Serie A

Serie A, Matchday 28: new developments on the horizon

The derby gives the Rossoneri a boost, Como dream of the Champions League and Genoa stop Roma. Big wins for Lecce and Verona in the relegation battle: goals, stats, and key players from Matchday 28.

Matchday 28 of Serie A has opened the door to new possibilities across the table, including scenarios that just a few weeks ago seemed unlikely. Milan’s derby win has boosted the Rossoneri’s ambitions and narrowed the gap at the top. Trailing behind the Milanese clubs, Como continue to climb in the race for a Champions League place and Juventus shone in front of their home fans. At the other end, the battle to avoid relegation continues to heat up, with wins for Lecce and Verona.

Si chiude la giornata 28 📌✅ pic.twitter.com/eF1gOAxW8H
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA) March 9, 2026

Da Cunha, Frese and Estupiñán produced some of the finest moments in a matchday with plenty of talking points and decisive goals.

Napoli claimed their second consecutive win and strengthened their position in the Champions League race by beating Torino at the Maradona. The match was unlocked by a stunning long-range strike from Alisson Santos, who became only the fifth player in the three-points-for-a-win era to score in his first two Serie A home matches with Napoli, both from distance. Eljif Elmas then doubled the lead with a sharp turn and finish, marking his first league goal for Napoli in 832 days, while Matteo Politano’s assist was his first direct involvement in a home goal this season. Late on, Cesare Casadei pulled one back for the Granata with a header, but it did not change the final outcome. The match also produced a historic moment for Belgian football: Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne shared the pitch for the first time as club teammates in a match in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

At the New Balance Arena, Atalanta avoided defeat by coming back from two goals down against Udinese thanks to an extraordinary headed brace from Gianluca Scamacca. The Friulani had taken the lead through Thomas Kristensen, still decisive from corners, with all his Serie A goals coming from set pieces, and Keinan Davis, who became only the second English player in the three-points-for-a-win era to score at least nine goals in a single Serie A season after Tammy Abraham. Scamacca turned the game around with two headers in the second half, becoming the first Atalanta player to score a headed brace in Serie A since Duván Zapata. The Azzurri striker is also the only player to have scored more than one multi-goal home performance this season.

Juventus returned to winning ways with a stunning second-half performance at the Allianz Stadium against Pisa. After a goalless first half, the Bianconeri ran riot with goals from Andrea Cambiaso, Khéphren Thuram, Kenan Yildiz, and Jérémie Boga. Cambiaso scored his third goal of the season, a new personal best in Serie A, while Thuram ended a 22-game scoring drought. Yildiz, in addition to scoring, also shone as a creator after twelve matches without an assist. Boga netted his second consecutive league goal. Juventus claimed their first win in four games, scoring at least three goals for the third match in a row. Meanwhile, Pisa continue to struggle, suffering their fourth consecutive defeat under Oscar Hiljemark.

The clash at the Via del Mare went Lecce’s way, as they defeated Cremonese 2-1 and took a crucial step in the fight to avoid relegation. Three of the Giallorossi’s four home wins this season have come by the same scoreline, always against direct rivals. The Salentini dictated the game with clinical precision in the first half: Santiago Pierotti opened the scoring with his first goal of the season, followed by a penalty converted flawlessly by Stulic, his third goal of the campaign**. Federico Bonazzoli** pulled Cremonese back into the match early in the second half, but Lecce carefully managed their lead, denying the Grigiorossi a comeback. Nicola’s side have not won since 7 December, ironically against Lecce, collecting four draws and ten losses in their last 14 matches. For Di Francesco’s team, meanwhile, it’s nine points from the last five games, a third of their entire season’s tally.

The clash between Fiorentina and Parma at the Franchi ended goalless, a result that leaves the Viola’s position unchanged but will satisfy the visitors. Vanoli’s side remain just one point above the relegation zone, failing to score for the second consecutive match. Parma, on the other hand, continue their excellent run: with eleven points from the last five games, they are second only to Inter over this period and remain the only unbeaten team in that span. The Ducali also achieved a historic defensive milestone: three consecutive away matches without conceding, a feat not seen since the early 2000s under Alberto Malesani.

Verona returned to winning ways after over three months, beating Bologna at the Dall’Ara in a comeback that ended a twelve-game winless run and reignited the Gialloblù’s survival hopes. After Bologna took the lead through Rowe, the Scaligeri responded with goals from Frese and Kieron Bowie, who scored the decisive goal. The Hellas striker made history by becoming the fourth Scottish forward to score in Serie A, following Dennis Law, Joe Jordan, and Che Adams. Bologna continue to struggle at home: since early December, they have lost more home matches than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues, with seven defeats in nine games.

At the Marassi, Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa dealt a blow to Roma’s ambitions, highlighting the team’s strong home form. The Rossoblù took the lead through Junior Messias, scoring his first Serie A penalty, before Evan Ndicka equalised, becoming the first Roma defender in the three-points-for-a-win era to score in three consecutive matches. The game was ultimately decided by Vitinha’s 80th-minute strike, capping a special night for the Grifone, who have now scored at least two goals in five consecutive home matches. This streak has not been seen since 2015 at the Lanterna. De Rossi’s side continue to build much of their season’s performance at the Ferraris, where they rank tenth in home form. Roma, meanwhile, maintain their inconsistent away record, suffering six defeats in their last ten matches on the road.

Milan triumphed again in the Derby della Madonnina, beating Inter 1-0 just like in the first meeting and reopening the title race. Pervis Estupiñán scored the decisive goal, his first in Serie A and the first ever by an Ecuadorian in a Milanese derby. He finished a brilliant team move set up by Youssouf Fofana. The French midfielder has now provided two assists in his last seven games, bringing his season total with Milan to nine. This is Milan’s third straight win over their city rivals and their first double in the derby since the 2010/11 Scudetto season under Massimiliano Allegri. Inter, meanwhile, saw their long unbeaten run end, losing in Serie A for the first time since November, once again to Milan.

Lazio ended a four-game winless run thanks to a stoppage-time header from Adam Marusic that sealed the win over Sassuolo. Daniel Maldini opened the scoring with his first goal for the Biancocelesti, before Armand Laurienté levelled for the Neroverdi. Just when a draw seemed inevitable, Marusic struck at 91 minutes and 47 seconds, becoming the last Lazio defender to score a winning goal in stoppage time, a repeat of his feat against Juventus in March 2024. The match also saw a club record: Edoardo Motta, at 21 years old and 55 days, became Lazio’s youngest starting goalkeeper in Serie A, breaking Fernando Muslera’s long-standing record from 2007.