Inter extend their lead and break away from the rest

On Matchday 26 of Serie A, Inter stretched their lead to an impressive 10 points clear of AC Milan – a gap that, historically, has never been overturned in the second half of a Serie A season. Behind the leaders, however, the table is boiling. From third to seventh, five teams are separated by just five points, while at the bottom six sides are packed within five points, with three teams level on 24 battling for third-from-bottom.

It was also a matchday that stood out for how the results were sealed: decisive goals from midfielders and defenders, goalkeepers in starring roles, and comebacks capable of shifting a season’s momentum. One statistic stands out above all: zero goals from any of the of the top seven sides’ starting strikers. Instead, matches were decided by late runs into the box, set pieces, penalties and impact substitutes. Closely fought competition behind the runaway Nerazzurri, an increasingly heated Champions League race, and a relegation fight tighter than ever.

Sassuolo opened the weekend with a second consecutive victory, defeating Hellas Verona thanks to Andrea Pinamonti (who scored in back-to-back Serie A fixtures for the first time) and a Domenico Berardi brace. The Sassuolo captain also missed from the spot, ending a streak of 14 consecutive penalties scored in Serie A. On the other side, Lorenzo Montipò added to his record: since 2020/21, no goalkeeper has saved more penalties in Serie A (7 from 21). As a team, however, Verona continue to struggle: three draws and seven defeats in their first ten matches of the calendar year, something not seen since 1979.

At the Allianz Stadium, Como claimed the matchday’s headline fixture, beating Juventus thanks to Mërgim Vojvoda and Maxence Caqueret to move within one point of the Bianconeri. Caqueret has now had five goal involvements this season (2 goals and 3 assists), while Vojvoda equals his personal seasonal record with two goals. For Spalletti's team, it was a first home defeat of the league season and a second straight Serie A loss. The broader trend is concerning: four defeats in their last five in all competitions, conceding an average of three goals per game. Alarmingly, 13 of the 25 first shots they have faced this season have resulted in goals – the worst record in the league.

Inter survived a test of their mettle in Lecce. After 14 first-half attempts without reward, second-half substitutes Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Manuel Akanji broke the deadlock. It was a ninth consecutive away win in Serie A, second only to the 11 recorded between October 2006 and March 2007 in club history. Inter also lead Europe’s top five leagues for goals from corners (15), two of which came from this match. Federico Dimarco became the first defender in the last 20 seasons to register assists in five consecutive league appearances. Inter’s bid for the title is looking strong: AC Milan now trail by ten.

At the Unipol Domus, Cagliari and Lazio played out a tense 0-0, a result that will weigh particularly heavily on the Sardinians. Though it was Cagliari’s first goalless home draw of the season and their third clean sheet in four home games, it was also their third straight match without scoring. Meanwhile, Lazio extended their unbeaten away run to six, with 12 first halves on the road without conceding – more than any side in Europe’s top five leagues.

At Marassi, Genoa made the most of their home advantage and overwhelmed Torino. Norton-Cuffy opened the scoring, Ekuban doubled it, and substitute Junior Messias sealed the win. It was the Brazilian’s second goal off the season, both coming off the bench, an achievement he had not reached before. Since Daniele De Rossi’s arrival, Genoa have scored in eight of nine home matches, a record unmatched within that same time frame. Torino’s defensive issues persist: 22 first-half goals conceded (worst in the league) and 47 overall. The defeat cost Marco Baroni his job, with Roberto D’Aversa appointed in his place. The Rossoblu move to 3 points above the relegation zone, drawing level with Torino on 27 points.

At the New Balance Arena, Atalanta produced a comeback win over Napoli. After going behind to Beukema, second-half goals from Pašalić and Samardžić secured a fifth straight home win for La Dea. It was Atalanta’s first home win over Napoli in five years and, despite conceding a goal at home in the first half for the first time since November 9th, extended their winning streak and moved closer to the Champions League positions. Since Raffaele Palladino’s arrival, they average 2.13 points per game, second only to Inter (2.46). For the other side, however, it was the first time since 24 April 2022 that Napoli lost a Serie A match after taking the lead.

At San Siro, Parma claimed a famous 1-0 win over AC Milan, decided by Mariano Troilo’s first Serie A goal. It is Parma’s third straight win – something not achieved since March 2014 under Roberto Donadoni, when the third win also came against AC Milan – and their fifth in the last eight away matches, as many as in the previous 48. The Rossoneri, who registered 25 shots without scoring, saw a long unbeaten run snapped, echoing a similar Parma upset at San Siro in 1993.

At the Stadio Olimpico, Roma defeated Cremonese to move into fourth place, four points clear of Juventus. Cristante, Evan Ndicka – his first in the league – and Niccolò Pisilli scored in a mature performance. It was Roma’s first time scoring three second-half goals this season and their second consecutive home clean sheet. Cremonese, on the other hand, suffered their fifth consecutive away defeat and have only scored one goal in their last seven games, a statistic that highlights the gulf between the attacking efficiency of the two teams.

In the Derby dell’Arno, Fiorentina beat Pisa 1-0, moving out of the relegation zone for the first time since early October. Moise Kean scored for a third straight match and scored the opening goal for the third time this season, a record which stretches to 10 times over the last two seasons; only Lautaro Martinez (12) has done so more. It was Fiorentina’s first back-to-back win of the season, while Pisa extended their winless streak to 15 games, a drought that makes their hopes for survival desperate.

Finally, Bologna regained confidence and consistency by defeating Udinese through a Federico Bernardeschi penalty. The No.10 proved decisive from the bench once again; both of his league goals this season have come as a substitute. It was Bologna’s first home win in 106 days and their second consecutive victory, lifting them to eighth and back into the race for European football. Udinese, meanwhile, slump to a third straight defeat, their attacking struggles proving significant.