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The first post-international break matchday brought no major shakeups in the standings, either at the top or bottom of the table. Antonio Conte’s Napoli delivered a mature and solid performance, reclaiming the top spot after victories by their closest challengers. Napoli secured the lead with a narrow win over Roma, courtesy of a goal from former Giallorossi striker Lukaku, in an uneventful match. Conte handed his friend Ranieri a disappointing debut, as Roma’s struggles persist even after Juric’s dismissal.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter set the tone on Saturday afternoon with a 5-0 demolition of a hapless Hellas Verona, who have now conceded 34 goals - the league's worst defensive record. All five goals came in the first half, with Marcus Thuram bagging his third league brace, following similar feats against Genoa and Atalanta (and a hat-trick against Torino). Inter's 31 goals make theirs the second-best attack in Serie A.
Ahead of them is Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta, with 34 goals, who had little trouble securing a 3-0 win over Parma at the Tardini. Star striker Mateo Retegui added to his tally, reaching 12 goals and solidifying his spot as Serie A's top scorer.
The much-anticipated clash between Milan and Juventus at San Siro ended in disappointment, finishing 0-0. Thiago Motta’s side arguably deserved more, but Juventus lacked the killer instinct up front. Fonseca's team left the pitch to boos, slipping further away from the top spots.
After their stunning Champions League victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, Milan seemed to lose focus domestically. The Rossoneri haven’t won in Serie A since November 2 (a 1-0 victory over Monza) and are now on a run of two consecutive draws.
In the lower half of the table, Patrick Vieira’s Genoa debut was spoiled by Cagliari. The Grifone led 2-1 until the 88th minute, only to concede a late penalty to Piccoli. Elsewhere, Monza and Torino both settled for 1-1 draws. Monza remains the only team with just one win in the league, while Torino extended their winless streak to four games after suffering three consecutive defeats.
Raffaele Palladino’s Fiorentina continues to impress, earning their seventh straight league victory with a 2-0 win over Como at the Sinigaglia. Moise Kean, on fire, scored his ninth goal of the season, netting in his fourth consecutive match.
Meanwhile, Marco Baroni’s Lazio celebrated their fifth consecutive victory, beating Vincenzo Italiano’s Bologna 3-0 at the Olimpico, helped by Pobega’s early red card. Gigot and Dele-Bashiru scored their first Serie A goals, while captain Zaccagni extended his scoring streak to three matches with a superb strike.
With 28 points, Atalanta, Inter, Fiorentina, and Lazio remain just one point behind league leaders Napoli.
