As 2023-2024 Season Enters Final Sprint, What's At Stake For Serie ...
MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 04: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale celebrates the victory at the end ... [+] of the Serie A TIM match between FC Internazionale and Juventus - Serie A TIM at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 04, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot - Inter/Inter via Getty Images)
Inter via Getty ImagesAfter the international break, Serie A clubs now prepare to channel their energy into the nine rounds remaining in the 2023/24 campaign.
Here are the most drama-filled contests and races that Italian soccer fans will watch closely, as stakes are high in the final sprint of this Serie A season.
Tijjani Reijnders of AC Milan and Nicolo Barella of FC Internazionale compete for the ball during ... [+] the Serie A football match between FC Internazionale and AC Milan at San Siro stadium. Milan (Italy), September 16th, 2023. (Photo by Elianton/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Mondadori Portfolio via Getty ImagesFor the second consecutive year, the Scudetto race has been a one-man show: Last year, Napoli claimed the Serie A crown with multiple games to spare, while this year, table toppers Inter Milan are marching authoritatively toward their 20th league title.
Inter Milan’s 14-point gap over second-placed AC Milan gives the Nerazzurri a quite comfortable lead and puts them on track to claim the Serie A title ahead of time, an accomplishment that will add the second star on top of the team’s crest.
It is unthinkable that Simone Inzaghi’s men could blow such a large lead. In fact, they have been unstoppable this year in Serie A, asserting their technical, physical and tactical dominance over all of the opponents in Italy’s top-flight. They especially enjoyed formidable momentum in 2024, clinching 13 wins in a row across all competitions before losing to penalty kicks against La Liga side Atletico Madrid, a heartbreaking defeat that knocked them out of the UEFA Champions League, Europe’s most remunerative and prestigious soccer competition.
MILAN, ITALY - MARCH 10: The AC Milan fans show their support during the Serie A TIM match between ... [+] AC Milan and Empoli FC - Serie A TIM at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 10, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesBut while it is realistically impossible to call into question if Inter Milan will win the Scudetto, the when can bring about a quite unique scenario: Arithmetic tells us that there is a good chance that Inter Milan will be crowned Serie A champions on the occasion of the Milan derby, which is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 22.
Considering the fierce competition between city rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan, such an event would be perceived as a sporting humiliation by the Rossoneri and as a memorable triumph by their Nerazzurri cousins. Because AC Milan will be the hosting side in the derby, most of Stadio San Siro will be covered with red and black scarves and flags, which is why AC Milan will do anything in their power to avoid witnessing their arch rivals celebrate the league title in their face.
OLIMPICO STADIUM, ROME, ITALY - 2024/02/18: Joshua Zirkzee of Bologna FC celebrates with team mates ... [+] after scoring the goal of 1-2 during the Serie A football match between SS Lazio and Bologna FC 1909. Bologna won 2-1 over Lazio. (Photo by Antonietta Baldassarre/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThe fact that Inter Milan are running away early with the Serie A title shouldn’t trick soccer fans into looking away from the top of the table, where another exciting race is taking place.
In fact, the battle for a top-4 finish, which grants access to next year’s UEFA Champions League, has gotten extremely entertaining.
With AC Milan and Juventus expected to take up the second and third positions, there is one remaining spot that gives access to Europe’s elite tournament. Not only are three teams battling for that place, but underdogs Bologna FC are the ones currently occupying it — and deservedly so.
BOLOGNA, ITALY - NOVEMBER 12: Thiago Motta head coach of Bologna FC shakes hands with Joey Saputo ... [+] during the Serie A match between Bologna FC and US Sassuolo at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on November 12, 2022 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesThe Rossoblu, who have been displaying a sparkling brand of soccer throughout the entire Serie A campaign, have so far collected an impressive 54 points despite relying on one of the league’s lowest wage bills. What’s more, they upset Roma and Atalanta, drew with Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli and knocked Inter Milan out of Coppa Italia in the one-legged tie at Stadio San Siro.
Bologna FC’s outstanding form and results speak to head coach Thiago Motta’s ability to extrapolate value from a roster that was initially assembled with the goal of avoiding relegation and has consistently overachieved in this Serie A campaign. Much of the credit for Bologna FC’s success is also due to the long-term vision of Canadian owner Joey Saputo, who opened up about the club’s past, present and future in a recent interview.
Paulo Dybala of AS Roma celebrates with Daniele De Rossi after scoring second goal during the Serie ... [+] A TIM match between AS Roma and Torino FC at Stadio Olimpico on Febraury 26, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty ImagesTrailing from behind are Roma and Atalanta, who are standing at 51 and 47 points, respectively.
After courageously firing iconic boss Jose Mourinho in January, Roma assigned the head coach position to club legend Daniele De Rossi. Since that moment, Roma turned into a completely different side, collecting 22 points in nine games and recording incredibly high goal-scoring statistics.
Attacking star Paulo Dybala is showcasing again his unique class, while captain Lorenzo Pellegrini has regained the role as team leader after enduring strong criticism in the first half of the season. The managerial change sparked great enthusiasm among the Giallorossi fans, a factor that could prove critical in supporting Roma in their quest for the fourth position.
GEWISS STADIUM, BERGAMO, ITALY - 2024/03/14: Teun Koopmeiners of Atalanta Bc celebrates at the end ... [+] of the Uefa Europa League round of 16 second leg match beetween Atalanta Bc and Sporting Clube de Portugal. Atalanta Bc wins 2-1 over Sporting Clube de Portugal. (Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images)
LightRocket via Getty ImagesAtalanta, who are standing four points below Roma with one game in hand, need to get back to winning ways after a four-game winless streak in Serie A.
Their squad, which is coached by Gian Piero Gasperini, is full of young talent that meticulously executes the manager’s fearless, attack-minded game plan. In the next matches, however, a soft-tissue injury is expected to rule out Atalanta’s most dangerous man, Teun Koopmeiners, which could negatively impact the team’s offensive output. The 26-year-old Dutch international has recorded double-digit goals in the last two Serie A campaigns, attracting eyeballs from Europe’s wealthiest sides as well as Italian powerhouse Juventus.
It will be interesting to see how AC Milan, Roma and Atalanta will balance their mental and physical energy between Italy’s domestic league and the knockout stage of the UEFA Europa League. The competition, which ranks as Europe’s second most important club tournament for sporting reputation and prize money distribution, grants the winners a well-esteemed trophy alongside a pass to the 2o24/25 edition of the UEFA Champions League.
MAPEI STADIUM, REGGIO EMILIA, ITALY - 2023/06/11: Players of Hellas Verona FC celebrate the victory ... [+] at the end of the Serie A relegation play-off football match between Spezia Calcio and Hellas Verona FC. Hellas Verona FC won 3-1 over Spezia Calcio. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
LightRocket via Getty ImagesThe fear of no longer being able to play Serie A soccer next year has also heightened competition at the bottom of the table, where multiple clubs are looking to scramble out of the dangerous relegation zone.
While last-placed Salernitana’s 14 points give the Granata very little hope for a comeback, seven teams are currently standing within five points at the foot of the table: Sassuolo, Frosinone, Empoli, Cagliari, Verona, Udinese and Lecce are all involved in a strenuous race that will eventually see two of these seven teams drop to Serie B, Italy’s second-tier of soccer.
Their desire to maintain the Serie A status is expected to give life to riveting, hard-fought contests, and it couldn’t be any different considering that the clubs and individual players’ sporting reputation is seriously on the line.
Last year, the one-legged relegation clash between Verona and Spezia was rife with twists and drama: It featured four goals, one red card and a missed penalty-kick, with Verona eventually avoiding the drop for the joy of the passionate Gialloblu fan base.
