For so long, it seemed home and hosed.
Football games in this league retained a middle interest but both the bottom and top seemed sewn up.
Then came along a solitary result to give the title chasers hope and spark fresh betting odds.
You still bet online against Juventus at your peril but a sixth successive Scudetto suddenly doesn’t seem quite as certain.
WEEK 21 SUNDAY:
Chievo vs Fiorentina
That’s after the Viola produced their best performance of the season to see off the leaders.
After underperforming for so much of the campaign, Paulo Sousa’s team turned on the style against their bitter enemy.
Chievo won’t be easy but it would sum up their season if Fiorentina failed to build on such a memorable triumph.
AC Milan vs Napoli
The game of the weekend in Serie A and the losers can pretty much forget about an outside challenge for the title.
That Coppa Italia winners Milan fought back from 2-0 down to earn a point at Torino the other night showed a real spirit.
In the week Napoli welcomed back their greatest star, Diego Maradona, they will fondly remember their 4-0 success at the San Siro last season.
Lorenzo Insigne, who scored twice in that romp, has never lost to Milan in eight games against them.
Juventus vs Lazio
In the week the club launched its new badge, Juventus will seek to maintain some old ways.
The Old Lady may have changed her crest many times but she has remained largely consistent where it matters – on the playing field.
The goals of Gonzalo Higuain – six in his last four games – means they remain title favourites but will beware Lazio who have won six of their last Serie A matches and have 12 more points than at this stage last season.
Bologna v Torino
Torino had hoped to go into this encounter on the back of a famous victory over Milan but, in the end, they nearly let a 2-0 lead slip completely, ultimately holding out for a point.
They’ll know but for a missed penalty they could have won the match and their confidence will have taken an understandable hit.
Bologna are sitting comfortably on 23 points but can they shine against better opponents? More than half of those points have been secured against the bottom three.
Empoli v Udinese
Empoli may have only won two of their last 10 matches but, such is the gap at the bottom, they can relax a little.
That record would normally have left them in danger but they are scraping enough points to give Giovanni Martuschiello some breathing space.
The fact is Udinese have only three wins in 10 as well which suggests this will be a scrap.
Genoa vs Crotone
After four straight defeats, Genoa have to go back to December 16 to recall their last victory.
The goals of Giovanni Simeone remain crucial and how their opponents, second from bottom Crotone, could do with some firepower themselves?
They have lost their last three and failed to score in any of them.
Palermo vs Inter Milan
Few sides are having as miserable a time as Palermo right now.
Eight points adrift of safety with just two victories in their 20 leagues games so far, it’s their worst top-flight start for 55 years.
Bosnia international Toni Sunjic has arrived to boost their relegation battle.
Can the goals of skipper Mauro Icardi – who has now put early-season troubles behind him – fire Inter to a sixth successive win?
Pescara vs Sassuolo
This is the chance for Sassuolo to put any lingering doubts to bed.
Fresh from a 4-1 home win over Palermo, victory at rock-bottom Pescara, will mean they are well clear of any relegation battle.
Ironically, this match is under threat after the area was struck by flooding and earthquakes in recent days.
WEEK 21 MONDAY:
Atalanta vs Sampdoria
Eleven points separate these two sides and Atalanta have every reason to smile.
They lie in seventh place and are in the mix for a European spot – not many would have predicted that at the start of the campaign.
Sampdoria fail to convince and probably wish this was at home – the Blucerchiati have only lost one in eight on their own turf.
AS Roma vs Cagliari
Second-placed Roma are poised for any Juve slip-up, so they need a seventh win in eight matches here.
How fitting would silverware be in the year Italian football’s favourite son, Francesco Totti, is celebrating his 25th year with the club.
Cagliari arrive in the capital in fine form – their 4-1 victory over Genoa last weekend delighting coach Massimo Rastelli.
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