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Adriano did not mark his comeback with a goal, but Inter did comfortably take full points off Catania.
Roberto Mancini had a real injury crisis on his hands with Marco Materazzi, Cristian Chivu, Walter Samuel and Patrick Vieira sidelined. Already two points off the Serie A leaders and with a Champions League trip to Fenerbahce coming up, the pressure was piling on the Nerazzurri. Catania also needed to buck up their game after two draws and had Cristian Silvestri back from a ban, but Coach Silvio Baldini continued to sit out his suspension for kicking a colleague.
Adriano was given his first official appearance of the campaign, but it was Catania who went close after three minutes when Julio Cesar was at full stretch to fingertip a low Izco drive out for a corner.
Bizzarri flicked a spectacular Luis Figo chip out from under the bar and Inter took the lead in chaotic circumstances. Adriano slipped just inside the area, but Douglas Maicon continued the move for Hernan Crespo to tap in from six yards.
Martinez had penalty appeals for a Nicolas Burdisso challenge waved away, then Adriano sprung the offside trap to chest down the ball, but tried an ambitious scissor-kick into the ground that did not trouble Bizzarri.
Adriano was jeered by the San Siro crowd after quite a few errors, but on 28 minutes he tested the goalkeeper with a fierce strike. L'Imperatore also put the ball in the net, but only after shoving marker Mark Edusei to the ground.
A Silvestri attempt from 30 metres was turned out for a corner, as the Sicilians did not merely sit back.
After the restart there was a fine move between Gionatha Spinesi and Giuseppe Mascara, the former bringing a difficult save out of Julio Cesar at the near post.
Julio Cesar had a muscular problem, but was able to continue, while substitute Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a chance cleared practically off his foot from six yards.
Inter doubled their lead 10 minutes from time. Ibrahimovic moved the ball to the left flank for the on-rushing Cesar Aparecido to blast the shot past Bizzarri.
Adriano's hopes of marking his comeback with a goal were ruined by a Bizzarri save at the near post in stoppages.
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