Serie A Enilive, Matchday 33: Inter widen the gap as the title is in sight
Matchday 33 of Serie A Enilive painted a clear picture of the league as Inter picked up decisive points by beating Cagliari, and took advantage of Napoli’s setback to open up a huge gap, moving twelve points clear of Milan. Now the Scudetto is within reach. With Inter’s extended lead, the chasing pack reshuffles with new priorities: in the Champions League race, Juventus and Milan make the most of Como dropping points, Roma and Atalanta cancel each other out, while at the bottom, Genoa and Parma find themselves closer to safety, and Pisa and Verona are left in a vulnerable position.
Sassuolo-Como 2-1
Sassuolo began the matchday with a crucial win, breaking Como’s hopes of a positive result after their defeat to Inter. Goals from Volpato and Nzola, marking the Angolan’s first for the Neroverdi, demonstrated a strong performance, timing their moves well and controlling Como’s response. For Fabregas’ side, this was their second consecutive defeat, once again on the back of a defeat to Inter (after conceding four at San Siro in December, Como then lost to Roma at the Olimpico). A stat worth highlighting is that Como have conceded six goals in their last two matches, the same number as over their last eleven games. Individually, Nico Paz continues to stand out as the only midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues with at least six goals both home and away, while Laurienté continues to shine as a playmaker for Sassuolo with eight assists this season.
Inter-Cagliari 3-0
At San Siro, Inter displayed more maturity and dominance with their comfortable victory over Cagliari. Thuram opened the scoring with his eleventh strike of the season, making this his third campaign in a row of scoring in double figures, reflecting his incredible form with goals in three consecutive matches. Barella and Zieliński also displayed incredible performances, both technically and mentally. The Polish midfielder made history as his country’s top scorer in Serie A with 50 goals, while Barella extended his run to five consecutive matches with a goal involvement. Their tally of 16 clean sheets, more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues, highlights the defensive solidity of Chivu’s side. On the other hand, for Cagliari, the matchday brought their third straight away defeat.
Udinese-Parma 0-1
Parma took a significant step towards safety with a crucial win over Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium. Nesta Elphege made the difference, scoring his first Serie A goal after coming off the bench. Parma reaffirmed their strong historical record against Udinese, the team they’ve beaten and scored against most in top-flight history. Whereas Udinese continue to struggle in attack, failing to score in their third consecutive home match. Parma are now twelve points clear of the relegation zone, distancing themselves from danger.
Napoli-Lazio 0-2
Napoli’s defeat at the Maradona was perhaps the turning point of the matchday. Sarri’s Lazio attacked with clinical precision, opening through Cancellieri and sealing it with Bašić, after Milinković-Savić denied Zaccagni from the spot. The Serbian goalkeeper continues to distinguish himself as a penalty specialist, recording eight saves over the past five seasons, a record across Europe’s top five leagues. For Napoli, it was a disastrous night: no shots on target, a first under Conte, and growing vulnerability early in matches, with seven goals conceded in the first ten minutes this season. Lazio proved once again to be a side Napoli struggle against as the Partenopei have now lost their last four home meetings against them.
Roma-Atalanta 1-1
An intense clash at the Olimpico ends without a winner between Roma and Atalanta, a draw that slows both sides in the European race. Continuing his outstanding away form, Krstović gave Atalanta the lead, recording eight goals, on par with Lautaro Martínez. However, Hermoso brought Roma back on level terms. The Montenegrin becomes the only player to reach double digits with two different clubs across the last two Serie A seasons, while Roma note a new stat: never before since 2022 have they had so many shots on target (nine) without winning. The point earned for both teams changes little in the standings and does not bring either side significantly closer to the Champions League spots.
Cremonese-Torino 0-0
At the Zini, Cremonese drew with Torino, which had little impact for both sides, but is a clear mark of Cremonese’s difficult spell as they seem unable to score even when they create chances. The Grigiorossi remain stuck in the relegation zone, with just one win and only eight goals scored in their last 19 matches. Bonazzoli tried his luck with eight shots, a personal season record for a Cremonese player, but failed to find the net. While Torino produced a lacklustre display, managing just four shots, only one on target: their lowest tally of the season.
Hellas Verona-Milan 0-1
Milan get back to winning ways and find their clinical edge again as they beat Verona thanks to Rabiot’s sixth goal of the season. It was a narrow victory that was typical of Allegri’s side, a squad that have eight 1–0 victories, more than any other team in Europe’s top leagues. Leão continues to be one of the most decisive players in the competition, contributing to 15 points through goals and assists, while the Rossoneri extend their dominant run against Verona with an eleventh consecutive win. For Verona, the crisis intensifies with a fifth straight defeat.
Pisa-Genoa 1-2
Genoa showed true character as they made a comeback to defeat Pisa, turning an early deficit into their second consecutive win. After Canestrelli opened the scoring for the hosts, Ekhator and Colombo completed the comeback. Colombo reached a personal best of seven goals this season, and overall, De Rossi’s side continue to grow, with five wins from their last eight matches, recording the fourth-best attack in the league since his arrival, and a strong comeback trend: 12 points recovered from losing positions, eleven of them under his management. Pisa, on the other hand, fall further into the danger zone, with eight defeats since Hiljemark joined, the worst record across Europe’s top five leagues.
Juventus-Bologna 2-0
Juventus made a spectacular start and took control early against Bologna with David’s opener after just 1 minute and 29 seconds, the fastest home goal for the Bianconeri in Serie A. Thuram’s second-half strike sealed a match that Juventus dominated, without conceding a single shot on target. The Turin side are now on their third consecutive win without conceding, reflecting a promising trend: five victories in their last six matches, all with clean sheets. Defensive solidity is proving to be the foundation of Spalletti’s side’s return to form, while Bologna’s short-lived unbeaten streak comes to an end.
Lecce-Fiorentina 1-1
The matchday came to an end with a draw at the Via del Mare between Lecce and Fiorentina, leaving the relegation battle wide open. Harrison scored his first Serie A goal, becoming the first English player to do so for Fiorentina, but Gabriel equalised in the second half to keep Lecce in the running for safety. The Viola continue their troubling pattern, having dropped 24 points from winning positions, but they remain unbeaten in their last six matches. For Lecce, the point offers a lifeline in a difficult season, even if the path to survival is still a long one.
