Serie A returns: The biggest games after the international break

REGGIO NELL'EMILIA, ITALY - APRIL 01: Keep Racism Out logo is seen prior to the Serie A TIM match between US Sassuolo and Udinese Calcio at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on April 01, 2024 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)

Serie A resumes after a three-week international break, and Football Italia looks at the biggest matches coming up in Italy’s top flight.

Three teams lead the Serie A table: Inter, Roma and Lazio are level on 13 points after five rounds.

Experts at Oxibet and Italian pundits now see the title race as wide open, with defending champions Inter still the clear favourite, but with the gap between Roma and Nerazzurri slowly closing.

Gasperini’s side have conceded only three times so far, twice in games against the Nerazzurri alone. Cristian Chivu’s men, meanwhile, have already scored 15 goals but have conceded eight.

“I will focus on the second half, which in terms of attitude, grit and character was remarkable. We were up against a great opponent, we know what Roma represent, and it was an entertaining match,” Chivu said after Inter’s 2-2 comeback draw against Roma two weeks ago.

“I think in the second half, we dragged out a little more than we’ve seen so far this season. We’ve got to build on that. I repeat, certain things remain between the players and me, but it remains a good point in a difficult place for anyone to play.”

Roma’s Gasperini was also proud of his team: “Scoring the goal straight after the restart was an energy booster for a great Inter team, they can always score goals, but we had our chances too. This match must give us confidence going forward,” said the Giallorossi coach.

“Everyone has margin for improvement. We should be happy with our progress and the quality we put into these matches, not just fitness and enthusiasm; there is a lot of positivity on this side, and we should continue along this path.”

Inter and Roma already met at the Olimpico in Rome right before the international break, but which big games will follow once club football resumes?

The biggest game in round 6 surely is Como-Parma on Sunday, October 11, with kick-off at 12:30 CET. The following week, both teams will play in the Champions League, with Como visiting Feyenoord and Roma hosting José Mourinho’s Real Madrid.

Atalanta-Milan and Juventus-Lazio will be the big games to watch in Serie A Round 7, while in Round 8 Inter will visit Fiorentina and Napoli will host Roma.

The Derby della Madonnina between Inter and Milan will come on Matchday 10, and the date is set for October 10, 2026, with kick-off at 20:45 CET.

Napoli-Lazio, Inter-Como and Fiorentina-Juventus will be played on Matchday 11, the weekend before the November international break, the last one of the year.