When Jose Mourinho left the Roma training ground for the final time last week, there were fans waiting with tears in their eyes to say a fond farewell.
After two and a half years in charge at the Giallorossi the Special One has been dispensed with and the supporters, who genuinely adored him, must now move on. Roma legend Daniele de Rossi has been named as Jose’s successor after the Portuguese coach picked up just one win from his last six Serie A games.
While the fans loved him Mourinho has come under fire for the style of football his team has played. He guided Roma to the Europa League final last term where they were beaten by Sevilla on penalties; but in the aftermath of the Giallorossi’s 1-0 semi-final win over Bayer Leverkusen, Werkself midfielder Karim Derimbay was scathing, saying: “Roma achieved their goal in a disgusting fashion. It’s also bad for football in general. It’s a pity that a style of play like this can be rewarded in a semi-final of such high level.”
With a pragmatic approach and acute attention to detail Mourinho’s success has always been about results and that’s where the wheels have fallen off; not since 2003 has the Giallorossi collected so few points from their first 20 games and Mourinho left them in ninth place. The latest Serie A 2024 betting odds say Roma will struggle to finish in the top six and that simply isn’t good enough. Jose has been unlucky with injuries, with key players Chris Smalling and Tammy Abraham long term absentees, but he did have plenty of quality in his side, with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini in his ranks.
AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini celebrates scoring their second goal against Hellas Verona at home
Mourinho’s frustration has been clear for all to see at times, never far away from the Serie A 2024 news headlines and he has frequently watched his team from the stands due to suspensions, including his final game in charge, a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan last week. Tellingly, owner Dan Friedkin said: “If we win on the pitch and act the right way off it, we can showcase AS Roma to millions of people in Rome and all over the world.”
And there you have it…arrivederci Jose.
Winning start for De Rossi
What happens when you part company with a manager and draft a new man in? Conventional wisdom tells us you’ll see a new manager bounce. I don’t know if it’s really a ‘thing’ but the new Roma head coach had a perfect start as his team beat Hellas Verona 2-1 on Saturday. The Giallorossi still laboured to a degree, dominating possession but only registering two shots on target, but that was enough to see off struggling Verona.
Stephen El Shaarawy beat three defenders before teeing up Lukaku for the opener and then the Belgian striker crossed for Pellegrini who smashed his shot into the roof of the net to make it 2-0. Any thoughts the fans had of a relaxing second half soon disappeared as 18th placed Verona went on the attack. The visitors had a goal harshly ruled out for the slightest of pushes, then Milan Djuric blasted a penalty way over the crossbar.
Folorunsho halved the deficit with a swerving strike from distance, but Roma held on to rise to eighth in the league table and just two points off the top four. What a difference one game can make and who’s to say Mourinho wouldn’t have won it?
Next up for De Rossi’s Roma, a trip away to Salernitana and they are at SBOTOP odds of 1.69 to win that one, and another three points could well see the Giallorossi climb back into the European places.
What next for the Special One?
So, at 60 years of age, one of the finest managers of all time is back in the jobs market…or will he take a well earned break after collection a record haul of silverware in his glittering 24 year coaching career? Mourinho will always be a star attraction and romanticists have suggested he may make an emotional return to Real Madrid.
But there are Premier League fans watching the story with interest. Crystal Palace are struggling at the moment and manager Roy Hodgson may finally be ready to take his hard earned retirement. If he does fancy a return to England I suspect Mourinho may have his sights slightly higher, with all respect to the Eagles. He turned down the Portugal job in the summer and offers from Saudi Arabia. And while there is no suggestion that Newcastle United’s Saudi owners are considering a change at the helm, should Eddie Howe leave St James Park (the Magpies are currently tenth having lost four league games on the bounce) the Newcastle hierarchy are sure to look for a big name.
And they don’t come much bigger than Jose Mourinho.
For much of the 2023/24 Serie A campaign the race for the Scudetto has had two main players; and Juventus and Inter Milan sit proudly first and second.
But Stefano Pioli’s AC Milan, who have been watching from a distance, have suddenly come into view after a sequence of four league wins has brought them to within seven points of leaders Juve. It’s a fair gap to make up but it isn’t insurmountable and, should the margin be reduced to three or four points within the next few weeks, it will get very interesting.
The 2022 title winners have a good test of their title credentials coming up when Serie A: Milan vs Bologna is the main attraction at the San Siro on Saturday. The visitors, managed by Thiago Motta have been in the race for European places and will be keen to upset their hosts having fallen off the pace a little.
Motta is facing the biggest challenge of the campaign so far. His team comes into this game without a victory in four, losing at Cagliari last week while I Rossoneri won a five goal thriller away to Udinese; and the Milan vs Bologna betting odds say they are about to make it five wins on the bounce.
Talking Points
Milan’s multiple threat
I Rossoneri grabbed a last minute winner at Udinese last week as 23 year old winger Noah Okafor struck the dramatic blow. The Swiss star arrived in Milan in the summer in a switch from Red Bull Salzburg and he’s put in some eye-catching performances, scoring four goals. And Okafor is one of a number of attacking threats at Pioli’s disposal with a front line led by the evergreen Olivier Giroud, who has scored ten goals and made seven assists as the third top scorer in the league.
AC Milan’s Olivier Giroud during their Serie A match against Udinese
Rafael Leao has been one of the best creative players in Serie A over the past couple of seasons but, in the summer, Pioli added more attacking flair, bringing in Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus Cheek from Chelsea and striker Luka Jovic from Fiorentina as cover for Giroud.
When Milan met Roma two weeks ago the outcome was the departure of Giallorossi boss Jose Mourinho as Pioli’s team ran out 3-1 winners. Bologna is the next top ten challenger to visit and I think they may suffer the same fate.
Motta’s Bologna look for a restart
I Rossoblu had a great first half of the campaign and a lot of the credit goes to head coach Motta, who certainly isn’t under pressure from the club’s owners.
Motta was a combative midfielder with Inter Milan and Italy and he knows this league inside out and. Still only 41 years of age he’s already won a reputation as an innovative manager who’s team plays attractive, fluid football, though they can sometimes be caught out in defence, shipping five goals in their last two away games, to Cagliari and Udinese.
Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee is in his second season at Bologna and the 22 year old has broken through with seven goals and three assists and he will be a shoe-in to start on Saturday. And while Zirkzee has grabbed the headlines, the manager can be credited with bringing in some quality players who have played big roles so far. Netherlands centre back Sam Beukema, signed from AZ Alkmaar, has been the standout defender and Motta can rely on him to give Giroud a good game, while Swiss star man Remo Freuler, on loan from Nottingham Forest, is a strong defensive midfielder who will get stuck in and give his defence some protection.
With a ninth placed finish last season Bologna have punched above their weight so far in this campaign and they will be pleased with how they have performed so far. But if they slip below ninth there will be a deflated feeling at the club and Motta will be keen to get back to winning ways as soon as possible.
History
I Rossoneri have had the better of the head to head Milan vs Bologna results over the past three decades, winning 31 and losing six and Pioli’s side won 2-0 when the two teams met in Bologna back in August.
In terms of recent form Milan are stronger, with five wins and one defeat from the last six while Bologna have won two, drawn one and lost three.
The San Siro has been a tough place to get a result; Milan have won eight of their ten home league games and Bologna have not picked up a win on any of their last seven visits.
Betting Tip
AC Milan VS Bologna
January 28, 03:45 (GMT+8)
AC Milan Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 1.96
Milan are clear favourites at SBOTOP odds of 1.71 with the draw at 3.27 and a Bologna win is 4.25. I can’t see anything other than a home in an attack versus defence affair where I believe Milan’s strikers will have too much for their visitors.
With the transfer window almost closing, SBOTOP provides you with some of the latest Serie A transfer news and updates. It’s been a relatively quiet transfer window for the Italian top flight, but it was definitely not insignificant.
Top clubs like Napoli made bold moves, letting go of the reliable Elmas and deciding to go with a newer face, Cyril Ngonge. Meanwhile, Supercoppa Italiana champions Inter Milan bolstered their roster and acquired an insurance transfer, Tajon Buchanan. On the other side of the league table, Verona started selling players, which included Ngonge.
Napoli are among the few clubs in Serie A that are having a proactive January transfer window, moving and acquiring key pieces in hopes of bolstering their squad for the second half of the season.
One of their biggest moves is their decision to part ways with the serviceable midfielder, Eljif Elmas. Elmas has been a sturdy piece for the Blues, making 36 appearances during their 2022–23 championship season.
The Macedonian international gave Napoli a big boost on the offencive end of the pitch, scoring six goals and claiming three assists en route to the scudetto while netting two goals in 11 appearances this season to boot.
The promising 24-year-old now calls the German top flight his home. Acquired by RB Leipzig, Elmas has a great opportunity to blossom into one of the most talented and versatile players in the Bundesliga. Even though he has yet to tally a win with his new club, he made appearances in both bouts against Frankfurt and Leverkusen.
Marco Rose could be planning something special for his new player; it’s only a matter of time until Elmas is fully incorporated into the Leipzig system.
The Blues aren’t left empty-handed, though. Walter Mazzarri might’ve gotten the most back for their buck, acquiring the budding Belgian, Cryil Ngonge, from the struggling Verona for €18 million.
The 23-year-old winger has been fantastic for Gialloblu this season, scoring six goals and dishing out two assists in 19 appearances. With the opportunity to play for a contending team, it would be safe to assume that both Ngonge and Napoli are happy with their chances to improve in the second half of the Serie A season.
Inter acquires Tajon Buchanan
Inter Milan, the Serie A 2024 odds favourites, continue their quest for the scudetto by acquiring the budding right-back, Tajon Buchanan. With this signing, Buchanan becomes the first ever Canadian to play in the Italian top flight.
The former New England and Club Brugge star completed a transfer to Inter Milan with a price tag of €7 million. And with the budget they have for loaning Eddie Salcedo and Lucien Agoumé, the acquisition of Buchanan seems like a bargain.
The 24-year-old completed his transfer back on January 5, but he has yet to make an appearance for Inzaghi’s I Nerazzurri. Despite conceding the top spot in the Serie A table, Inter Milan managed to beat Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana yesterday, making them the winningest club (8 titles) since the tournament’s birth in 1988.
For now, Inter Milan fans will just have to wait and see if the addition of Buchanan will translate into better Serie A 2024 results moving forward.
Radu Drăgușin leaves Genoa for Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Drăgușin warms up ahead of their Premier League match against Manchester United
Another Serie A product has yet again left the league for greener pastures in other competitive top flights. Genoa’s Radu Drăgușin was considered to be one of the best young centre-backs in the Italian top flight, anchoring Genoa’s defence with a sound, surgical, precise, and most of all, reliable style of play.
With a price tag of €31 million, Drăgușin is now the most expensive Romanian player in football history and the fourth Romanian player to join Tottenham, after Ilie Dumitrescu, Gică Popescu, and Vlad Chiricheș.
His deal to the Spurs also included a swap deal, sending defender Djed Spence to Il Grifone on loan until the end of the 2023–24 season with an option to buy for €10 million. Tottenham will also shoulder Spence’s wages until the summer.
With Drăgușin in the lineup for Ange Postecoglou, the needle could definitely move for the Spurs once the defender gets fully acquainted with his new squad.
Serie A: Atalanta and Lazio is the Top Undercard Game in Matchday 23
Atalanta vs Lazio
Two of the top four hopefuls will clash in Bergamo this weekend as Lazio host Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium on Sunday evening.
Only two points separate these two sides in the Serie A table, as Atalanta are currently in fourth place with 36 points, while Lazio are not far behind in sixth place with 34 points.
Depending on this weekend’s Serie A 2024 results, there’s a chance that things will stay the same or that these two teams could switch places.
As the title of this article suggests, SBOTOP football fans are in for a huge treat because after this game, there’s the famous Derby d’Italia game between Inter Milan and Juventus, which will pose major ramifications in the Scudetto race.
In their last five games across all competitions, Atalanta’s free-scoring ways haven’t taken a hit at all, as several players have stepped up, a key reason why they’ve improved to fourth place.
Enter the trio of Teun Koopmeiners, Charles De Ketelaere, and Gianluca Scamacca, who are responsible for eight of their last 13 goals scored.
Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere in action with AC Milan’s Simon Kjaer during the Coppa Italia match
Charles De Ketelaere kicked off the New Year for Atalanta by registering a brace in their 3-1 Coppa Italia Round of 16 win against Sassuolo, and then he was one of the five men who found the back of the net in their 5-0 shellacking of Frosinone.
Teun Koopmeiners scored their only goal against AS Roma and also had a brace in their 2-1 victory over AC Milan. He also found the back of the net against Frosinone.
And last but not least, Gianluca Scamacca broke his scoring drought in Atalanta’s 2-0 win against Udinese on Saturday. The former West Ham United striker now has six league goals this season from just eight starts.
With all of them being 100-per cent fit, Lazio’s defence will have their hands full trying to keep them at bay.
Who’s available for Lazio?
Patric is still out due to a shoulder injury, so Mario Gila will continue his centre-half partnership with Alessio Romagnoli this weekend.
Central midfielder Danilo Cataldi is not available for this contest because he picked up his fifth yellow card against Napoli, so Nicolo Rovella or Matias Vecino will start in his place in midfield.
But the biggest news for the Biancocelesti is the forthcoming return of Ciro Immobile from suspension, their top scorer this season with seven goals. The veteran striker will displace Taty Castellanos, and he’ll be paired with Felipe Anderson and Gustav Isaksen up front.
History
Atalanta and Lazio last faced off in October, where the latter won 3-2 at home in the Stadio Olimpico. The Biancocelesti were up by two goals early, courtesy of Charles De Ketelare’s own goal in the fifth minute and Taty Castellanos 11th-minute goal, but Ederson and Sead Kolasinac drew level for La Dea.
Matias Vecino scored the marginal goal during the 83rd minute, and Lazio held on even as their manager, Maurizio Sarri, was sent off for dissent in the final minutes.
Lazio are undefeated in five of their last six Serie A encounters with Atalanta (W3, D2) after failing to win any of their previous seven league games (D3, L4), including going unbeaten in Bergamo in their last three (W2, D1).
Should the Biancocelesti beat La Dea again, it would be their first league double over them since 2016-17 under Simone Inzaghi.
But Atalanta have been good at home this season, gathering 25 points from their opening 11 home league games, which is their best mark at this stage of the season.
Betting Tip
Atalanta VS Lazio
February 5, 1:00 (GMT+8)
Total Goal 2-3 @1.89
The Serie A 2024 odds predict another close fight between these two sides on Sunday. Being the hosts, Atalanta were given the slight edge at 2.08, while Lazio were at 3.36 odds, and a draw is at 3.09 in the 1X2 market.
With these two sides capable of scoring a bunch of goals, Total Goal 2-3 at 1.89 seems like the safest bet, while Over 2.50 at 2.21 and Total Goal 4-6 at 3.96 are also worth considering. As for choosing the winner of this matchup, it’s a toss-up. The one particular bet that caught my eye is the Correct Score of 3-2 in favour of Lazio, the same exact result as their reverse fixture, because it is on a whopping offer of 55.00
League leaders Inter Milan head to the capital city on Saturday to meet in form Roma in the Serie A clash of the weekend.
Roma’s 4-0 win over Cagliari on Monday made it four wins on the bounce for I Giallorossi while Inter’s 1-0 victory over Juventus put some distance between them and the Old Lady in the race for the 2024 Scudetto.
Simone Inzaghi’s Nerazzurri are a handy four points clear at the top of the table and with a game in hand. The latest Serie A 2024 betting odds say this is Inter’s Scudetto to lose; meanwhile Roma, under their new boss Daniele de Rossi are back in top four contention and they will give the league leaders a serious test on Saturday.
Talking Points
The De Rossi effect
From the moment Jose Mourinho departed Rome and de Rossi arrived at the club, there has been quite a transformation, as I Giallorossi have picked up three league wins and a friendly victory over Al-Shabab under the new boss.
2-1 victories at home to Hellas Verona and then Salernitana showed the belief had returned, but Roma’s 4-0 thumping of Cagliari on Monday was a real statement. Goals from Lorenzo Pellegrini, a brace from Paolo Dybala, and a fourth from defender Dean Huijson gave Roma a resounding three points and lifted Roma to within a place of Atalanta in fourth place.
So with a perfect set of Serie A 2024 results since he took over, the mood in the dressing room has improved markedly, and if de Rossi can pick up a result against I Nerazzurri the Roma fans will start to believe that Champions League football is within their grasp. And that seemed a long way away just a month ago.
Both Romelu Lukaku and Paulo Dybala have been contributing to AS Roma’s attack in Serie A this season
Romelu Lukaku is top-scoring with nine goals, and he will relish the chance to face his old club, while Paulo Dybala’s double against Cagliari made it eight for the season for the Argentine striker. Both forwards are 30 years old, pretty much in their prime these days, and with skipper Lorenzo Pellegrini back to his best form, Roma have plenty of big-game players to take on the best team in the league.
Inzaghi banned and Frattesi out
The top two clash between Inter and Juventus was as tight as you’d expect and only an own goal from Federico Gatti could separate the two sides. But it was a crucial victory, and as tension rose on the touch line, head coach Simone Inzaghi picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign, and he will watch this huge match from the stands.
The one-match ban comes at a bad time for Inzaghi, as his team comes up against a group of players brimming with confidence, and if Roma grab a lead, Inter will need to react quickly.
On the pitch, there are more problems, as influential midfielder Davide Frattesi is highly doubtful after suffering a muscle strain in training. He was an unused substitute in the win over Juventus, having picked up the injury in Inter’s final training session, and the head coach is unlikely to risk the 24-year-old when I Nerazzuri arrive at the Stadio Olimpico.
In a quiet transfer window Inzaghi stuck with his players which have served him so well in the first half of the campaign. He only brought in Tajon Buchanan, from Club Brugge, and the wide midfielder might make the squad in Frattesi’s absence but there are unlikely to many more changes to the line-up.
Striker Lautaro Martinez, who is in the lead of the race for the Capocannoniere, with 19 goals from 20 games, bagged the winner in I Nerazzurri’s last away game, against Fiorentina, will lead the line and all eyes will be on his shootout with his old striking partner Lukaku.
History
Inter have won 34 games in the head-to-head with Roma over the past 30 years, including a 1-0 win at the San Siro in October, while I Giallorossi have recorded 21 victories in that time.
And while De Rossi’s men have racked up four consecutive wins, Inter have been triumphant in their last five. Roma have a home record of seven wins, three draws, and a single defeat, while Inter have won nine away games and drawn two.
Betting Tip
AS Roma VS Inter Milan
February 11, 01:00 (GMT+8)
Over 2.25 @ 1.97
Roma are at SBOTOP odds of 3.58 to win and the draw is 3.06 with Inter Milan odds at 1.91 to take all three points. While Inter have become the 1-0 specialists over the past two weeks, I think Roma will push them hard, and the league leaders will need to score more than once to continue their winning run.
Serie A: Can Lazio Boss Their Way Past Fiorentina?
Fiorentina vs Lazio
Things are starting to heat up in the midfield of the Serie A standings. Six top-flight outfits currently separate themselves by just five points, and every point they can garner from this point on could be detrimental to their final rankings by the end of the season.
Their current season has been a far cry from what they were able to produce in the 2022–23 campaign, and their title hopes for this season might already be down the drain. But if they string up a tail-end run to finish the season, Lazio could feature in European football again next season.
Just five points behind Europa League hopefuls Atalanta, the Eagles are well within striking distance of qualifying for European football next term. Already with six points in their last three top-flight matches, they have a great opportunity to add to their tally when they visit Fiorentina at Stadio Artemio Franchi.
The glaring struggles of their final third to find the back of the net have been costing them this season, but they’re starting to ramp up in the past few weeks, scoring eight goals in their last five matches across all competitions.
If Ciro Immobile and the rest of Lazio’s forwards could continue to ramp up their production moving forward, Lazio could find themselves in the upper echelon of Serie A sooner than later.
Fiorentina are simmering down
La viola just won one top-flight match since the new year, and their defence is the culprit for their shortcomings.
In all of their matches in Serie A since January, Fiorentina’s first third failed to tally a clean sheet. With 29 allowed goals thus far, Fiorentina have the third most goals allowed in the top 10 teams in the Serie A table, trailed by Roma with 30 and Milan with 31.
With just four accumulated points in their last five top-flight matches, Fiorentina’s match with Lazio comes with bigger stakes than we thought. Fiorentina are now just two points clear of Napoli, Torino, and Monza, and if Vincenzo Italiano can’t garner much-needed points against Lazio, then they could possibly fall to the lower half of the Serie A table after this week.
So SBOTOP football fans should expect a fiery Fiorentina outfit when they host the Eagles this week.
History
To say that these teams are well acquainted would be an understatement, as they’ve faced each other 43 times since 2005.
In those matches, Lazio have bossed Fiorentina, winning 25 head-to-heads, while Fiorentina have only 11 wins and seven draws.
During their most recent matchup, Lazio successfully defended their home field with a 1-0 victory against a visiting Fiorentina. Ciro Immobile scored the only goal of the match via a penalty in the second half.
La viola have only garnered one win against Lazio in their last 10 meetings, so punters should be mindful of this statistic when they look at the main lines for their upcoming bout.
Betting Tip
Fiorentina VS Lazio
February 27, 3:45 (GMT+8)
1X2 Lazio @3.05
Both Fiorentina and Lazio boast 1.6 goals per match in their last five head-to-heads, which is why the middle line for their total goals is 2.25, but because both outfits have been struggling offencively in the past few weeks, goals under 2.25 at 1.88 could be the sweet spot in terms of their possible goal production.
Meanwhile, in their main lines, the Serie A 2024 betting odds have Lazio as the underdogs at 3.05, which poses immense value, which is why that is my betting tip for this top-flight bout. Despite their recent struggles, Fiorentina are the slight favourites with 2.29 and a draw price of 2.97.
Although neither team has been playing at its best lately, Lazio is beginning to perform better in both the Serie A and the Champions League, so bettors shouldn’t ignore them as the underdogs at 3.05 against a struggling Fiorentina.
Serie A: Atalanta Will Take a Crack at Inter Milan
Inter Milan vs Atalanta
Simone Inzaghi’s outfit looks invincible this season, and it seems like they have no plans on slowing down. Inter have won all their matches across all competitions since the start of the new year, winning the Supercoppa Italiana, claiming the first leg of their Round of 16 clash in the Champions League, and dominating every rival in Serie A.
Not to jump the gun, but a treble might be in the works.
La Dea will be next to take a crack at the Nerazzurri. Gasperini’s outfit is currently in a tough race with Bologna for a top-four seed in the league standings, and a win against Inter could be just what Atalanta need to secure their Champions League berth.
There’s still a lot of football left in the season, but Atalanta can’t afford to miss out on any points, as they have a tough slate ahead of them. La Dea already stole a point with a draw against AC Milan, but Inter will be next on the menu, followed by Bologna, Juventus, Fiorentina, and Napoli.
Talking Points
Lautaro Martinez reaches 100 Serie A goals
Inter marched to Stadio Via del Mare for their Matchday 26 bout against the struggling Lecce. In that match, Inter Milan thumped Lecce in front of their home crowd with a 0-4 score line, bringing their lead up to nine points with a game in hand.
Now that Martinez has entered the elite group of players to reach 100 goals in the Italian top flight, he becomes the third foreigner in Inter’s history to reach triple figures in Serie A.
The Argentine marksman now has 22 goals this season for the Nerazzurri, is on pace to be the club’s top goal scorer for the third season in a row, and is currently unrivaled in the Serie A Golden Boot race.
The 26-year-old went to social media to celebrate the win over Lecce and his personal milestone.
“Another important away win! We have to keep going like this on our journey to our goals!” He stated
“And a big personal milestone for me. 101 goals in this glorious shirt! Thanks everyone for supporting me.”
Lautaro is undeniably the main catalyst for Inter’s success this season. He has found the back of the net 22 times in 23 matches, claiming two assists to boot. Not to mention, he also does his fair share of goal-scoring in other competitions like the Champions League and the Supercoppa as well.
But the job’s not done. Expect Lautaro’s goal tally to increase even more, as there is still a lot of football to be played in the top flight.
Atalanta have the Champions League in sight
Atalanta’s Sead Kolasinac, Marco Carnesecchi and Isak Hien react after their match against AC Milan
La Dea are well on their way back to Champions League contention if they manage to keep their form all throughout the rest of the season.
Like Inter, La Dea have remained unbeaten in the top flight since the start of the new year, and they will put their streak to the greatest test when they face the final boss of the league.
It’s easier said than done, though, as the Serie A 2024 betting odds have Atalanta as the underdogs against Inter, and it would take a herculean effort from La Dea’s first third to stop Lautaro Martinez and his mates from scoring.
But Atalanta proved that they could get points at San Siro after recently tallying a 1-1 draw against AC Milan, so the hostile atmosphere of San Siro coupled with the roars and chants of Milano fans shouldn’t be a problem for Gasperini’s men.
History
Inter Milan have bossed their head-to-heads against Atalanta for two decades now. Since 2004, these rivals have faced each other 38 times across all competitions. Among those matches, Inter have won 20 games, while Atalanta have only won six and have tallied a draw 12 times.
The Nerazzurri are on a four-game winning streak against Atalanta across all competitions, and I personally don’t see that streak ending this time around, especially with how Inter have been playing this season.
Both outfits have been spotless these past few months and are yet to taste defeat in the top flight since the start of the 2024 calendar year.
Betting Tip
Inter Milan VS Atalanta
February 29, 03:45 (GMT+8)
Over 2.75 @ 1.99
Goals over/under 2.27 is the middle line at SBOTOP, and it just shows the ability of these rivals to find the back of the net. Inter Milan boast the most potent offence in the top flight with 63 tallied goals, while Atalanta are in the upper echelon themselves with 48. Which is why having these clubs score a total of over 2.75 goals at 1.99 is a value bet, in my opinion.
For their main lines, Inter Milan are understandably the favourites to win at 1.61, while the visiting Atalanta are the underdogs at 4.70 with a draw price of 3.75.
Inter at 1.61 is the move as far as their 1X2 lines go, for reasons already mentioned throughout this match preview.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan’s Asian Handicap of -0.75 at 1.84 is also a good line for punters to keep an eye on. I predict the Nerazzurri to win by two goals in this clash, so -0.75 at 1.84 poses enough value and excitement for punters to consider.
The Coppa Italia has always meant a lot to both these clubs.
It is a competition Juventus have won a record of 14 times, while Lazio also have fond memories of winning this competition on seven occasions, most recently in 2019.
But which one of them can create tangible Coppa Italia highlights to keep their season alive?
Talking Points
For all of Juventus’ flaws in recent months – and there have been plenty as their form has become pedestrian-like – they are still faring much better than Lazio.
The ‘old lady’ of Turin already have one foot in the final after their first leg triumph, when second half goals from Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic earned a 2-0 success for Max Allegri’s side – a victory which edged Juventus closer to their 22nd Coppa Italia Final
However, it would be wrong to say it’s been plain or smooth sailing of late for the Turin team.
On Friday night, they drew 2-2 with strugglers Cagliari (their third draw in five league outings), although they showed character to fight back from a 2-0 half-time deficit through Vlahovic and an own goal.
There had also been suggestions Chiesa could be punished for his outburst at Allegri in the Derby della Mole draw with Torino last weekend.
The 26 year-old is known to have a rocky relationship with the Bianconeri tactician and the Italian winger raged at his coach after being taken off just after the hour in the derby, complaining that he’s ‘always the first’ player substituted.
Yet he started against Cagliari and it’s doubtful such a name would be left out of the squad for such an important game as this one.
Lazio’s team players pose with the Coppa Italia trophy as they celebrate winning against Atalanta
Whether Allegri survives the summer is unclear, even if he brings cup success to Turin and a first trophy in three seasons.
Despite winning just two league games from the last 12, Juve are currently third in Serie A and, in Allegri’s eyes, this means being in the race to fulfil the club’s target for 2023-24 to qualify for the Champions League.
For Lazio, 1-0 winners at Genoa on Friday evening with a Luis Alberto goal, they lie in sixth spot but Atalanta, who are a point behind them, have two games in hand.
Under Igor Tudor, who succeeded Maurizio Sarri last month, Lazio have won three of their last four league meetings – form they will need to replicate between now and the end of the campaign if they are to secure a top six finish (fifth place may well seal a Champions League berth).
In recent days, the club has announced the signing of Matteo Guendouzi from Olympique Marseille after the conditions of his obligation to buy clause were met.
The 25 year-old French midfielder arrived in the Italian capital last summer on a season-long loan deal with an option to make permanent.
It does seem like it could be a busy summer of ins and outs with Felipe Anderson’s contract expiring at the end of June and a deal reportedly agreed to sign for Brazilian club Palmeiras, despite reports he was on Juventus’ radar.
Perhaps he can give Lazio fans the perfect farewell present in this competition.
History
Juventus have had a significant edge over Lazio historically with 97 wins compared to 45 Le Aquile successes and 42 draws.
However, there have been special times in this fixture for Lazio and their fans.
Indeed, they have only lost one of their last five home meetings with Juve and defeated them in Serie A just a few weeks ago, courtesy of a last minute Adam Marusic header.
Juventus won earlier in the season 3-1 in Turin when Vlahovic (two) and Chiesa were their goal-getters.
Lazio have never managed a league double over the ‘old lady’ of Turin, although did beat them in both the Italian Super Cup finals of 2017 and 2019.
Last season the two clubs met in the Coppa Italia, with Juventus claiming a 1-0 home win in the quarter-finals when Gleison Bremer was on target.
Betting Tip
Lazio VS Juventus April 24, 03:00 (GMT+8) 1X2 Draw @ 3.03
Juventus have the first leg advantage and it is one I expect them to hold.
Even if Lazio were to win the game, I do not think they will win the tie.
That is also reflected with the SBOTOP Coppa Italia betting odds with Lazio priced 0.00 @ -0.95 compared to Juve 0.00 @ 0.81 – all with Asian Handicap offerings.
Likewise, the home side are on offer 1X2 @ 2.68 with Juve 1X2 @ 2.38.
Serie A: Inter Plan a New Clause While Juve, Napoli Get Their New Boss
The managerial merry-go-round does not only exist in the Premier League but also in Serie A, as we’re expecting significant movement in the coaching ranks this summer.
Because they failed to successfully defend their Scudetto after a precipitous drop in the Italian top-flight standings, the 10th-seeded Napoli are going to replace their coach yet again.
The same is the case for Juventus, despite winning the Coppa Italia and finishing as the third seed, and they have already identified their target at the expense of their top-four rivals.
Elsewhere in San Siro, Inter Milan are undergoing a change in ownership, and head coach Simone Inzaghi is going to set up a meeting with his new employers as they will review the 2023-24 campaign as a whole.
Learn about the latest Serie A 2024 news by continuing to read below.
Juventus set to hire Motta after sacking Allegri
Even at the start of the 2023-24 campaign, many Juventus fans wanted the club to replace Max Allegri because of his pragmatic tactics and his poor results from the season prior, where they finished seventh in the table.
Although they cracked into the top four this year, the Old Lady limped through the last few weeks, which saw them record five consecutive league draws against Torino, Cagliari, AC Milan, AS Roma, and Salernitana.
Perhaps the front office was waiting for the right time to pull the trigger on Allegri, as they finally relieved him of his coaching duties after their 1-0 Coppa Italia final victory against Atalanta.
Max Allegri was sent off late into stoppage time after he angrily removed his jacket while confronting the officials before being given his marching orders on the touchline.
After the infamous incident, Juventus confirmed Allegri’s sacking, saying that his behaviour in the Coppa Italia final was “deemed incompatible with the values of Juventus.”
Allegri was fired with two games to play, so Juventus went with Paolo Montero on an interim basis. With Montero in charge, Juventus drew 3-3 against Bologna and won 2-0 against Monza.
Montero is not expected to be I Bianconeri’s permanent manager, as the Old Lady is on the cusp of completing the signing of Thiago Motta from Bologna, who defied the SBOTOP Serie A 2024 odds.
Thiago Motta was the man behind Bologna’s first European appearance in six decades, and he’ll be tasked with introducing a new style of play as Juventus plans to rebuild.
Inter Milan, Inzaghi to table extension talks
Oaktree Capital Management has taken over Inter Milan after Suning Holdings and former club president Steven Zhang failed to make good on their loan repayments, which totaled a reported €395 million.
With Oaktree in charge of the Nerazzurri, they will be looking to hold talks with manager Simone Inzaghi to discuss their summer transfer window plans and his future with the club.
Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi holds the trophy after winning the 2023-24 Serie A season
Simone Inzaghi is fresh from leading Inter Milan to winning the Scudetto this season, but his current deal is set to expire at the end of next season, so negotiations are expected to take place soon.
Inter Milan are planning to run it back with the same core of players, with the exception of Denzel Dumfries, who is expected to leave the squad this offseason.
The Nerazzurri are also reported to be looking to strengthen their goalkeeping and centre-back corps while trying to lock down skipper Lautaro Martinez to a new contract extension.
The Argentinean striker’s current deal with Inter Milan runs until June 2026, and the club is also planning to increase his salary after a solid 2023-24 campaign.
Napoli to bring back a familiar face
Antonio Conte will return to Serie A after a one-year hiatus, and this time, he will be coaching Napoli. Before joining I Partenopei, Conte coached for Juventus and Inter Milan and was the previous manager who led the latter to winning the Scudetto in 2020-21.
This marks Napoli’s fourth coaching hire since Luciano Spalletti resigned from the club after winning the Scudetto last season.
Multiple reports claim that Antonio Conte is going to become the highest-paid coach in the league when he signs for the Partenopei, as he is set to earn between €8 million and €9 million annually.
However, the catch of getting Conte as the manager might see Napoli lose one of their best players.
According to agent Mamuka Jugeli, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is not excited about the impending arrival of Conte, and the Georgian winger might consider a move to PSG, which reportedly made an €80 million offer for his services this summer.
For the last three years, Serie A has been full of fun and no shortage of surprises with results which have taken this SBOTOP writer aback, not to mention upset the Serie A betting odds.
Based on this weekend, the 2024/25 campaign is going to be no different.
I’m going to start with the giants which hail from the beautiful city of Milan – home to the 2022 and 2024 Italian champions.
It took less than a minute and a half for the home side to break the deadlock as Emanuele Valeri rolled the ball into the danger zone and Romanian international Man was on hand to tap home from close range.
Milan, missing new signing Alvaro Morata alongside the likes of Alessandro Florenzi and Marco Sportiello, had chances to level but it took them until midway through the second half when the always lively Rafael Leao danced down the left, played a 1-2 with Theo Hernandez and found American attacker Christian Pulisic for the most straightforward of tap-ins.
Former Premier League men Emerson Royal and Youssouf Fofana made their Milan debuts moments later but Parma grabbed what proved to be the winner 13 minutes from time which owed a lot to Pontus Almqvist who ran from inside his own half before finding Cancellieri who did the rest.
If that was the result of the weekend (jointly), then Udinese deserve plenty of credit for running out home winners over Lazio by the same scoreline with Lorenzo Lucca and Florian Thauvin on target.
Depending on your allegiance, there was confusion and frustration (or both) around the opening goal as the offside flag was raised during the build-up.
The referee’s whistle did not sound, however, as Lucca nodded in a Thauvin cross and, when VAR intervened, the goal stood.
Udinese doubled their advantage shortly after the restart as a misplaced pass from Matteo Guendouzi was seized upon and Thauvin ran clear before coolly stroking the ball into the bottom corner without challenge.
After that, it appeared fairly straightforward until midway through the second half when Udinese were reduced to 10 men as Hassane Kamara received a second booking for a lunge on Gustav Isaksen.
The same player pounced deep in stoppage time after a Mattia Zaccagni snapshot was parried into his path, but it was too little too late for a side who are aiming to improve on their seventh placed finish last term.
Back to Milan and, of course, one team are clear favourites to make it back-to-back titles this term.
There’s a reason for that.
Inter not only won the Italian title last term, but they romped it.
They also went 28 matches unbeaten and won 10 games in a row.
World Cup winner Martinez actually scored eight goals more than his nearest rival, Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, and was joined in the top 10 of the league’ scorers by team-mates Marcus Thuram and Hakan Calhanoglu, who grabbed 13 apiece.
Hakan Calhanoglu during Inter Milan’s match against Lecce
They only need five minutes to open the scoring against Lecce at the San Siro too as former Man Utd man Matteo Darmian looped a header into the far corner of the net.
The influential Calhanoglu secured Simone Inzaghi’s side their first win of the season from the penalty spot in the 69th minute, after Inter were awarded a penalty for Kialonda Gaspar’s foul on Thuram.
The team who held Inter on the opening weekend, Genoa, continued their fine start to the campaign as they snatched victory at Monza – a header from debutant Andrea Pinamonti separating the sides.
Meanwhile, former Southampton striker Che Adams enjoyed a dream home debut for Torino with an assist and the matchwinner as they edged out Europa League winners Atalanta in Turin.
That was only possible as home goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić saved a 96th minute penalty from Mario Pasalic to spark wild scenes amongst the home faithful.
Elsewhere, Napoli were in action at home to last season’s surprise package, but now significantly weakened, Bologna.
Under new boss Antonio Conte, the 2023 champions could not have made a worse start to the campaign as they went down 3-0 to Verona seven days earlier.
Conte’s appointment this summer had brought an immediate rush of optimism to a club that was coming off one of the worst-ever title defences, finishing in 10th position, 41 points behind the Inter team that dethroned them.
With Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay seemingly on the way, he may well get his wish and there was certainly improvement as they recorded a 3-0 home win on Sunday night, courtesy of goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo – converting a superb Khvicha Kvaratskhelia pass in first half stoppage time – the Georgian himself and, deep in injury time, Giovanni Simeone.
How Roma could have done with the same as Empoli stunned them in the Stadio Olimpico – Paulo Dybala denied an equaliser by the post in stoppage time.
For a team which survived by a solitary point last term, this was a result to match the achievements of Parma a day earlier.
All eyes will be on Milan on Friday, as Matchday 3 of Serie A opens up with a Giuseppe Meazza cracker as champions Inter Milan host Atalanta.
Inter boss Simone Inzaghi has his sights set on a successful defence of the Scudetto his team won so impressively last season, and they have made a decent start, and Atalanta will surely be among the leading pack again after they finished fourth last term.
Gian Piero Gasperini has been in Atalanta for eight years now as La Dea have become one of the most admired teams in football, winning the Europa League in spectacular fashion last season.
So far, I Nerazzurri have picked up four points—a 2-2 draw away to Genoa followed by a 2-0 win at home to Lecce—whilst Atalanta had won 0-4 away to Lecce before falling 2-1 to Torino in Turin.
The SBOTOP Serie A 2024 odds for this one point to more success for Inter and another early setback for La Dea.
Talking Points
Martinez is touch and go
2024 Capocannoniere winner Lautaro Martinez missed Inter Milan’s victory over Lecce last week after he picked up a groin injury following the season opener in Genoa.
The 27-year-old Argentine is back in training and being evaluated day by day according to reports in Milan. The club skipper felt a muscle problem in training last week and has gradually increased his workload over the past couple of days.
The pre-season odds backed a successful defence of the title for Inter; a return for Martinez will certainly strengthen Inzaghi’s hand, but he will not rush his star man back if he is not 100 per cent ready.
Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez reacts during their Serie A season opener against Genoa
Inzaghi has firepower elsewhere in his line-up.
Marcus Thuram scored a brace in Genoa, whilst Matteo Darmian and Hakan Calhanoglu were on target in the victory over Lecce.
After Darmian scored an early opener, Calhanoglu converted his 17th penalty out of 17 17 in Serie A as I Nerazzurri coasted to three points. And, in the absence of Martinez, new recruit Mehdi Taremi—signed in summer from Porto—impressed on his first start, teeing up Darmian for the opening goal.
Midfield recruit Piotr Zielinski—signed from Napoli—is yet to make an appearance but his debut can’t be far away, and I expect Inzaghi to give the gifted Pole some minutes on Friday.
Cuadrado heads to Atalanta
In other Serie A 2024 news, emerging from Bergamo, has revealed that 36-year-old Colombian wide man Juan Cuadrado has signed for Atalanta and could be in line for a sensational appearance against his last club Inter Milan on Friday.
The six-time Scudetto winner is a Juventus legend and he has arrived in Atalanta having been released by Inter in the summer. He had a tough time in Milan last season, suffering an Achilles injury which kept him out of action for four months until he returned in April for the title run.
He is an experienced campaigner and Cuadrado can operate as a winger, a wing-back or in an inverted position; he will be a valuable addition to this talented Atalanta squad.
Two other new recruits had a field day in La Dea’s opening match as Azzurri striker Mateo Retegui and loanee midfielder Marco Brescianini both scored a brace. But La Dea’s trip to Turin was something of a washout after a bright start.
Retegui scored his third goal in two starts to give La Dea a lead but Il Toro fought back to win the game 2-1.
There is unhelpful noise in Bergamo around the future of forward Ademola Lookman who scored a stunning hat-trick in the Europa League final in May. The 26-year-old had a brilliant season in 2023/24, scoring 17 goals and making ten assists and still has two years to run on his current deal.
But, with four days left of the summer transfer window to go, some of Europe’s biggest clubs—Premier League title chasers Arsenal included—are pondering a late move.
History
With 29 wins to nine, Inter Milan have had a lot of success in this fixture over the years; they have won the last five, including a 4-0 rout at the San Siro in February.
Inter haven’t lost any of their last 14 games at home and I find it hard to believe that run will end on Friday.
Serie A is heading towards a captivating climax over the next couple of months. There is no sign of a breakaway at the top, the race for European places is fierce, and at least eight teams are currently embroiled in the scramble to avoid relegation.
There are still 13 games to go, so there will be plenty of twists and turns to come. But as every week passes, the stakes get higher, and this weekend there are some fascinating tussles to get our teeth into. The SBOTOP picks for three matches to watch in Round 26 take in the league leaders Napoli on the road, a resurgent Juventus looking to build on a huge victory over Inter Milan, and another fixture with big implications for the top and the bottom of the table.
Como vs Napoli
Antonio Conte’s Napoli are aiming to end a run of three consecutive draws when they visit 13th-placed Como on Sunday, and the Serie A 2025 betting odds say they will succeed. But this is by no means a walk in the sunshine against the club on the banks of Lake Como. I Partenopei were held to a 2-2 draw by Lazio last week and, on the back of draws against Udinese and Roma, Conte’s team has lost a little momentum, though they stayed on top of the table thanks to Juventus’ victory over Inter Milan last weekend.
Como manager Cesc Fabregas gestures from the sideline during their recent Serie A match against Juventus
Managed by Spanish midfield legend Cesc Fabregas, I Lariani have plenty of quality in their squad, and they picked up an impressive 2-0 win away to Fiorentina last week. The former Arsenal star has taken to management better than some stellar playing talents have in the past, and he has experienced keeper Pepe Reina in his group as well as some talented attacking players. French midfielder Jonathan Ikone is on loan from Fiorentina while up front, former AC Milan star Patrick Cutrone and Argentine striker Nico Paz both have six goals and three assists so far this season, with Paz scoring in the win over La Viola last weekend.
Napoli are priced at 2.16 to win this clash with the draw at 3.07 and Como at 2.91. I think Conte will get the better of the hosts’ young coach.
Cagliari vs Juventus
14th-placed Cagliari host fourth-placed Juventus at the Sardegna Arena on Sunday when the Old Lady hopes to continue her progress over the past few weeks, winning four on the bounce. Juventus derailed Inter Milan’s title push last week with a 1-0 win thanks to a late Francesco Conceicao strike, and it was a deserved victory. I Nerazzurri had the lion’s share of possession, but with eight shots on target to two, Thiago Motta’s team were much more incisive.
Randal Kolo Muani, on loan from PSG, has made an electric start to his career in Turin, with five goals from his first four appearances. And with Dusan Vlahovic and Kenan Yildiz also in the attacking group, Juve are strong favourites to make it five wins on the bounce on Sunday at odds of 1.83.
Davide Nicola’s Cagliari have longer to prepare than their visitors, as Juventus have a second leg Champions League play-off against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night. And they have proved they can live with the best teams in the top-flight, drawing 0-0 with third-placed Atalanta last week.
While the hosts are likely to spend much of the game in their own half, in Roberto Piccoli they have a good attacking outlet. On loan from Atalanta, the 24-year-old is strong in the air and has scored a handy six goals so far this season.
Venezia vs Lazio
Marco Baroni’s fifth-placed Lazio are priced at 1.90 with a -0.75 handicap to win on their trip to Venice, and I really can’t see the Romans sinking against a woefully out-of-form Venezia. The hosts are without a win in seven games and have lost their last three to leave them in 19th place and five points from safety, so they really need to pick up points at home when they can.
Venezia manager Eusebio Di Francesco took over at the helm after the club were promoted through the play-offs, but the former Hellas Verona and Roma boss has not had the success he hoped for on leaving Frosinone for Venice. A return to the second tier looks on the cards unless Eusebio can pick up a strong set of Serie A 2025 results in the run-in.
Last week, Lazio drew with leaders Napoli, and that followed on from a 5-1 destruction of Monza as Pedro scored twice. And on their last away game, Lazio won away to Cagliari. Lazio beat Venezia 3-1 in Rome on the opening day of the season, and you can back the same score at odds of 12.52and, locked on 46 points with Juventus, Baroni’s team will accept no fewer than three on Saturday.
2025 Serie A winners Napoli have been busy in the transfer market since the end of their Scudetto celebrations, and this week manager Antonio Conte is close to adding another exciting star to his successful group.
They have already made the stellar signing of Belgium maestro Kevin de Bruyne and now the club is in advanced talks with AC Milan to bring USA star Yunus Musah to Naples. Last week the rumours of a move began to circulate and it was reported that a 25m Euros deal was on the table. Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna is due to arrive in Milan on Thursday with a view to moving things on, with terms of agreement with both club and player to be discussed.
There is still some way to go but the addition of Musah would certainly strengthen I Partenopei’s squad. At 22 years of age he has already made 59 appearances for I Rossoneri and picked up 47 caps with the Stars and Stripes; and his technical ability, combined with strength and calmness on the ball make him a classy addition to any midfield. The SBOTOP Serie A 2025 betting odds reckon Napoli and Inter Milan will be joined by Juventus and AC Milan is a four horse race next season, and this kind of signing can tip the balance.
While Milan look likely to lose one of their stars they have been linked with a move for a rival’s big name player in the shape of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic. I Rossoneri will be keen to strengthen their attacking unit as Tammy Abraham’s loan spell has expired and Luka Jovic is out of contract, with no extension yet agreed. AC Milan have previously been linked with Atalanta’s Capocannoniere winner Mateo Retegui, as well as Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez.
But the arrival of Massimiliano Allegri as Milan boss has made the Vlahovic deal more likely, as the two have previously worked together in Turin. .
Parma to appoint 29 year old Cuesta
Former Brazilian player Carlos Cuesta is the new Parma head coach
Following a 16th place finish last term Parma have had some upheaval already in the summer window, as Cristian Chivu, who steered them to safety after he replaced Fabio Pecchia in the season run-in, has been appointed as head coach at Inter Milan. And now the Serie A 2025 news from Parma suggests the club is about to unveil 29-year-old Carlos Cuesta as their new manager. It’s a bold move to appoint such a young coach to a top flight job when he doesn’t have direct experience; but Cuesta certainly has pedigree.
He has previously been on the coaching staff at Atletico Madrid and Juventus and, for the past five seasons, he has been the assistant to Mikel Arteta at Premier League giants Arsenal. Assuming the deal goes through as anticipated, Cuesta will be the second youngest manager in Serie A history, the only younger manager was Elio Loschi who managed US Triestina for a single match way back in 1939.
While it may be a gamble for Parma, the appointment will certainly be a blow to the Gunners as Cuesta is a key and trusted member of Arteta’s inner circle and the Arsenal manager will find him hard to replace.
Chivu era starts with a draw
Inter Milan are over at the Club World Cup in the USA and former Parma boss Cristian Chivu had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Mexican club Monterrey on Tuesday, in his first outing as Nerazzurri boss. Chivu could really do with a good start in Milan after the club had such a disappointing close to the 2024/25 campaign, beaten to the race for the Scudetto by Napoli and then hammered by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
His new team had to recover from an early goal headed home by former Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos, but striker Lautaro Martinez equalised and the Argentine star was unlucky not to add a winner, denied by a marginal offside flag.
Chivu certainly has his work cut out with Inter but his predecessor, Simone Inzaghi, has been under some criticism following his departure to the Saudi Pro League, and felt the need to defend himself in a recent Al-Hilal press conference, saying: “I’ve listened to all the criticism, as often happened in the four years at Inter, but if this is the price to pay for my years in Milan then I’ll willingly pay it.
“I think the separation was the right thing for everyone. I accepted the challenge and stepped out of my comfort zone after several years at Inter.”
Serie A: Napoli are Reloading Ahead of 2025-26 Scudetto Defence
After winning the Serie A title this year, Napoli are already planning to win another Scudetto next season, as they’ve been quite proactive in the transfer market over the past few days. They started with the acquisition of Kevin De Bruyne, who was signed on a free after his contract with Manchester City expired, and they’re keen on bolstering their frontline with a few more additions.
Elsewhere, Juventus and Inter Milan are representing the Italian top-flight well in the 2025 Club World Cup, with both calcios likely to advance to the knockout rounds. Like Napoli, these two teams are also busy in the summer transfer window.
Then, there’s AC Milan under new head coach Max Allegri. After missing out on a spot in European football, the Rossoneri are retooling their team under Allegri, and fans can expect several ins and outs on their roster, looking to improve their SBOTOP Serie A 2025 odds.
Napoli far from done in the transfer market
The acquisition of Kevin De Bruyne gives Napoli a proven playmaker, and they plan to optimize this move by further reinforcing their attack. Napoli have reportedly opened negotiations with Noa Lang, Federico Chiesa, and Dan Ndoye. They also inquired about Bologna center-back Sam Beukema.
Lang was one of PSV Eindhoven’s top performers this season, notching 11 league goals and 11 assists. He has long been linked with a move to Naples, but he might finally secure a transfer there since he has agreed on personal terms with I Partenopei. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Napoli could confirm Lang’s arrival as early as tomorrow.
Napoli are also keen on acquiring Federico Chiesa from Liverpool. The 27-year-old winger played sparingly for the Reds this term, only making 12 appearances across all competitions. Chiesa could use a trip back to Italy since his Premier League stint hasn’t worked out thus far.
Moreover, Napoli have tabled talks with Bologna in a potential package deal involving Dan Ndoye and San Beukema. Ndoye had eight league goals and four assists this season. Beukema had been a regular starter at center half for the Rossoblu, making him a useful addition since Alessandro Buongiorno is still on the sidelines. The Partenopei are also interested in Jadon Sancho, but the Englishman is not on top of the team’s shortlist.
Juventus and Inter Milan doing well in Club World Cup
Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu gestures during a match against Urawa Red Diamonds at the 2025 Club World Cup
Juventus and Inter Milan are among the undefeated teams in the Club World Cup, and these two teams might meet somewhere in the knockouts.
Juventus are at the top of Group G with six points after beating Al-Ain and Wydad with a whopping aggregate tally of 9-1, and they have a superior goal difference over Manchester City. On the other hand, Inter Milan are second in Group E with four points after a 1-1 draw against Monterrey and a 2-1 win over the Urawa Reds – not a bad start under new boss Cristian Chivu.
As far as their transfer activities are concerned, Juventus and Inter Milan’s front offices have been busy on the phones.
Juventus are doing all they can to keep Randal Kolo Muani permanently, and they’ve reportedly met with Jonathan David’s representatives. The Bianconeri also opened negotiations with Nottingham Forest, who are keen on acquiring Samuel Mbangula and Tim Weah.
Inter Milan are fending off feelers from rival clubs. According to the Serie A 2025 news, Galatasaray are reportedly after Hakan Calhanoglu. Fulham and Nottingham Forest are pursuing Mehdi Taremi, and Atletico Madrid want to get Carlos Augusto. The Nerazzurri also exercised their €6.5 million buy option to keep midfielder Nicola Zalewski (from AS Roma) after a productive loan stint last term.
AC Milan to rebuild under Allegri
AC Milan’s front office is adamant that they plan to keep Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan this summer while listening to offers for their other key players. Leao was one of the Rossoneri’s top scorers with eight league goals and eight assists, while Maignan has been the team’s first-choice goalkeeper since arriving from Lille in 2021.
Furthermore, AC Milan have tabled a €30 bid for Ardon Jashari, who did well in his first full season with Club Brugge. The 22-year-old is eyed as the ideal replacement for Tijjani Reijnders, who transferred to Manchester City a few weeks ago.
The Rossoneri are also planning to sell Theo Hernandez, who is in advanced talks with Al-Hilal, and Luka Jovic, who could move to Mexican club Cruz Azul. If they sell Hernandez and Jovic, AC Milan could use the money to pursue Maxim De Cuyper, Oleksandr Zinchenko, or Andrea Cambiaso to add to their full-back depth.
Inter’s Champions League humiliation at the hands of PSG is still a painful memory for players and fans, and captain Lautaro Martinez didn’t hold back after his team lost 2-0 to the Brazilians on Monday.
“Anyone who doesn’t want to be here should leave,” he said amidst the disappointment of defeat. He was clearly annoyed following his club’s exit at the Round of 16 stage in North Carolina.
Both Martinez and Federico Dimarco hit the woodwork during the match, while Inter’s defensive mix-ups gave Fluminese a pass through to the quarterfinals. Martinez continued: “We certainly were not in the match in the first half; we gave the ball away far too many times. The coach gave us a strong push. We have a clear message, anyone who wants to stay must stay, and who doesn’t should leave.”
Martinez have been taking a swipe at former manager Simone Inzaghi, who left the club to manage Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, but it may also be that his comments were aimed at Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, who is rumoured to be pushing for a move to Galatasaray in his home country.
Inter’s new manager Cristian Chivu leapt to his captain’s defense, saying: “We’re winners; sometimes we show our pride and character. I also said the same kind of things in the press conference that we all have to stay in the same boat. He said the same kind of things, but without holding back.”
Calhanoglu’s wife, Sinem Gundogdu didn’t hold back either as she posted on social media: “Some people aren’t loyal to you. They’re loyal to their need for you.”
Vlahovic is staying put in Turin for now
Manchester City’s Ruben Dias in action against Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic during a Club World Cup 2025 clash
Inter Milan will face Juventus very early in the campaign and, in other Serie A 2025 news, I Bianconeri are wrestling with the problem of their Serbian striker, Dusan Vlahovic, who is entering the final year of his contract at Juventus.
However, he has just turned down a lucrative offer from Al-Ahli to play in the Saudi Pro League. With his wages rising to £12 million this season, Vlahovic is the highest-paid player in the Italian top-flight, and that is a liability the Old Lady would like to get rid of, as well as recouping something in terms of a sale fee. But reports in Italy suggest the Serb is happy to run his contract down and pick up a deal elsewhere in 12 months’ time.
As Vlahovic has turned down £24 million from Al Ahli, Juventus have been trying to renegotiate a new deal with their striker. But while the player is not just money motivated, I seriously doubt his agent will suggest he agrees to a wage cut, so this situation is moving nowhere fast.
And that is a frustration also to Premier League club Manchester United, who had Vlahovic on their shopping list as a striker who can score goals. To make matters worse for the Red Devils, it seems another of their targets, 26-year-old Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, is also being courted by the Old Lady.
Modric for Milan, but maybe not Xhaka
The Serie A 2025 betting odds say AC Milan, along with Inter Milan, Juventus, and Scudetto holders Napoli will be the top four in the coming season, and new Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri is working hard to strengthen his hand.
39-year-old Croatian legend Luka Modric has agreed to join the club on a one-year deal, after a glittering career at Real Madrid. Modric still has plenty to offer and will get significant game time at the San Siro, but it seems I Rossoneri’s pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen midfield enforcer Granit Xhaka is cooling.
The former Arsenal star is open to a move to Milan, but reports in Italy say the club is concerned by his wages and the potential fee, and in Modric, they have already recruited an experienced leader. In any case, Milan have traditionally pushed younger players through and, with the likes of 18-year-old Mattia Liberali, featured here at SBOTOP in the first team group, Allegri can afford to be choosy when he brings new men in.
Xhaka could certainly be an asset, but there is work to do to keep that deal alive, and it will be interesting to see if Milan’s appetite for the move has gone.
After just two titles in the club’s history, they now have been crowned champions of Italy twice in the past three years and the SBOTOP Serie A 2025 betting odds offer attractive prices to back them reclaiming the crown next term.
Antonio Conte’s men took advantage of an Inter Milan side who became caught up in a fixture congestion and ended up with nowt as Partenopei lifted the Scudetto. The question now is whether Conte can win back-to-back crowns, something that has eluded him at both Chelsea and Inter Milan over the past decade.
Talking of the Nerazzurri, it has got more troubling for them in recent weeks as, no sooner had they suffered stage fright on the biggest stage of all – a 5-0 Champions League Final defeat – then they said farewell to the manager who brought them so much success in recent years, Simone Inzaghi.
He departed Inter with six trophies won, including the club’s historic 20th league title, two Coppa Italia trophies and three Supercoppa successes.
Football is a ruthless business and he has been quickly replaced by Cristian Chivu, the former Romanian international who has signed a two-year deal.
The 44-year-old rejoins the club where he was a player and later youth coach, after a four-month spell with Parma, whom he guided to Serie A safety in the final weekend of the recently concluded campaign.
After a campaign in which Inter lost the European showpiece, were pipped to the Italian title by a point and were knocked out of the Coppa Italia at the semi-final stage by city rivals Milan, it may surprise you to learn that they are actually slight favourites to reclaim the title next season.
They will need to perform better though than the initial games of Chivu’s reign, which saw them bow out at the last 16 of the World Club Championship just over a week ago.
Before we can predict who is most likely to deliver Serie A 2025 highlights once it all gets underway in during the third week of August, we need to look at the transfer market.
After captain Lautaro Martinez made clear his disappointment of the absence in the States of influential midfielder, Hakan Calhanoglu, speculation continues linking him with a move to Turley and Galatasaray.
Whether they keep hold of him, and I expect them to stay firm with regards to a transfer fee, they will certainly not want to lose Marcus Thuram.
With the €85 million release clause now expired, Inter certainly have way more power for the remainder of the summer, as any interested club would need to negotiate an entirely new transfer fee.
Thuram joined on a free transfer from Borussia Mönchengladbach two years ago and, so far, has won one Serie A title and one Supercoppa Italiana.
The France international has netted 33 times in 96 appearances across all competitions with the Nerazzurri who are also looking to strengthen and have set their sights on Spanish attacking midfielder Marco Asensio, who has returned to PSG after a six-month loan spell at Aston Villa.
Inter’s interest in the 29-year-old is not entirely surprising given that the Nerazzurri had already been offered the ex-Real Madrid star in the January transfer window.
As he is not part of Luis Enrique’s plans in Paris, perhaps he can be a suitable replacement for Calhanoglu who Inter are open to letting leave as long as the Turkish star brings an offer from any interested club before July 31.
Elsewhere, Juventus know they need to up their game but their main focus right now may be trying to keep hold of one of their leading talents.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juve are working to keep Kolo Muani in Turin and ready to send a new offer to retain his services, proposing a €10m loan with an option to buy to PSG.
The France international moved to Turin on loan in January and remained with the Old Lady for the Club World Cup, although they don’t have an option to make his move permanent.
One thing is for sure, the Parisiens won’t want to sell the player on the cheap after signing him for €95m from Eintracht Frankfurt just two years ago.
AC Milan’s new Italian coach Massimiliano Allegri gestures during a training session at The Milanello Sports Centre
And what of Milan after their most disappointing season for years, even though they lifted the Italian Super Cup.
Well, veteran Luka Modric will join them and news of a contract for the 39-year-old Croatia captain was confirmed by none other than Max Allegri, who has returned for a second stint as Milan boss after replacing Sergio Conceicao (who only arrived at the club in January).
Both Paulo Fonseca and Conceiçao could not avoid being sacked in the past year, and when Igli Tare was appointed as the new sporting director, Allegri was the very first name on his agenda.
He has signed a two-year contract, returning to San Siro after 11 years, and has a task and a half on his hands as the giants of the Italian game jockey for position.
The top Serie A clubs are jostling for position over the summer, with the transfer market heating up and it looks like Igor Tudor’s Juventus are moving on of their main targets forward.
The Old Lady are back from the Club World Cup, having bowed out at the Round of 16 stage, losing 1-0 to Real Madrid. And with the new campaign just five weeks away, Juventus look like adding another piece to their jigsaw, as Tudor aims to better last season’s fourth-placed finish. Twenty six-year old Denmark international Morten Hjulmand looks likely to be in Turin before too long after he agreed to a move from Portuguese double winning Sporting Lisbon.
He has made 96 appearances since joining from Italian side Lecce two years ago and has been named in the Primeira Team of the Season in both 2024 and 2025. The defensive midfielder has a whopping release clause of 80m Euros but there does appear to be some wiggle room, with Hjulmand’s agent pushing for a much lower figure and the club is said to be willing to engage with offers in excess of 50m Euros.
Juventus had been looking at Spurs’ midfielder Yves Bissouma but bosses at the Turin giants see Hjulmand as a better fit for the club, as a number six with great poise and the ability to control the pace of the game. And the good news for I Bianconeri is that the Dane has turned down an approach from his former boss Ruben Amorin, now at Manchester United, and agreed personal terms with Juventus.
There is still work to be done on the deal with Sporting but, with Juve wingback Alberto Costa moving the other way, negotiations could move on quite quickly.
Osimhen is on his way
The protracted saga of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has, at long last, been concluded as Napoli have completed the sale of their want-away star to Galatasaray at a cost of 75m Euros with 40m paid up front. And the 2025 Scudetto winners have inserted a clause precluding a return to Serie A within two seasons.
Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen celebrates after scoring a goal during their Europa League match against Dynamo Kyiv in January 225
The 26-year-old was hugely instrumental in Napoli’s 2023 Scudetto and has scored 65 goals in 108 appearances for I Partenopei since his arrival in 2020. But after falling out with the club, he moved to the Turkish giants on loan last season where he scored 26 goals in 30 games as Galatasaray won their domestic title. And, after speculation linking him with a host of clubs across Europe, Osimhen has found a permanent home in Turkey, a move which seemingly suits all three parties.
As my SBOTOP colleague Jordan writes, Napoli are reloading after their stunning 2025 triumph, bringing in Kevin De Bruyne at the start of the window, and the pre-season Serie A 2025 betting odds have installed them as favourites. It looks like the Naples club is doing good business.
Roma up their bid for Wesley
In other Serie A 2025 news, new Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has been busy in the market this week and I Giallorossi are closing in on two targets, opening their wallet to meet the price needed to lure Flamengo right back Wesley Franca. The 21 year old is said to be keen to move to Rome and the club has responded by upping their original offer of 22m Euros to 25m plus add-ons, and that may be enough to tempt the Brazilian side to do a deal. Wesley is a bright prospect with two full Selecao caps to his name already and he would be a coup for Roma, but the Serie A club, which finished fifth last season is widening its net.
Hellas Verona centre back Daniele Ghilardi is in Roma’s sights, but I Giallorossi may have to move quickly as La Liga big hitters Real Betis are also tracking the 22-year-old who has been a regular for the Azzurri U21 team. Betis have been reported in the Spanish press to have made a bid, but it seems Roma have bettered that and Ghilardi could soon be on his way to the Stadio Olimpico.
These are interesting times at Roma where their new manager, so famed for the attacking football his teams played at Atalanta, looks to be strengthening at the back. But Gasperini always knows how to score goals so it may be that he is looking to take a balanced approach to his top four assault at Roma. Juventus and Napoli will back their chances of a top four place at least and the two Milan clubs will be hard to shift…and then there is always Atalanta… so Gasperini certainly has his work cut out.
Serie A: These Three Can Light Up Juventus’ Scudetto Mission
The 2025/26 Serie A campaign inches ever closer and, the way things are shaping up, we could have another superb Scudetto race on out hands.
When the season starts there’s a tasty clash between Juventus and Inter Milan to look forward to, and they are two of the big four clubs expected to be in the shakeup next May. 2025 champions Napoli and a resurgent AC Milan will also be challengers according to the latest Serie A 2025 betting odds, while Atalanta can’t be ignored, despite the loss of long-term manager Gian Piero Gasperini.
In this week’s SBOTOP review of all matters Serie A, we talked about Juventus closing in on Denmark star Morten Hjulmand from Sporting Lisbon, and he would surely be a strong addition to the Turin club’s pack. But which of the current crop of Bianconeri stars can also make their mark next term?
Here we look at three who might be pivotal in an Old Lady title push, an exciting talent, a player with a point to make, and an established Juve man who can always be relied on.
Kenan Yildiz
Turkish wing wizard Yildiz came to the world’s attention at the 2024 Euros with his strong running, tight ball control, and superb delivery. He’s a real handful for any full-back and looks sure to be one of the stars of European football for years to come. The 20-year-old has been linked with La Liga champions Barcelona and Bayern Munich, but Biaconeri fans will be delighted to learn that he is close to agreeing an improved contract to keep him in Turin. Yildiz joined the club in 2022 from Bayern Munich, and he became a standout performer at the club’s academy before quickly making his name in the first team under Max Allegri in 2023.
He was handed the No. 10 shirt worn by the legendary Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero, and Yildiz is now one of the jewels in the Juve crown. Club directors are meeting with his representatives this week and hope to finalise a deal soon, to ward off the suitors, which also include Premier League giants Chelsea and Arsenal.
Nico Gonzalez
Real Madrid’s Arda Güler and Juventus’ Nicolás González fight for the ball during a 2025 Club World Cup clash
His first full campaign in Turin didn’t quite live up to expectations, but there is no doubting the quality of 27-year-old Argentine Nico Gonzalez, and he’ll be keen to prove himself at Juventus if he gets another chance. After making his name in Europe as a left-sided forward with VfB Stuttgart, Gonzalez moved to Fiorentina in 2021, scoring 38 goals in 125 appearances for La Viola. And that earned him a big-money move to Juventus, a loan in August 2024 made permanent for a fee of €28 million in May this year.
He showed glimpses of his talent in 26 appearances for the Old Lady last season, but only scored three goals in the league, and it may be that Juve decide to move him on if a suitable fee is offered.
In the latest Serie A 2025 news, Atalanta have been linked as a potential buyer. La Dea tried to sign the Argentine last year, but Juve beat them to it, and Atalanta picked up Mateo Retegui instead and that worked out pretty well.
But with versatile forward Ademola Lookman seemingly on his way out of Bergamo, La Dea may come back in for Gonzalez, while it looks like he may also get some offers from the Saudi Pro League. And if he wants to go there, then Juve would most likely receive the fee they want.
I would advise caution though, as I think there is more to come from Gonzalez.
Weston McKennie
One player the Old Lady can always rely on is USA midfield ace Weston McKennie. Described by the Stars and Stripes as a “Swiss Army Knife” with multiple uses, the 26-year-old is about as versatile as you can get.
Before moving to Serie A, McKennie started at Schalke in the Bundesliga, playing as a centre-back, a full-back and a striker, but it was as a box-to-box midfielder where McKennie has evolved in recent years. He can play in the deeper defencive midfield role, or just behind the strikers, even holding down a wider position if needed.
He’s the type of player every title chaser needs. While he can fulfill many jobs, his performance levels are consistently high, and he can be a match-winner with a moment of genius, or by controlling the pace of the game, winning the ball back, and unlocking opportunities for the strikers. With 60 caps for the Stars and Stripes, he is sure to become an international centurian, and McKennie is one of the first names on the Juventus team sheet.
Serie A: These Three Can Light Up Juventus’ Scudetto Mission
AC Milan have work to do to become legitimate Serie A contenders again. First, they have to get fully acclimated with Massimiliano Allegri, who replaced Sergio Conceicao at the head coaching helm. Second, they need to acquire the players he needs via the transfer market. And third, Allegri must have a full summer to prepare with the squad, and the Rossoneri will start their preseason tour with a club friendly against Arsenal later at the Singapore National Stadium.
The SBOTOP Serie A 2025 odds have the Rossoneri smack dabbed in the middle of the pack, with fourth place being the highest possible finish, and Napoli, Inter Milan, Juventus, and Atalanta expected to be above them. This won’t certainly appease the fans in San Siro, but Allegri knows what it takes to win the league, and he’ll do everything in his power to bring back the glory days.
AC Milan fell apart last season
AC Milan supporters were optimistic about winning the Scudetto again in 2024-25 after finishing second behind Inter Milan in the previous season. But instead, they endured a rollercoaster campaign under two different head coaches.
When Stefano Pioli left San Siro to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, that’s when everything fell apart for the Rossoneri. Pioli guided AC Milan to winning the Scudetto in 2021-22 but was eventually replaced by Paulo Fonseca, who looked out of his depth. Fonseca was sacked before the New Year after the Rossoneri dropped to eighth in the Italian top-flight standings, a far cry from their Top 2 seed expectations during the preseason.
Sergio Conceicao was appointed to replace Fonseca, and AC Milan experienced the new manager bounce. The Portuguese boss helped the Rossoneri win the Supercoppa Italiana, beating Inter Milan in the final.
However, Conceicao’s run of luck didn’t last long. AC Milan were eliminated from the Champions League after losing to Feyenoord in the play-offs, and they lost to Bologna in the Coppa Italia final. More poor Serie A 2025 results followed, and the Rossoneri failed to clinch a spot in European football next season.
Before Pioli’s 2022 Scudetto run, Allegri coached AC Milan to the championship in 2011, and fans hope he can do it again.
AC Milan have been busy this summer
AC Milan have been pretty active in the summer transfer window. You can tell that their main objective was to increase their funds, as they sold Theo Hernandez to Al-Hilal for €30 million, Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City for €55 million, and Marco Sportiello to Atalanta. They also loaned Francesco Camarda and Tommaso Pobega to Lecce and Bologna, respectively, and let Marko Lazetic, Davide Calabria, Luka Jovic, and Alessandro Florenzi walk.
Meanwhile, AC Milan acquired the highly rated Samuele Ricci from Torino for around €23 million and signed free agents Luka Modric, Pietro Terracciano, and Davide Bartesaghi. The Rossoneri are also pushing to pry Ardon Jashari away from Club Brugge and are close to signing Pervis Estupinan as Hernandez’s replacement at the starting left-back position.
Luka Modric reacts at the end of the Club World Cup 2025 semi-final between PSG and Real Madrid at the MetLife Stadium
The additions of Modric and Ricci bolster AC Milan’s midfield, especially after Reijnders left for Manchester City. Ricci will likely play alongside Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Modric should serve as a veteran mentor because he’s approaching his 40s. Yunus Musah, Warren Bondo, and Youssouf Fofana also add to their depth.
With the money that they freed up this offseason, AC Milan could make a few more moves to improve their roster.
Key players that need to step up for AC Milan
With no European football this upcoming season, AC Milan face a lighter schedule ahead. This could turn out to be a blessing in disguise, since Massimiliano Allegri will have more time to develop his squad.
Allegri typically uses a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 formation, which should benefit Rafa Leao, Christian Pulisic, Santiago Gimenez, Fikayo Tomori, and Strahinja Pavlovic.
Pulisic was the Rossoneri’s most productive player last term, registering 11 league goals and nine assists, and the American international will assume more playmaking duties following the departure of Tijjani Reijnders. Rafael Leao, with eight league goals and eight assists, should be featured heavily as a left winger. Santiago Gimenez should be the lead striker after scoring five league goals during his short run with the team last season. Tomori has shown he can play as a right-back when needed, while Pavlovic has taken the starting centre-back spot alongside Gabbia.
Finishing in the Top 4 is a reasonable expectation for AC Milan this upcoming season, but they could go even higher if the opportunity presents itself.
Serie A side Atalanta are undergoing major upheaval this summer. First, they appointed Ivan Juric to replace Gian Piero Gasperini, who took the AS Roma head coaching job. Second, they’ve acquired and released several players during the summer transfer window. La Dea finished third in the Italian top-flight standings last term, but don’t be surprised if they go a few places down, according to the early Serie A 2025 odds.
Elsewhere, Napoli are preparing for a tough title defence by playing several club friendlies. Antonio Conte’s men dropped their first preseason game, despite handing debuts to their key summer signings. And most recently, Udinese, who finished 12th in the table, are approaching the 2025-26 campaign with pessimism because one of their key players is out for at least the first few weeks.
Check out the latest Serie A 2025 updates, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Atalanta in danger of losing one more star
Atalanta just completed the sale of Mateo Retegui to Al-Qadsiah, who finished fourth in the Saudi Pro League last season, and the Italian striker penned a heartfelt goodbye letter for La Dea fans. Atalanta reportedly received £56 million for Retegui, making him the most expensive Italian player in history. He’ll essentially replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the Saudi Pro League side.
However, many argue that the Bergamo-based club could’ve gotten more for the 26-year-old because Retegui is coming off a highly productive 2024-25 campaign. With 25 league goals in 36 games, Retegui won the Capocannoniere award en route to securing Atalanta’s Champions League spot for next season.
Following Retegui’s departure, Atalanta are in danger of losing another one of their top attackers since Inter Milan are heavily pursuing Ademola Lookman. La Dea want at least €50 million for the 27-year-old forward, but the Nerazzurri are haggling for a lower transfer fee. Lookman’s stance of wanting to join Inter Milan might help both sides come to a compromise.
Lookman finished as the team’s second-leading scorer behind Retegui with 15 league goals and five assists. He is famously known for scoring a hat-trick in the European League final against Bayer Leverkusen, helping Atalanta win their first major European trophy in 2024.
Moreover, Atalanta are probably preparing for Lookman’s departure, as they recruited Kamaldeen Sulemana and Lamar Samardzic to bolster their attack. They also signed Odilon Kossounou from Bayer Leverkusen to beef up their backline.
Udinese dealt with big lineup blow
Maduka Okoye will miss at least six Serie A games for Udinese, as he is being investigated for betting irregularities. Fortunately for the 25-year-old goalkeeper, he was cleared of sporting fraud. His two-month ban will start at the opening game of the 2025-26 season, where Udinese will face Carrarese on August 18 during the first round of the Coppa Italia.
“The club is satisfied that the athlete has been totally cleared of the insulting allegations of match-fixing. The club cannot help but reaffirm the maximum support to Okoye, who is waiting to read the motivation of the sentencing. Udinese reaffirm our full faith in the correct behaviour of Maduka,” Udinese said in a statement.
Okoye had been accused of purposefully receiving a yellow card during a Serie A match against Lazio in March 2024 after many from the Udine area reportedly placed bets on the said outcome. The FIGC Federal Tribunal found that most of those bets allegedly generated over €120,000 in winnings.
Okoye had been one of the most underrated goalkeepers in Italy last season and was reportedly being pursued by Bournemouth. With their first-choice goalkeeper sidelined, head coach Kosta Runjaic will choose between 23-year-old Razvan Sava and 39-year-old Daniele Padelli to be the man between the sticks.
Napoli suffer defeat in preseason opener
Napoli have been one of the busiest teams in the summer transfer window, as they acquired the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Noa Lang, and Sam Beukema. The three of them made their debuts against Arezzo, which they lost 2-0 at Stadio Comunale earlier today.
Napoli manager Antonio Conte applauds the fans during their title ceremony for winning the 2024-25 Serie A season
The defeat is embarrassing for the reigning Serie A champions because Arezzo are from the third division. Antonio Conte’s men conceded a goal right before halftime and during stoppage time. Notably absent from the squad were Matteo Politano and Scott McTominay due to fitness concerns. However, we would be remiss not to give goalkeeper Luca Trombini a shoutout for giving Arezzo the clean sheet win.
Napoli’s preseason continues with another club friendly against Serie B outfit Catanzaro this Saturday. Meanwhile, the Partenopei are ramping up their pursuit of Bologna’s Dan Ndoye, but Nottingham Forest are in their way.
If you ask this SBOTOP writer to tip a team for the title in any major European league next season, I could do so without hesitation – all apart from in Serie A.
For it is the Italian top flight that has left me completely unsure as who to back when the new campaign gets underway.
Our Serie A 2025 betting odds make it clear with champions Napoli the favourites to defend the Scudetto they lifted in May.
Just behind them in the reckoning is a team which delivered plenty of their own Serie A 2025 highlights and, until recently, had been the dominant force in recent years.
Indeed, if Inter Milan had not experienced such upheaval in recent months – they suffered stage fright on the biggest stage of all (a 5-0 Champions League Final defeat) before saying farewell to the manager who brought them so much success – Simone Inzaghi, the Nerazzurri would probably be title favourites.
Then there is Juventus, priced as third favourites, and Milan who are an intriguing fourth.
Incidentally, you probably won’t be surprised to know that two of the three promoted clubs, Pisa and Cremonese, are joint favourites for the drop, priced @ 1501.00 for the title.
Back to the reigning champions and it is hard to imagine Napoli will not make a better fist of their title defence than they did two summers ago.
Unlike Luciano Spalletti, who departed Naples after their memorable 2023 triumph, manager Antonio Conte has stayed in place and the defensive improvements and mentality he has instilled into the side should hold them in good stead once again.
They also have added the flair of experienced Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne and the pace of the Italian game, somewhat slower to what he has been used to in England with Manchester City, could prove a real asset.
Over at Inter, new coach Cristian Chivu has his work cut out to shape his own identity around an ageing team and prove as popular as his predecessor.
Chivu, who made his debut in the dugout as the new Inter coach during the Club World Cup earlier this summer, has already signed Petar Sucic, Luis Henrique and Ange-Yoan Bonny.
Juventus are fresh from their first pre-season friendly of the summer, a 2-2 draw with Serie B side Reggiana – a match in which new arrival from FC Porto, Francisco Conceiçao, and Dusan Vlahovic were on target for the ‘old lady’.
Perhaps the latter, who has been linked with a move away from the club, can have a future with them. He is certainly a fine goalscorer when on form.
Whether they go back for Randal Kolo Muani, who has returned to PSG following his loan spell in Turin, remains to be seen but either way, they will need to replace the impact of the frontman who scored eight goals in 16 appearances for the club.
And what of Milan?
Despite finishing in eighth place last term, it will be very interesting to see matters play out.
Veteran Luka Modric has joined them and, even at the age of 39, the Croatia captain will have a role to play.
But the most fascinating storyline could be how Max Allegri fares.
AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri gives instructions during the team’s pre-season training on July 8, 2025
The Swiss and the Spaniard Leading the Way in Serie A
Serie A, historically, has produced some of the leading custodians the game has ever seen.
Names of some of the goalkeepers who have graced the Italian top flight read like a who’s-who of the best number ones in the business and easily trip off the tongue.
Think Gianluigi Buffon, Angelo Peruzzi, Dino Zoff, Walter Zenga and Gianluca Pagliuca.
They may all be Italian but there have been plenty of non-Italians who have caught the eye too.
When asked to rank who I believe will be the top goalkeepers in the forthcoming 2025-26 season, this SBOTOP scribe had no hesitation either.
For whatever Serie A 2025 highlights are on their way over the next nine months, there are two pairs of ‘safe hands’ which stand out from the rest as far as I am concerned.
One such player is at Inter Milan and continues to excel as he prepares for only his third ever season in Italy after a career which he has shone, predominantly for his country (for whom he has been consistently outstanding) and in the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach.
As a colleague highlighted more than 18 months ago, Switzerland’s number one at Inter ‘fits like a glove’.
Although he had a brief spell at Bayern Munich from January 2023 after Manuel Neuer broke his leg during a ski trip, once he returned, Yann Sommer was offloaded after only 19 appearances.
After weeks of negotiations, Sommer was then sold to Inter Milan for €6.75 million following the departure of Andre Onana to Manchester United.
He had big shoes to fill as the Cameroon international excelled at the San Siro, but it is my view that they upgraded when they brought in Sommer, even at the age of 34.
Since then, he has helped the Nerazzurri to success in the Italian Super Cup, was part of the team’s 20th Scudetto success and was also named in the Serie A Team of the Year with 19 clean sheets in 34 league matches.
While Inter finished empty-handed last term, he was in fine form and was man of the match in their epic 4-3 Champions League semi-final second leg win over Barcelona.
The importance of having a good and reliable goalkeeper has long been noted in history.
Even top teams will be vulnerable without such a player and, despite this being a period of significant change for the club, the Serie A 2025 betting odds still make Inter second favourites for the title next season. Sommer is one of the main reasons why.
Another man who has moved to Italia and made the number one jersey his own since arriving in Florence last season is David De Gea.
Fiorentina’s David De Gea in action against Inter Milan
He has recently signed a three year contract extension, remains one of the best shot stoppers in the world and continues to prove it time and again; without his services, Fiorentina wouldn’t have qualified for the Europa Conference League next season.
Shortly after arriving at the club, De Gea kept out a pair of penalties and plenty more shots during a 2-1 win over AC Milan.
It marked the start of a run of eight consecutive Serie A victories for Fiorentina – only once before (back in 1960) had they achieved such a run in the Italian top-flight and De Gea played a crucial part in that.
During his sabbatical, the Spaniard kept up his own personal training, doing one-on-one work with a goalkeeping coach as well as playing padel, but there is a big jump to competitive action.
Before playing in Serie A, De Gea conceded three times on his actual Fiorentina debut, a Europa Conference qualifier at home to Puskás Akadémia, which ended 3-3.
Fiorentina barely scraped past the Hungarian side, requiring a penalty shootout after drawing both legs. They collected only one other win in their first nine competitive matches under the new manager Raffaele Palladino.
Yet Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, has long been a city where footballing careers are reborn.
De Gea, almost overnight, provided renewed confidence to the backline and now he has reportedly turned down offers from European rivals to repay the loyalty he has been shown.
When he returns with the Viola to Old Trafford next weekend for a friendly, you can guarantee he will receive a hero’s welcome. In the country which has given us such great goalkeepers, the two best right now are a Swiss and a Spaniard – make no mistake!
Serie A: Who Could Be the Breakout Heroes in Italy in 25-26?
Serie A is almost up and running.
The major European league which produced the most exciting finish of all last season, as Napoli lifted the Scudetto on the final day, is set to return and we await it with much anticipation.
After just two titles in the club’s history, Napoli have now been crowned champions of Italy twice in the past three years and the SBOTOP Serie A 2025 betting odds offer attractive prices to back them reclaiming the crown.
They are priced just ahead of Inter Milan who are fully beginning the post Simone Inzaghi era.
Cristian Chivu, the former Romanian international who has signed a two year deal to replace him, rejoins the club where he was a player and later youth coach, after a four-month spell with Parma, whom he guided to Serie A safety.
After a campaign in which Inter lost the Champions League Final, were pipped to the Italian title by a point and were knocked out of the Coppa Italia at the semi-final stage by city rivals Milan, the Nerazzurri will be determined to bounce back and produce some early Serie A 2025 highlights to ease the heartbreak.
With that amongst many changes in the top flight, it is tricky to predict the outcome and it could well be that the emergence of some potential breakout stars give Serie A clubs that distinct and unexpected edge in both the title race, the battle for European football and the bid to beat the drop.
Here are my ones to watch in 2025-26:
Wesley and Ewan Ferguson (Roma)
Wing-backs are crucial for new manager Gian Piero Gasperini – who did such a superb job at Roma – and Wesley makes no exception.
Signed from Brazilian club Flamengo for €25 million, the 21 year-old has a unique background as he had decided to quit his football career after the Covid pandemic only to change his mind.
Roma held off competition from many European clubs to secure his signature this summer and he will likely get consistent playing time down the right flank. Brighton and Ireland frontman Evan Ferguson joined Roma on an initial loan deal and is also one to watch, given I think he’s a special talent who just needs nurturing.
Luka Topalovic (Inter Milan)
Another player who may benefit from a new manager.
The 19 year‑old Slovenian midfielder arrived at the club last year with the polish of a continental prospect; he’s tall, athletic, and keen to contribute with both goals and assists.
Expect Chivu to give this talent an opportunity and he may well emerge from the shadows on occasion given Inter’s hectic schedule at home and abroad.
Francesco Camarda (Lecce)
Francesco Camarda transfers from AC Milan to Lecce on loan
Loaned to Lecce, this is the chance for a highly anticipated talent to get game time and he could be the man that ensures the Apulia based side avoids a repeat of last season’s dog fight at the bottom.
Milan’s new manager Max Allegri will no doubt be keeping an eye on how he fares on loan with a view to bringing him back to the San Siro in due course.
His promise is clear. In November 2023, at 15 years and 260 days old, Camarda became the youngest debutant in Serie A history.
At 16 years and 226 days, he became the youngest Italian to debut in the Champions League.
Now is the time to start showing why he was given such opportunities at a tender age.
Giacomo Faticanti (Lecce)
There’s no question, Lecce have acted decisively and Eusebio Di Francesco is putting some faith in youth as the club looks to avoid another flirt with relegation (they stayed up by three points last term).
Faticanti has the potential to match Camarda at the other end of the pitch.
He is a player who reads the game with calm precision and strong positional awareness and is also adept at breaking up play through interceptions and aerial challenges. At 6’1″, the 20 year‑old Italian has already caught the eye and captained Roma under 19s team. Now for a breakthrough in senior football?
The Serie A fixtures came out two months ago and, since then; fans around Italy have been counting down the days. Well, the time has come, and on Saturday evening, Roma entertain Bologna in a fascinating clash.
Two teams which have nudged the top four in recent campaigns come together, with a new man in the home dugout; one of the big Serie A 2025 news stories of the summer was Gian Piero Gasperini’s switch from Atalanta to AS Roma. The 67-year old turned La Dea into one of Europe’s best attacking forces over the past decade and Roma fans want a piece of the magic.
Meanwhile, Bologna are in a period of transition too, as Fabio Pisacane has walked through the door and he is tasked with picking I Rossoblu up from a disappointing campaign last term. But while Roma’s squad is well stocked with existing stars and some exciting incomings, Bologna has plenty of work to do, and that gives Gasperini’s new charges a big chance this weekend.
Talking Points
Can Gasperini transform Roma?
Atalanta fans were certainly not happy to see their manager leave to manage a top four rival and the Serie A 2025 betting odds have elevated Roma to fifth favourites to win the Scudetto, leapfrogging La Dea who has slipped down to sixth. And Gasperini has got to work quickly in the transfer market. The signings of wingback Wesley and striker Evan Ferguson have strengthened an already talented squad and Roma have, this week, added Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey on loan, though he will spend some time out having picked up an injury in his first training session in Rome.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson celebrates after scoring a goal during Premier League match against Wolverhampton
And Roma are heading back to the Premier League in an attempt to sign Manchester United’s want-away forward Jadon Sancho; the clubs have reached an agreement
approaching £20m, a fraction of the £73m fee the Red Devils paid to Borussia Dortmund in 2021. The club and player are working on personal terms so there is some way to go, but if Sancho does join Roma that will be another statement of intent. Gasperini has proven performers in Artem Dovbyk, Paul Dybala and Stephan El Shaarawy already at the club and if he can integrate the new boys quickly they will be a formidable opponent.
Bologna rebuild isn’t easy
While Bologna won the Coppa Italia in May, a first trophy in 51 years, they laboured in the league and slipped to ninth in Serie A after reaching the heights of fifth in 2023/24. Key players Joshua Zirkzee and Riccardo Calafiori left for Manchester United and Arsenal in summer 2024, and the club still has plenty of work to do in the market, with the latest betting odds predicting an eighth placed finish, behind the new kids on the block from Como.
I Rossoblu have carried on selling, with Dan Ndoye joining Nottingham Forest and already scoring his first goal for the Premier League side, and, according to reports in the UK, defender Jhon Lucumi is a target for Sunderland. Meanwhile, the club is struggling to land its primary target, Kristjan Asllani. The 23-year old central midfielder would add serious quality to the Rossoblu starting eleven but talks between the two clubs seem to have stalled.
Bologna have signed former Juventus winger Federico Bernadeschi. The 31-year old has spent the last three seasons in the MLS with Toronto FC, and he faces a fitness test before the weekend’s fixture; meanwhile midfielder Lewis Ferguson is also doubtful and defender Juan Miranda is suspended.
One player who would simply love to play against Roma is Lazio legend Ciro Immobile. The four times Capocannoniere winner is 35 now, and he spent the last season in Turkey with Besiktas. He scored 169 goals in 270 games for Lazio and Bologna fans would give anything for just one from Immobile against I Giallorossi on Saturday.
History
Roma have bossed the head to heads with Bologna, winning 15 to I Rossoblu’s seven while there have been ten draws; and the Romans have scored 53 goals in that time to Bologna’s 35.
Serie A: New Season, New Coach, Same Old Problems for AC Milan
Max Allegri’s Serie A debut with AC Milan did not go as planned, as his team suffered a 2-1 loss against newly promoted Cremonese at San Siro yesterday. The Rossoneri may have changed coaches this summer, but their old problems remain, as they were poor defensively and were disconnected up front. As of this writing, AC Milan are 16th in the Italian top-flight standings.
Elsewhere, defending champions Napoli are off to a positive start, following a 2-0 win over 10-man Sassuolo. Juventus also recorded a 2-0 win against Parma, despite being reduced to 10 men, to kick off their 2025-26 campaign on a high note.
Learn more about the latest Serie A 2025 results, courtesy of SBOTOP.
AC Milan suffer upset loss at home
Max Allegri went with a 3-5-2 formation against Cremonese, and it backfired, as the newly promoted side jumped to a one-goal lead before the half-hour mark. Federico Baschirotto scored the first goal of the match in the 28th minute, as he headed the ball into the back of the net after an exquisite lob pass by Alessio Zerbin.
AC Milan replied with a header of their own before halftime, as Pervis Estupinan floated the ball into the box, and centre-back Strahinja Pavlovic scored his first goal of the campaign. But after that moment, the Rossoneri were far from clinical in the final third.
As the second half began, AC Milan almost had the lead when Fikayo Tomori hit a shot on the spin from Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s pass, but Cremonese’s Emil Audero saved it. Luka Modric, Matteo Gabbia, Christian Pulisic, and Youssouf Fofana also had their chances in the final third, but to no avail.
Allegri’s were left to rue their missed chances, as Cremonese regained the advantage for good in the 61st minute. Federico Bonazzoli scored off a bicycle kick after a well-placed cross by Giuseppe Pezzella. AC Milan had several more chances in the final minutes, but Cremonese’s backline stood firm to defy the Serie A 2025 odds.
Modric was the brightest spot for AC Milan, impressing everyone with his passing and ball handling. Despite approaching 40 next month, the Croatian showed he still has it.
Juventus’ strikers rejuvenate the Old Lady
Juventus strikers Jonathan David and Dusan Vlahovic took turns leading the line for the Bianconeri in their 2-0 win over Parma, and Kenan Yildiz had a hand in both of their goals.
After going scoreless in the first 58 minutes, Yildiz created the first goal of the match for Juventus by finding a cutting David inside the box for an easy tap-in goal. The Turkish international did the same for Vlahovic 25 minutes later during a counterattacking sequence. Despite not scoring a goal, Yildiz deserved to be the Player of the Match, even if David and Vlahovic will get most of the credit.
The only negative for Juventus in this match was Andrea Cambiaso’s straight red card after the wing-back smacked Mathias Lovik in the face a minute before the team’s second goal during a loose ball. This means he’ll be suspended for at least the Week 2 fixture against Genoa and potentially in Week 3 against Inter Milan.
After the match, head coach Igor Tudor got a clearer picture of his striker situation. Tudor said he doesn’t mind keeping both David and Vlahovic beyond the summer transfer window, although he is aware that the Juventus front office has been trying to offload Vlahovic for quite some time now.
Former Manchester stars seal Napoli’s first win
Napoli made the perfect start as the reigning Serie A champions, as they conquered Sassuolo with goals from Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne.
Napoli’s Kevin De Bruyne in action during their Serie A season opening match against Sassuolo at Mapei Stadium
It didn’t take too long for McTominay to flex his MVP credentials, as he headed the ball into the back of the net in the 17th minute following a well-placed pass from Matteo Politano. The former Manchester United midfielder almost added another one before halftime, as his right-foot curler from the edge of the box hit the crossbar.
Napoli almost scored their second goal of the match in the 55th minute, as Politano’s deflected effort hit off the post from a McTominay pass, and Lorenzo Lucca, who replaced the injured Romelu Lukaku, couldn’t get the rebound. However, De Bruyne scored his first Serie A goal two minutes later, as his free-kick from the touchline went over the heads of Lucca and McTominay, and the ball bounced into the right side of the net.
To make matters worse for Sassuolo, they were reduced to 10 men late after Ismael Kone received his second yellow card for his reckless challenge on Lucca.
Fourth hosts fifth at the Blue Energy Stadium on Saturday night when the Serie A match between Udinese and AC Milan kicks off under the lights.
Both teams have recorded back-to-back wins in the run-up to this clash, and while Milan are regular eaters at the top table of Italian football, it’s a relatively rare occasion for Le Zebrette. Austrian head coach Kosta Runjaic guided Udinese to a 12th-place finish last term, only four places behind Milan. But while Udinese may be impostors, I Rossoneri have a chance to challenge for the title again this season.
Not only do AC Milan have a much easier schedule than their rivals, all embroiled in European competition, but they have appointed a serial Scudetto winner in Max Allegri, five-time champion as Juventus manager, and five-time Coppa Italia winner and, by the way, he also won the Scudetto with AC Milan way back in 2011.
Can Allegri bring back the glory days to the San Siro Stadium? Only time will tell, but all his focus this weekend will be on the next test, and Udinese will be ready to ask him plenty of questions.
Talking Points
Udinese are a team of fighters
The pre-match Serie A 2025 betting odds say I Rossoneri will win on Saturday, but they face a team that exceeds the sum of its individual parts, which, at home, will be a very tough nut to crack.
Udinese’s Jesper Karlstrom fights for the ball against Juventus players during their Serie A match back in November 2024
Captained by Swedish midfielder Jesper Karlstrom, this is a team with few household names, save for Azzurri star Nicolo Zaniolo. The ex-Roma attacking midfielder is on loan from Galatasaray and, at 26 years of age, is in his prime, so he would dearly like to make his mark against one of the Serie A elite.
In defence, 6’4” French centre back Oumar Solet will stand alongside the Great Dane, Thomas Kristensen, who is even taller at 6’6”, so Milan will think twice before flinging early balls into the penalty area, which I suspect will be meat and drink to these two.
And Udinese can bite too when they get the chance. Just ask Inter Milan, who fell to a 2-1 defeat to Le Zebrette just three weeks ago.
Modric can be so good for Milan
Over in Milan, there was a summer arrival of one of the most famous names in football when Croatian legend and Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric walked through the door. Now 40 years of age, the former Real Madrid star will be used carefully, but he’s already made his mark, scoring the only goal in I Rossoneri’s meeting with Bologna last week.
That win made it six points from three games for Milan so far, not a bad return after they fell to a shock 2-1 home defeat to Cremonese on the opening day. Milan recovered to beat Lecce 2-0, and then Bologna, and a win in Udine would lift them into the top four.
In a side that boasts the stellar talents of Christian Pulisic, Adrien Rabiot, Pervis Estupian, and Christopher Nkunku, Modric is sure to feature in the Serie A 2025 highlights. He still displays an aura of cool excellence, doing the basics better than anyone, but also with the ability to win any game with a moment of magic.
Modric and co. really need to gather some momentum quickly. While Inter Milan, Juventus, Atalanta, and Napoli were in Champions League action this week, I Rossoneri had time to plan and prepare, and now they need to become relentless in their climb back from relative mid-table obscurity.
History
AC Milan is a proud club with a rich history in Italy and abroad, as a 19-time Scudettto winner and seven-time champions of Europe. In contrast, Udinese’s past is more humble, as a three-time Serie B winner and a three-time Serie C winner.
But the underdogs have had plenty of success in this fixture. AC Milan have won 22 to Udinese’s 15 in all competitions since 2003, though last season, I Rossoneri completed a comprehensive double, following up a 1-0 victory at the San Siro Stadium before hammering Le Zebrette 4-0 in Udine.
With three wins and a draw from their first four games this season, Udinese are edging the form table against Milan, who have picked up three wins and a defeat.
2025 Serie A champions Napoli climbed back to the top of the table on Saturday thanks to an emphatic 3-1 win over Inter Milan in the SBOTOP match of the week.
The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona was rocking as Antonio Conte’s men completed a six–pointer of a victory over Christian Chivu’s Inter Milan, set on their way by another goal from summer signing Kevin de Bruyne. The former Manchester City man’s move to Italy is one of the big Serie A 2025 news stories of the campaign so far. He’s already scored four league goals for Napoli and looks to be a gem of a buy.
33 minutes were on the clock when Inter’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan fouled Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the penalty area and the cool Belgian stroked home the spot kick.
As I Nerazzurri tried to fight back Alessandro Bastoni and Denzil Dumfries both hit the woodwork before the break but they went into half time a goal down. And one became two when another former Manchester player, Scott McTominay, took a through ball from Leonardo Spinazzola in his stride and hammered a brilliant shot past Yann Sommer and into the net.
VAR got Inter back into the game, spotting a handball by Alessandro Buongiorno and Mkhitaryan halved the deficit from the penalty spot. But as the visitors again tried to get on level terms their hopes were dashed by a powerful run and finish from Frank Anguissa, who notched his third goal of the season.
The Serie A 2025 betting odds can hardly split Napoli and the two Milan sides; but this result will have given I Partenopei renewed belief that they can win a third Scudetto in four campaigns. But, with Roma winning again and drawing level with Conte’s men on points, and Milan and Inter both lurking there is a long, long way to go.
Milan held by Pisa
In a top versus bottom match on Friday night the spoils were shared, the result being that I Rossoneri were toppled off the summit of the table, while Pisa moved off the floor. Milan seemed to be heading for a comfortable win as they dominated the first half and went into the break a goal to the good. Massimiliano Allegri’s side scored inside seven minutes when Rafael Leao slid the ball into the far corner.
Rafael Leao in action during AC Milan’s match against Pisa
The hosts were camped in their visitors half with 68 per cent possession, 20 shots and seven on target but Pisa found a way back into the game and scored with their only two shots on target. Koni De Winter handled in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot and, after a lengthy VAR check, Colombian and former Juventus legend Juan Cuadrado, now at a ripe old age of 37, stepped up to slam the penalty home. The leveller came on the hour and prompted I Rossoneri to pile forward and Leao smashed a shot which rattled the crossbar. Allegri threw on fresh legs and, Christopher Nkunku had a great chance to score but his header flew agonisingly over; and then the San Siro was stunned when M’Bala Nzola gave Pisa a shock lead with just five minutes remaining. But Milan finally got their goal when another substitute, Zachary Athekame picked up a ball from Luka Modric and converted deep into injury time.
Dybala sends Roma second
The switch of manager Gian Piero Gasperini from Atalanta to Roma has breathed life into Giallorossi and, despite having a tough October, losing to Inter Milan and two games in the Europa League; a win over Sassuolo has lifted Roma level with Napoli at the top of the table. And it was a goal from experienced Argentine forward Paulo Dybala which won the game.
The visit to Sassuolo could have been a problem for I Giallorossi but they took the game to their hosts, playing high tempo passing football and raining 15 shots, eight on target, down on the Sassuolo goal. And when Bryan Cristante piled forward he laid the ball off to Dybala and, after his first shot as parried by keeper Aro Muric, the 31 year old stuck it in the net.
After finishing fifth last term AS Roma look like serious top four contenders under Gasperini, while his former team Atalanta are down in eighth place. La Dea was held to a 1-1 draw by Cremonense on Saturday and are four points off the top four positions.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma head to Milan on Sunday night hoping to hold on to their position, joint top of the early Serie A table.
This meeting is fourth versus second and, should Max Allegri’s Milan take all three points they will leapfrog I Giallorossi; so this is a six pointer of some magnitude.
Both teams were in action in midweek as part of a full programme of top flight football and Roma picked up a 2-1 win over Parma, on the back of a 1-0 victory away to Sassuolo last weekend. Meanwhile, Milan made it back-to-back draws when they were held 1-1 away to Atalanta, after drawing 2-2 at home to Pisa last weekend.
The latest Serie A 2025 betting odds back both Milan and Roma to finish in the top four this season, nudging out Juventus; so there will be plenty of neutrals keeping an eye the San Siro when they kick off at 8-45pm local time.
Talking Points
Milan need to turn draws into wins
An eighth-place finish last season has given I Rossoneri a lighter workload than their rivals; and with a proven winner in the dugout they should expect to be up in the top four and challenging for the Scudetto. So a return of just one victory in the last four games is not what Allegri would have wanted, particularly on the back of an impressive win over reigning champions Napoli.
An end to end match with Juventus ended in a 0-0 stalemate and Milan followed that up with a well-earned 2-1 victory over Fiorentina as a resurgent Rafael Leao scored a double. I Rossoneri took an early lead against Atalanta on Tuesday but failed to hold on in Bergamo; and they had to scrap for a 2-2 draw the previous weekend at home to 18th placed Pisa.
Rafael Leão is in danger of missing the Roma tie in Serie A come Sunday night
Allegri’s men must find a way to see games through, while ensuring they remain tight at the back… to avoid going 2-1 down to teams like Pisa, particularly at the San Siro. But the boss’s mood will not have been helped by the news that Leao, who was substituted at half-time against Atalanta, is doubtful for the clash with Roma. While he has not suffered a serious injury the Portuguese star has a hip problem and he will be assessed later in the week.
Gasperini has Roma on the front foot
In recent seasons, Roma has not been known for its attacking football but the recruitment of Atalanta’s charismatic coach signalled an intention for the club to take the attack to their opponents more often. Veteran striker Paulo Dybala scored his first goal of the campaign in the win over Sassuolo and he followed that up with an assist for Mario Hermoso on Wednesday against Parma.
Gasperini is looking for the perfect creative unit to give him the best chance to win every match he approaches. He brought on Artem Dovbyk late in the game against Parma and the big Ukrainian made the game safe with a clinical finish on 81 minutes. Stephan El Sharaawy and Argentine forward Matias Soule are both pushing for a start against Milan but Roma will probably be without Evan Ferguson after he limped off after just seven minutes on Wednesday. The loan signing of the Brighton striker made big Serie A 2025 news in the summer, but he is yet to score a goal and his game time has been reducing.
So Gasperini will keep on looking to strengthen his front line and he has been linked with Manchester United’s unsettled striker Joshua Zirkzee, who may well be receptive to a move back to Italy after he did so well at Bologna. With Europa League football to cope with, including a meeting with Rangers next week, Gasperini needs a deep squad.
History
These two teams have locked horns in big games for many a year and, over the past 52 encounters there have been 19 Milan wins, 18 Roma wins and 15 draws.
Last season the two teams played out a 1-1 draw at the San Siro in December and then Milan beat Roma 3-1 in the Coppa Italia quarter final. But the last match went the other way as I Giallorossi won their last home game of the campaign, beating I Rossoneri 3-1 and ending Milan’s hopes of European football.
Milan have won three and drawn three of the last six games while Roma have won three and lost three.
The hosts are at SBOTOP odds of 1.95 to win this game with Roma at 3.75, and both sides will be eying three points. But I think they will cancel each other out and, for an alternative bet, the most likely score line is a 1-1 draw at odds of 6.40.
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23-Jan 2024 Tuesday
2:11 PM (657 days ago)
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