The headline clash of Matchday 3 will be at the Allianz Stadium. Everything you need to know about the Derby d’Italia.
After the international break, Serie A returns with the ultimate Italian classic: Juventus vs. Inter.
Why is it called the Derby d’Italia? The answer is simple: until 2006, Juve and Inter were the only two Italian clubs never to have been relegated to Serie B. The Calciopoli scandal changed that, sending Juventus to the second division—not for poor results on the pitch, but for sporting violations. That scandal only deepened the rivalry between the two clubs and their fans, as Inter benefitted directly and retroactively from Juve’s fall from grace. Revoked titles, league championships reassigned at the table, and a legendary era that culminated in Mourinho’s historic treble in 2010 all fueled the fire. The name Derby d’Italia remained, but it now carries a very different meaning.
Today, both clubs are still Italian football royalty, but with their own uncertainties. Since the forced abdication of Andrea Agnelli, Juventus has stayed in the Champions League mix but hasn’t won a Scudetto. Their last league title came during the COVID-affected 2019/20 season under Maurizio Sarri, who was fired after just one year despite lifting the trophy. Five straight years without a title is an eternity for a club whose motto is, “Winning is the only thing that matters.”
Inter, meanwhile, is coming off a turbulent season. It began with coach Simone Inzaghi openly declaring his ambition for another historic treble but ended with, in Mourinho’s words, “Zeru Tituli”—zero trophies. Inzaghi was expected to stay, but he opted for a massive payday in Saudi Arabia. On the other side, Igor Tudor was supposed to leave Juventus, but he stayed on simply because there were no better alternatives after Antonio Conte turned down the job—thanks in part to Aurelio De Laurentiis’ intervention. Fate works in mysterious ways.
On Saturday at 6:00 PM local time, there will be no room for jokes. It’s only Matchday 3, but this clash will provide crucial answers for both sides. Cristian Chivu, who stumbled at home against Udinese before the break, must prove that half a season at Parma was enough preparation to manage a top club fighting for the title. The Stadium won’t give a final verdict, but it will certainly offer key insights.
Tudor, who has six points from the first two games, still needs to earn the unconditional trust of the club and its fans. And what better chance to do so than in the Derby d’Italia, the most passionate matchup of them all? If Dusan Vlahovic keeps scoring at his current unstoppable rate, there’s no limit to what Juventus can achieve—and Tudor’s path will look far less treacherous.
Around the world, millions of fans are eagerly waiting to tune in—not just for the allure of the match itself, but also to witness the first-ever use of the RefCam in Serie A. This new feature will provide a referee’s point of view (broadcast selectively by the league’s TV production team), adding a fresh perspective to Italy’s most traditional football rivalry.
A new way to watch the most historic clash in Italian soccer.
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L’articolo Serie A Returns: Juve vs. Inter Right Away proviene da Soccer Made In Italy.
