Inter are now primed to turn their European heartbreak into an advantage for their Serie A title bid, an Italian media report has argued today.

The Nerazzurri went top of the table for the first time this season after beating Lazio 3-1 at San Siro last night.

As per Corriere della Sera, Antonio Conte has the possibility of turning the painful elimination from the UEFA Champions League into a decisive weapon in the race for the Scudetto.

Without being in Europe – or any other competition for that matter – Inter can now focus entirely on the task at hand in the league, unlike rivals AC Milan and Juventus.

Inter’s two competitors will both return to European competition this week, with Juventus visiting FC Porto while AC Milan travel to play Red Star Belgrade.

Both teams will have to dedicate important time and attention during training preparing for their Champions League and Europa League commitments, whereas Conte can concentrate on setting up Inter for their weekly league games.