Pablo Mari helped AC Monza to a shock win away to Inter Milan on Saturday, bringing them closer to safety and a permanent transfer.

Champions League quarter-finalists Inter Milan might have expected a straightforward game against AC Monza on Saturday, following their 2-0 win away to Benfica earlier in the week.

After all, they were welcoming a bottom-half team to the San Siro, a Monza side that had gone four games without a win.

Yet Arsenal loanee Pablo Mari helped Monza to keep a clean sheet on the night, before a late Luca Caldirola goal turned it into a 1-0 win for the away side.

Mari completed 95% of his passes and four of his five long balls, won three of his four aerial duels, and made five clearances and headed clearances.

The centre-back was much criticised at Arsenal for one of his performances up against Romelu Lukaku at the Emirates Stadium, but on this occasion, he kept the Belgian striker quiet.

But most importantly for fans of Monza and Arsenal, the result makes it all the more likely Mari will remain with the Serie A club permanently.

Monza are now 15 points clear of the relegation zone, with just eight games remaining. That’s a huge deficit to make up, particularly for teams towards the bottom of the table, where points come at more of a premium.

In all likelihood, Monza already have more than enough points to avoid the drop this year, though they’ll want to keep pushing until it’s a mathematical certainty.

Monza have an obligation to buy Mari under certain conditions, one of which is that they remain in Serie A.

With that outcome now appearing so likely, the 29-year-old’s move is starting to look like a formality.