Inter Milan's new player Lukas Podolski greets his supporters at the end of the Italian Serie A soccer match against Juventus at the Juventus stadium in Turin January 6, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Inter, with Lukas Podolski making his debut as a halftime substitute, hit back in the second and Icardi levelled when he cleverly turned in Fredy Guarin's incisive pass.

Icardi then slid the ball wide from a Podolski break and wasted another chance when he curled the ball wide with Pablo Osvaldo unmarked in the area. Osvaldo remonstrated furiously and was himself reprimanded by Guarin for his behaviour.

Zola, who replaced Zdenek Zeman after an eight-match winless run, barely had time to settle into his seat before Michel Morganella and Ezequiel Munoz put the Sicilians 2-0 ahead.

Cagliari then had Daniele Conti sent off for a second bookable offence in the 26th minute before Paulo Dybala made it 3-0 with a penalty just after the half hour.

Dybala and Edgar Barreto completed the rout after halftime, leaving Cagliari (12 points) firmly entrenched in the relegation zone. Palermo are joint seventh with Milan on 25 points.

Andrea Costa gave Parma an early lead with a close-range header before Gomez, plagued by injury since his move to Fiorentina, saw a weak penalty saved by Antonio Mirante in the 33rd minute.

The visitors had Gonzalo Rodriguez and Stefan Savic sent off in the last 15 minutes.