side

With lo Scudetto already in the bag, an almost second-string Inter side beat Sampdoria 5-1 as Alexis Sanchez helped himself to a brace.

Despite seven changes from the side who beat Crotone last weekend to effectively win the title, Inter wasted no time taking control of the game as Roberto Gagliardini diverted home Ashley Young's cross after four minutes.

This lead was doubled by Sanchez midway through the half and although Keita Balde reduced the deficit ten minutes from time, within sixty seconds the two-goal margin was restored with the Chilean striker's second.

Nicola Barella came on in the 62nd minute and immediately set up fellow substitute Andrea Pinamonti to score and a Lautaro Martinez penalty rounded off the scoring 20 minutes from time.

The win leaves the Nerazzuri 15 points clear at the top of the table.

His first-half brace brought Sanchez to the seven-goal mark in a season for a team for the first time since his ill-fated move to Manchester United in January 2018 which effectively put a hand-break on his career a little after his 29th birthday.

With this being just the 11th league start of the season for him, along with 17 substitute league it is not a bad return for the striker who was just about the Premier League’s best player six years ago.

Whether he can still be a worthwhile squad member until his contract runs out in 2023 is certainly questionable but his two finishes today, a lovely outside of the boot finish and a volley from the edge of the box with his instep showed he can still be a third option behind Romelu Lukaku and Martinez next season.

The GPS numbers on the Moroccan right wing-back must be off the charts.

He has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich and it is obvious why they would love to have him in their side.

While he may not have the delivery of Trent Alexander-Arnold, his ability to continually bomb up and down the flanks and then drive inside to be involved in play in the business end of the field is so impressive and unmatched elsewhere.

A perfect illustration of this was in the 13th minute when he picked up the ball deep in his own half and drove forward to a central area just outside the box where he was denied a career highlight goal by Emil Audero tipping wide.

Inter: Handanovic 5; D’Ambrosio 7, Ranocchia 7, Bastoni 6; Hakimi 8*, Gagliardini 7, Vecino 6, Eriksen 6, Young 7; Lautaro 7, Sanchez 7.

Subs: Radu 6, Pinamonti 7, Brozovic 6, Barella 7, Sensi 6.

Sampdoria: Audero 5, Bereszynski 6, Tonelli 7, Colley 6, Augello 5, Candreva 7, Thorsby 5, Silva 5, Jankto 6, Ramirez 5, Balde 7.

Subs: Damsgaard 6, Verre 5, Yoshida 5, Ekdal 5, Quagliarella 6.

4' GOAL FOR INTER! Gagliardini slotted home with an outstretched right leg converting Young's low centre after a fine team move.

26' GOAL FOR INTER! Sanchez stylishly slots home with the outside of his right boot after being played through on the break by Gagliardini.

35' GOAL FOR SAMPDORIA! Jankto put in a cross which reached Candreva on the far post, his shot was tame but Handanovic seemed already behind the line when he pawed it out. In any case Balde blasted the ball into the net to be sure.

36' GOAL FOR INTER! Is Sanchez back??? He turned 30 yards from goal and played in Hakimi on the right flank and then when the wing-back clipped a ball back to him on the edge of the box the former Arsenal striker volleyed home low into the corner with his instep.

61' GOAL FOR INTER! With his first involvement in the game, Barella immediately wins the ball on his chest, brushes off a player, then exchanges passes with Martinez before clipping a ball over to fellow sub Pinamonti who brought the ball down before slotting home on the half-volley.

68' Silva picks up a yellow card for blocking Barella's shot with his arm on the edge of the box, leaving a dangerous free kick opportunity - and after a VAR check the referee has pointed to the spot!

70' GOAL FOR INTER! Martinez slots home high to the keeper's left.