Inter’s defensive solidity is the most important factor behind their rise to the top of the Serie A, a report in the Italian media argued today.

Corriere della Sera’s print edition explained that the Nerazzurri’s defence has been virtually impenetrable, with ‘the three musketeers’ Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni having become an inseparable and impassable trio.

Skriniar has gone from possibly being sold to being reborn, Bastoni has shown himself to be one of the best Italian defenders around at the moment while De Vrij has been able to express his qualities in full thanks to Inter coach Antonio Conte.

Samir Handanovic has also made a comeback after some difficult moments earlier on this season, when he was making lots of mistakes, having minimised his errors of late and produced some key saves in big games.

Inter, who sit six points clear at the top of the table, have had a great defensive record lately with them having conceded just twice in their last nine games and having kept seven clean sheets in the process.