Inter Milan head to Sassuolo this weekend with an opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Serie A table to eight points, with title rivals AC Milan not in action.

Cristian Chivu’s side stretched their unbeaten league run to 11 matches last week, securing their 10th victory in that sequence with a win over Cremonese. Their impressive form has strengthened their position in the title race as they look to reclaim the Scudetto following Napoli’s triumph last season.

With AC Milan unable to use the San Siro this weekend due to the stadium hosting the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Inter have a prime chance to increase their advantage when they travel to Sassuolo on Sunday.

Despite their momentum, striker Lautaro Martinez has urged his teammates not to become complacent.

“This isn’t a message to the rest of the league, it’s a message to ourselves,” Martinez said after the Cremonese victory. “There is still a long way to go, and the league is very evenly balanced.”

Inter remain competitive on multiple fronts this season. Their 2-1 victory over Torino on Wednesday secured a place in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, while a Champions League knockout play-off tie against Bodo/Glimt awaits later this month.

“We had a busy January and February will be even busier,” Chivu said after the cup win. “We’re not thinking about titles or trebles. Our focus is on being competitive and becoming the best version of ourselves. We want to fight on all fronts.”

AC Milan, who are no longer involved in European competition or the Coppa Italia, will face a congested schedule later this month as they make up for postponed fixtures caused by the Olympics.

However, head coach Massimiliano Allegri believes the current break will benefit his squad.

“Reaching 50 points was important because our objective has always been to finish in the top four,” Allegri said following Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Bologna. “We’ll enjoy this break and hope to have everyone fit again soon.”

Third-placed Napoli, nine points behind Inter, travel to Genoa on Saturday in an effort to keep their fading title hopes alive despite being hampered by injuries.

Juventus, revitalised under Luciano Spalletti, have climbed back into the top four and host an inconsistent Lazio side this weekend. Meanwhile, Fiorentina will aim to recover from consecutive league defeats when they face Torino.

Torino, managed by Paolo Vanoli, remain in 18th place, just one point from safety, and are in serious danger of relegation for the first time since the 2003/04 season.

Player to Watch: Moise Kean

Italy forward Moise Kean returned from injury as a substitute against Napoli last weekend and will be eager to regain full fitness quickly as Fiorentina battle to avoid relegation.

The 25-year-old scored 25 goals in all competitions last season but has struggled for consistency this term. However, he had found the net three times in five matches before suffering an ankle injury last month.

Kean will also be keen to prove his readiness ahead of Italy’s World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in March.