If this 2-1 triumph over Juventus wasn’t the essence of Pazza Inter, then nothing is.

Following an embarrassing Europa League defeat and three hellish days of media speculation, Inter trumped Max Allegri’s juggernaut, giving the Nerazzurri Nation the boost that it has sorely lacked since Roberto Mancini was fired.

And to think that midway through the second half things looked far less rosy for the Biscione. Part-time footballer and motivator (but full-time turnstile) Danilo D’Ambrosio had just allowed Alex Sandro to barge past him and cross for the on-rushing Stephan Lichtsteiner, with predictable consequences.

This quintessentially Italian kick to the groin would normally be enough, especially for a Bianconeri side that has made a living out of picking more enterprising opponents apart and laughing their way back to Turin, their pockets lined with points, glory and schadenfreude.

But not this time. Barely two minutes later, Mauro Icardi powered a header past Gianluigi Buffon to level the game, swinging the pendulum back to the Nerazzurri’s favour.

Egged on by a frenzied crowd, Inter completed the comeback when the Argentine’s sumptuous cross found Ivan Perisic’s header, turning the tables on a Juventus side that had enjoyed a prolific and profitable summer, replacing Paul Pogba with the best talent Italian football can offer.

Even better, the Beneamata was able to whitewash all the pain, the anguish and the shame that had been stirred up by a midweek defeat to lowly Hapoel Beer-Sheva, not to mention the usual media rigmarole. Rather than a frankly uninterested Fabio Capello, Inter fans can now lick their lips at the prospect of a flexible Frank de Boer coaching the Nerazzurri, allowing them to mostly dominate the encounter before and after Lichtsteiner’s strike.

Rather than the pumpkins many feared, summer buys like Joao Mario and Antonio Candreva proved that they can take Inter back to the ball, one they haven’t been invited to since Brandao kicked them out in 2012. Ever Banega, on the other hand, is the magic wand this team has craved since Wesley Sneijder left.

But what about Juventus? Coming off a disappointing home draw against Sevilla, this defeat proved that, every now and then, the Bianconeri are human too.

But for how long? Their five straight Scudetti are proof that they tend to return to their robotic mercilessness rather quickly: Antonio Conte’s Juventus brushed off a 4-2 comeback loss to Fiorentina several years ago, while Allegri’s incumbents didn’t lose a league game after October 2015, coasting to the title after a horrifying start to the season.

Allegri himself is hardly blameless for this defeat: beyond operating a massive turnover, he left Gonzalo Higuain on the bench, despite the Argentine smashing in two early goals past Sassuolo last week and finally looking like he fit into the Bianconeri attack.

Then again, this isn’t the first time that the Livornese Coach responds to a clanger with a ruthless streak of wins, nor indeed the first time that an unfancied Inter have managed to trump the odds and beat a heavily-favoured Old Lady.

Just as Juventus are still favourites in this title race, this win will be all for nothing if the Nerazzurri can’t match it against bread and butter opponents, if they can’t justify the hope brought about by fourth place last season and by this summer’s takeover.

As enticing as it is, the expression Pazza Inter (Crazy Inter) implies that this club has known many great wins, but few of these have been precursors to sustained success. Philadelphia Eagles commentator Merrill Reese once bemoaned the lack trophies being handed out for great wins. Let’s hope Beneamata fans aren’t doing the same several years from now.

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