After three bittersweet days in Europe—smiles in the Champions League, disappointment in the Europa and Conference Leagues—Serie A takes centre stage again, with a round that promises twists and turns.
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A heavyweight clash near the top, a relegation showdown and a last chance: these are the main talking points, but not the only ones, heading into matchday 8.
👀 Will Napoli hand Roma their first defeat?
It's the standout clash of the round. Allegri against Gasp; McTominay, De Bruyne and Hojlund against Soulé, Cristante and Malen. Who will come out on top? You might fancy Max, who is playing at home and needs to turn things around after the defeat at Venezia, but don't take victory for granted.
What's more, Roma's absentees could prove a major factor. They will be without Dybala, Pellegrini, Koné and Svilar at the Maradona—essentially the spine of the team. The feeling is that Gasperini might not mind a draw this time...
🔋 Will the Nicola effect continue at Venezia?
Davide Nicola got off to a flying start as Venezia coach, securing an unexpected win over Napoli just two days after taking charge.
The hard part, though, starts now. In Genoa, at a historically tough ground and against a direct rival, Venezia cannot afford a slip-up. After home defeats to Lecce, Frosinone and Fiorentina—theoretically rivals in the battle against relegation, although Frosinone's season suggests otherwise—they need a turnaround in these kinds of games.
🔚 Runjaic's last chance against Milan! Will he be sacked?
Will Kosta Runjaic be the next coach to lose his job? It's possible, if not probable, should Udinese lose to Milan as well. After a decent start, with four points from their first two games, they have lost their next five, capped off by last Sunday's home debacle against Lecce.
Many felt the German coach should have been sacked there and then, after the defeat to Lecce; the club's hierarchy, however, wanted to give him one last chance in the big clash with Milan. Will it really be Runjaic's final game, or will it mark a fresh start for the coach?
🥵 Will Spalletti bounce back at Lecce?
It's a similar story for Spalletti, who isn't in last-chance territory but certainly needs a change of gear. One point from two games against Cagliari and Lazio (in Turin), already eight points off the top and four adrift of fourth place.
The boos at the Stadium against Rennes in the Europa League make the mood around Juventus clear: they have to win at Lecce. The hosts are coming off a victory in Udine and have enjoyed a start to the season that has probably exceeded expectations. Di Francesco dreams of upsetting Spalletti, a result that would officially plunge Juventus into crisis—and one the former Italy coach simply cannot afford.
🤩 Will Frosinone keep dreaming?
One team that continues to surprise is Alvini's Frosinone. They were expected to battle relegation—indeed, many considered them the weakest squad in the division. Yet after seven games, they are firmly in the race for Europe, even if survival remains the goal.
A good test of Frosinone's true level awaits at Bergamo's Gewiss Arena, where they will face an Atalanta side smarting from back-to-back defeats to Milan and Ajax. La Dea still seem to be getting to grips with Sarri's instructions, but their response at San Siro showed a team that has not given up on its coach and wants to make a fresh start on Sunday.
📈 Will Lazio still be on top?
From one surprise package this season to another. Gennaro Gattuso has already made Lazio history, overseeing the club's best-ever start to a league campaign. But now things get interesting.
How far can Lazio go? The Champions League? The Europa League? Or perhaps the Conference League? The team is fully behind its coach, who will certainly want to avoid lapses in concentration in seemingly easier fixtures, such as tomorrow evening's match against Parma. After all, as Inter showed last year, titles are won by picking up points against the smaller sides...
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.