Serie A resumes with a weekend shaped by contrasting needs: Genoa and Fiorentina seeking conviction at opposite ends of the pitch, Inter protecting the league’s strongest underlying attack, and several leading forwards still waiting for the moment that changes their early-season record. From Naples to Bergamo, the fixtures offer as much to coaches as to players: a chance to settle selection questions, halt difficult runs and give the table a firmer outline.
Defensive questions frame Genoa-Fiorentina and Inter-Parma
Genoa, under Daniele De Rossi, meet a Fiorentina side whose defensive numbers have been among the weakest in the division. La Viola have allowed 12 goals, level with Monza; only Venezia, with 13, have conceded more.
- Tommaso Baldanzi remains without a goal despite being second in the league for underperformance against expected goals, at -0.92 xG. Genoa will hope the match gives him a route to a first decisive contribution.
- For Fiorentina, Franco Mastantuono has started brightly. His 22 shots are matched only by Lautaro Martínez among players other than Nico Paz, who leads the competition with 27.
- Gonçalves has recovered fitness and could begin the game.
Inter’s meeting with Parma brings together the extremes of Serie A’s expected-goals table. Inter have created 14.5 xG, the highest figure in the league, while Parma sit last on 3.4.
Lautaro Martínez arrives after scoring two goals in each of the league matches against Napoli and Roma. Another multi-goal display would make him the first Inter player, in the three-points-for-a-win era beginning in 1994/95, to score more than once in three consecutive Serie A appearances.
Manuel Akanji has also shown growing influence in recent weeks. The defender has taken seven attempts, the same total as Federico Dimarco, and has underperformed his xG by 1.07. Parma, with Alberto Gilardino taking charge for the first time, may look to Bernabé in midfield, particularly from set-piece situations.
Napoli and Roma face opponents with clear identities
Frosinone travel to the Maradona knowing that their counter-attacking game has been their most reliable weapon. Massimiliano Alvini’s team lead Serie A for counter-attacking sequences with 13, and 12 of those moves have ended in a shot.
- Giorgi Kvernadze’s pace could be important when Frosinone break forward.
- Giacomo Calò is their leading crosser by a considerable margin and supplies much of their direction in possession.
- Matteo Politano has scored three Serie A goals against Frosinone, averaging one every 118 minutes. Only against Benevento has he posted a better rate, one every 99 minutes.
- Rasmus Højlund returns from an impressive spell with Denmark and is another major attacking option for Napoli.
Roma’s contest with Como has been described as a meeting of two teams committed to constructive football, but it also reunites the division’s strongest defences across the past two seasons. Since the start of 2025/26, Roma have conceded 34 league goals and Como 35; among clubs in Europe’s five major leagues, only Arsenal, on 31, have conceded fewer in that span.
Even so, there are reasons to expect opportunities. Wesley’s pressing could test Valle, while Anastasios Douvikas is looking to end a long wait for a Serie A goal at the Sinigaglia. His last league strike there came against Pisa in March.
Individual runs offer possibilities across the middle of the card
Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni has had a hand in a goal in each of his last three league appearances. He converted a penalty against Venezia and provided assists against Milan and Udinese. A further contribution against Monza would give the 1995-born forward his first sequence of four successive Serie A matches with a goal involvement.
Christos Mandas has prevented more goals than any other goalkeeper in the league so far, strengthening Lazio’s prospects of another clean sheet. Monza, meanwhile, will look to the strength and forward-running of Michael Folorunsho, while Nuno Tavares has the qualities to trouble Samuele Birindelli down the flank.
Lecce and Bologna bring two attacks in need of greater return. Lecce have scored one open-play goal, while Bologna and Genoa have managed two apiece, putting all three among the league’s lowest totals. Bologna have produced only three goals from 67 shots, a conversion rate of 4.5%, the worst in Serie A.
- Riccardo Orsolini has scored seven Serie A goals against Lecce, more than against any other opponent.
- Ilić is another player Bologna will need to provide a higher-quality final action.
- Juan Miranda leads Bologna for crosses attempted per match and remains a dependable presence on the left.
Milan arrive against Sassuolo as the league’s most clinical side. Ruben Amorim’s team have scored 10 times from 64 attempts, a conversion percentage of 15.6%. Sassuolo have one fewer goal despite taking 86 shots, 22 more than Milan.
Sassuolo are third in Serie A for attempts from outside the penalty area, with Armand Laurienté responsible for many of them. He has yet to score, despite the volume of shooting. Milan can instead turn to Diego Moreira, who has scored three league goals in only 127 minutes over three appearances. In the 2000s, only Mario Balotelli and Krzysztof Piątek have reached four goals in their first four Serie A matches for the Rossoneri.
Clean-sheet records, strikers under pressure and a test in Bergamo
Juventus have faced fewer shots than any other team in Serie A, allowing only 39. The partnership of Bremer and Pierre Kalulu has been central to the Bianconeri’s defensive stability ahead of the meeting with Cagliari.
At the other end, Randal Kolo Muani is still pursuing his first league goal. Among forwards who have started all five Serie A rounds, he is one of only five yet to score, alongside Paulo Dybala, El Bilal Touré, Laurienté and Nicolò Cambiaghi. Cagliari have been encouraged by Elia Caprile’s saves, but Juventus goalkeeper Romano comes into the match with confidence following his international involvement.
Atalanta, coached by Maurizio Sarri, face bottom club Venezia seeking a response. Charles De Ketelaere has been their most inventive player, leading the squad for key passes and ranking second for successful dribbles.
- Venezia’s defence has struggled and offers little encouragement, although Hainaut has already shown an ability to contribute in the other penalty area, doing so against Fiorentina.
- Atalanta have not conceded in their past four home Serie A meetings with Venezia.
- Marco Carnesecchi therefore has a strong recent record behind him at home against this opposition.
Torino remain without an attacking return from Nikola Vlašić, who has neither scored nor assisted this season. The Croatia international has nevertheless been involved in the chances: he ranks second among Torino players for xG missed and third for shots taken.
Udinese travel with Jurgen Ekkelenkamp in a remarkable away run. Across his last five Serie A road matches, the midfielder has been involved in six goals, scoring four and making two assists. Only Donyell Malen has recorded more goal involvements over that period. Rolando Mandragora has also contributed to two goals in his previous three league appearances, one goal and one assist, while Keinan Davis gives Udinese a physical threat and is their leading candidate to take a penalty should one be awarded.
