As Inter and Napoli, the two top teams in Serie A, head into their decisive Saturday clash, both are not in their best form, and this match could determine the outcome of their season.
Inter recently took the top spot from Napoli after a 1-0 victory over Genoa, while Napoli was defeated 2-1 by Como, leaving the Nerazzurri with a one-point lead over their rivals, with 12 matches still to be played.
However, neither team can claim to be in peak form, as the long season has begun to take its toll, with injury lists growing at an alarming rate.
Inter has won only two of its last five league matches, while Napoli, still adjusting to the absence of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia following his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in January, has failed to secure a win in their last four matches.
Napoli earned just three points from their four February games, and their key midfielder, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, is sidelined with an Achilles injury sustained in the loss to Como. Additionally, winger David Neres is still recovering from a thigh injury.
On the other hand, Inter also faces problems, particularly in defense, as Carlos Augusto, Matteo Darmian, and midfielder Nicola Zalewski are all injured, while goalkeeper Yann Sommer is still recovering from finger surgery.
Nevertheless, the showdown at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium is expected to be spectacular. For the fifth time in the last ten seasons (since 2015-16), Napoli and Inter will meet as the top two teams in the table. Three of these encounters have ended in draws, including the first match of this season (1-1).
Napoli has won only one of the last 11 encounters against Inter in Serie A (4 draws, 6 losses), while the Nerazzurri have lost only one of their last five league visits to Napoli (2 wins, 2 draws). It is not surprising that Inter is considered the favorite by the Opta supercomputer (40.2% chance of winning, compared to 31.2% for Napoli).
However, if Atalanta beats Venezia, currently second-to-last in the standings, earlier on Saturday, they will be tied with Inter on points, potentially turning the title race into a three-team duel.
Despite a turbulent period, which included elimination from the Champions League and coach Gian Piero Gasperini announcing he will not renew his contract, along with tensions with star striker Ademola Lookman, the club from Bergamo has capitalized on the inconsistencies of Inter and Napoli to close the gap in the title race.
Atalanta has no new injury concerns and can deploy the Serie A’s top scorer, Mateo Retegui (21 goals), who has scored more goals than any other player in the top five European leagues in 2025 (9 goals, the same as Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembélé).
Meanwhile, at AC Milan, coach Sergio Conceição’s positive momentum following their Supercoppa Italiana win appears to have faded.
Italian media report that he is under scrutiny after disappointing results, including elimination from the Champions League and back-to-back defeats in Serie A to Torino and Bologna. The Sunday home match against Lazio could be crucial for his future at the club.
Milan risks losing three consecutive Serie A matches for the first time since January and February 2023, but they have managed to avoid defeat in six of their last seven league meetings with Lazio (5 wins, 1 draw), maintaining a glimmer of hope for a turnaround.
On the other hand, Juventus must recover after their surprising elimination by Empoli in the Coppa Italia to maintain their momentum in Serie A.
With four consecutive league victories, they have climbed to fourth place – a minimum target that coach Thiago Motta must meet to secure his position at the helm for next season.
Despite a lengthy injury list, with midfielder Douglas Luiz recently added to the list, Juve is expected to have enough quality to defeat Hellas Verona, who is in 14th place, in their Monday match.