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Here are five reasons you can’t afford to miss this weekend’s Serie A action.
Another tricky test for Napoli
Since their opening day disaster, league leaders Napoli have quickly put things right and picked up some impressive results against Juventus, Milan (both away from home) and Bologna.
But another very tough test of their credentials comes this weekend when they take on Atalanta, who are riding a seven-game unbeaten run ahead of this mouthwatering match-up in Campania.
A winner has often been produced of late and in the last 18 games these sides have played against each other, there has been just one draw, a 2-2 thriller in Naples in 2019.
Napoli, who are the only team with a 100% home record this season, have won four of the last five league showdowns with La Dea – although they did lose 3-0 at home in their most recent meeting in March.
Rafael Leão’s Milan crossroads
📸 Gabriele Maltinti – 2024 Getty Images
Ahead of Milan’s trip to Monza on Saturday night, La Gazzetta dello Sport provided an interesting update into the situation surrounding winger Rafael Leão – who it is reported has now reached ‘fight or farewell’ time at San Siro.
Inconsistency has been an issue for the Portugal international who looks to be a shadow of the man who won Serie A’s MVP two years ago based on his current form.
Due to his difficult relationship with Paulo Fonseca and his status being downgraded (he’s no longer a certain starter), there are suggestions that Saudi Arabia or Barcelona could make a move to offer him a fresh start.
But there is a lot of time between now and January and there is no doubt about the individual ability he does possess – if he is given the chance to showcase it.
A fired-up Lautaro
📸 Gabriele Maltinti – 2024 Getty Images
Amid all of the furore regarding Real Madrid’s incredible Ballon d’Or snub and the tantrum which accompanied VinÃcius Júnior failing to get his hands on the top individual honour, it easy to forget about another South American striker who was also overlooked.
Inter captain Lautaro MartÃnez is enjoying a year in which he won Serie A and the Copa América – finishing as top scorer in both competitions but when the votes were announced in Paris on Monday, he found himself in seventh place overall.
“Honestly, I expected more,” he admitted on Wednesday to DAZN. “Sure there is room to improve but these awards are unfair sometimes.”
He took his immediate frustrations out on Empoli, scoring his 134th goal for the club to surpass Stefano Nyers and become the club’s highest scoring foreign player ever and will aim to continue showing why he was also deserving of greater Ballon d’Or recognition against Venezia.
If he does find the net this weekend it will be long overdue too – having failed to score at home in Serie A since February.
What has happened to Juve’s defence?
📸 MARCO BERTORELLO – AFP or licensors
For the first eight games of the season, Juventus were the best defence anywhere in Europe – and it wasn’t even close.
During that span, they conceded no goals from open play and shipped just one at all, which came for Cagliari via the penalty spot but over the last week, all of that defensive solidity and organisation has been worryingly lacking.
The Bianconeri followed up a chaotic 4-4 draw with champions Inter at San Siro with another frustrating defensive showing in a 2-2 draw at home to Parma as the absence of long-term absentee Bremer finally looks to be hitting home.
However, it isn’t simply that easy. In the first 10 games of the campaign in all competitions, they gave up 8.8 shots per game and just 2.3 on target but over their last three (also including Stuttgart in the Champions League), those numbers have rocketed to 17.7 and 8.1 respectively, while Danilo in particular has struggled individually.
Can they lock things down again in Udine?
Roma’s revival
📸 ALBERTO PIZZOLI – AFP or licensors
Admittedly one victory following a humiliating loss cannot be classed as a revival but when things are going as badly as they are for Roma right now, they’ll take it.
Prior to the Giallorossi’s nervy and narrow win over Torino at home on Thursday night, they were booed onto the park by their own supporters, who continued to voice their displeasure throughout the warm-up.
A lone Paulo Dybala lifted the pressure somewhat but things are far from rosy in the Roma garden and coach Ivan Jurić acknowledged afterwards that they ‘cannot be satisfied’ given how much they’ve underperformed so far.
A trip to Hellas Verona, who beat league leaders Napoli 3-0 at home on the opening weekend, promises to be far from easy as they aim to find some consistency but given the fan feeling, the squad will be only to aware that they must find a way to leave with three points.
📸 Francesco Pecoraro – 2024 Getty Images