The ninth round of the Serie A season showcased a thrilling Derby d’Italia at San Siro: fans hoping for a grand display for Italian football were not disappointed. Inter and Juventus faced off in an open contest, delivering an exhilarating match with constant shifts in momentum and multiple lead changes. While tactical purists might raise an eyebrow at the lack of structure, the Inter-Juventus match undoubtedly served as the best advertisement for Serie A on the international stage. The biggest regrets naturally fall to Inter, who led 4-2 in the second half but squandered three clear chances to extend the lead to 5-2. However, Juventus also has grounds for grievance over defensive lapses that gifted their opponents two penalties, one from Danilo and another from Kalulu, which significantly influenced the first half. With Juventus struggling at 4-2, the turning point came with the introduction of Yldiz: the young Turkish talent propelled his team to equalize with two goals, sending a strong message to those who questioned his right to wear the Juventus number 10 shirt.
In light of the draw in Milan, Napoli remains firmly at the top of the standings, led by Antonio Conte. Despite facing challenges and risks at home against Lecce, the team ultimately secured three points with a goal from captain Di Lorenzo with 20 minutes remaining. Napoli now holds a +4 advantage over Inter and +5 over Juventus.
In Sunday evening’s match, Roma collapsed in Florence, losing 5-1. Palladino’s team effectively exploited all of Roma’s equilibrium issues, leading to a dominant second half. Juric’s position as head coach is now precarious; he was appointed just a month and a half ago to replace De Rossi and is already under scrutiny for a lack of coherent play and results, as well as a disconnect with the players. This was evident when veteran players Mancini and Cristante did not remain on the bench after being substituted. While Roma has yet to find its identity and is far from Champions League contention, the situation is quite the opposite for Fiorentina, who has climbed to fourth place, tied with Lazio, Atalanta, and Udinese. Baroni’s Lazio secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Gilardino’s struggling Genoa, who are on the verge of signing luxury free agent Mario Balotelli to address their scoring woes, which are critical for survival. Atalanta dominated at home against Verona, scoring six goals, with double strikes from Lookman and the ever-inspiring Retegui, who has already hit double figures after just nine matches. Udinese, the true revelation of this season’s start, defeated Cagliari 2-0 at home.
