A question to begin with: has the top of the Italian top flight ever been so close at this stage of the season?
After another weekend of Serie A highlights, I am beginning to wonder.
The upshot of it all is that just two points separate the top six who have developed a sizable gap over their rest of the league.
Take 2022 champions AC Milan, for example.
After just two minutes on Saturday, they fell behind at Cagliari and seemed adrift of the chasing pack.
They then fought back through a Rafael Leao double and a goal from substitute Tammy Abraham only to be pegged back a minute from time, via Gabriele Zappa’s second goal of the contest.
A thrilling 3-3 draw it may have been but it leaves the Rossoneri with plenty to do to break back into the top six.
Of course, it’s only November but it is a healthy gap.
Incidentally, this was a fine point for Cagliari who are one point and two places above the drop zone.
Just like at the top, two points separate the bottom six so it’s exciting all round which makes the SBOTOP Serie A betting odds extra intriguing!
Among those in the top six are Europa League holders Atalanta, who continue to punch above their weight under Gian Piero Gasperini and earned a sixth straight victory with a fightback against Udinese.
La Dea, who were coming off the back of a 3-0 success away to leaders Napoli, and a 2-0 win in Stuttgart in the Champions League, fell behind on the stroke of half-time.
However, two goals in five minutes after the restart turned it around.
Mario Pasalic swept into the roof of the net first-time from 12 yards to level matters before a cross from the right was inadvertently turned into his own net by Isaak Toure.
The surprise package in the top six, but a very welcome sight, are Fiorentina where two former Premier League performers are playing a key role.
In David de Gea, the Viola have a number one of excellence, and in Moise Kean, a forward whose talent has only sparkled in bursts to date in his career.
Not so in Florence on Sunday where a superb hat-trick sank Verona as they secured a sixth league win on the spin.
It was fitting then that the goal which made sure of the points, deep in stoppage time, arrived as Kean ran onto a long de Gea ball, cut inside a defender and drilled into the far bottom corner with the inside of his right boot.
A stylish way to round off a stylish afternoon for the hosts.
Level with Atalanta and Fiorentina on 25 points are Lazio, 1-0 winners at Monza, while their city rivals Roma lurch into more despair.
They are currently 12th in the table and their 3-2 home defeat to spirited Bologna was further proof of – and I don’t mean to say ‘I told you so’ – what a mistake they made in January when they parted company with Jose Mourinho.
They are now looking for a third manager in less than a year after dismissing head coach Ivan Juric.
The Croatian had only been appointed in September as a replacement for Daniele de Rossi, himself only manager for eight months, and had been in charge for 12 matches, winning four and losing five.
Back to the title race though and all eyes were on the big one of the Serie A weekend – the champs against the leaders.
Ever since their slip-up at home to Juventus three weeks ago – a thrilling 4-4 draw in the Derby d’Italia – the Italian champions have been aiming to claw back the deficit at the summit.
Simone Inzaghi’s side, a point behind Napoli and in a confident mood on the back of a Champions League victory over Arsenal and a hard fought 1-0 success at home to newly promoted Venezia, up against Antonio Conte who has got the 2023 Scudetto winners dreaming again.
Granted, they were well beaten 3-0 at home by top four rivals Atalanta last week and the wily Italian was looking for a reaction.
He got it as the sides drew 1-1 in the San Siro.
Hakan Calhanoglu scored a ferocious long-range strike to cancel out an opener from Scott McTominay and that’s how it stayed, although the Inter midfield star, uncharacteristically, fired a penalty onto the post or the champs would have emerged victorious.
A corner was flicked on by Amir Rrahmani and McTominay got in front of Denzel Dumfries to tap in the opener from point-blank range before Calhanoglu levelled with a superb shot that swerved and dipped.
What it all means is that Napoli are still the sole Serie A leaders, a point clear of Inter, Atalanta, Lazio and Fiorentina, with Juventus just a further point behind.
Excited?
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