This round of Champions League fixtures brought nothing but misery for the Italian sides, who suffered four defeats out of four for the first time in history. Juventus, Milan and Atalanta partially got Serie A back on track with Thursday's games, but the overall outcome of the three days of European action remains bitter.
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The weekend, then, offers a chance to put those European setbacks behind them straight away and pick up where they left off. After all, the league season had already established some clear patterns.
Here are some of the talking points ahead of Matchday 7.
🤔 Who will be missed more: Malen or Lautaro?
Roma and Inter return to Serie A after the heavy blows suffered against Club Brugge and Real Madrid. Despite the huge difference in the quality of their opponents, both defeats hurt just as much, especially considering the Giallorossi's self-destruction.
Today at 18:00, Inter visit Bologna and will have to do without Lautaro Martinez. The Nerazzurri captain will be sidelined for almost a month, leaving a huge void that Pio and Bonny will try to fill.
In the evening, Roma host Genoa without the suspended Malen. A major absence, but one that gives Santi Castro his first real chance to make an impact. For that reason, as well as the opposition and the home atmosphere, Roma look better equipped to cope without their goalscorer than Inter do.
📉 Will Nicola's Venezia get off the mark straight away?
Having started with high expectations and significant investment in the transfer market, Venezia have so far failed on every front and sit bottom with no points, four adrift of safety. A nightmare start to the season led to Giovanni Stroppa's dismissal and a desperate call to Davide Nicola.
The specialist in impossible survival missions will try his luck again in Venice, but his debut today will be anything but easy. Max Allegri's Napoli are coming to the Penzo. The Azzurri are fresh from a Champions League defeat to Villarreal, but are unbeaten in three league games. Watch out, though, because the change of coach could spring a few surprises in the 15:00 kick-off...
😥 Can Nico Paz and Como get back on track?
Across the league and Champions League, they have recorded two defeats and a draw in their last three matches. It is certainly not an easy spell for Cesc Fabregas's Como, who need points at the Franchi tomorrow to avoid losing ground on the leading pack.
They face a Fiorentina side seeking redemption, though, with all signs pointing to another difficult season. After winning at Venezia in the first match of Vanoli's second spell, a draw and a defeat have left the Viola second from bottom. A match to keep an eye on, then, with both sides desperately needing a win.
💪 Can Milan target fourth place?
What kind of team are this Milan? The awkward side seen in Rome and Reggio Emilia, or the sparkling one in Salzburg? The truth is that the Rossoneri are still a work in progress, so a few ups and downs are only natural. The feeling, though, is that Amorim is on the right track.
The squad is there, and so is the talent. If the Portuguese coach can cut out some defensive lapses and ensure Gonzalo Ramos gets good service, Milan could become serious contenders for fourth place. Tomorrow's home game against Atalanta already presents a tough test, one that could reveal plenty about the Rossoneri's true level right now.
🎯 Does Juve's future lie with two strikers?
Thursday evening's game showed us that Kolo Muani and Woltemade work better when played together, alongside each other. Their struggles early this season suggested two poor investments, but perhaps they simply are not the type of striker who can lead the line alone — in the Vlahovic mould, to be clear.
Changing the system is not something that happens overnight, but Spalletti will certainly be considering it. Despite standing 198 centimetres tall, Woltemade is about as far from a traditional centre-forward as you can get, while Kolo Muani also performs better with a partner. It would be no surprise to see them start together against Lazio.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.