In Turin’s Monday night fixture, fear won the day — especially in the first half. After six rounds, Gasperini’s Roma and Conte’s Napoli lead the way. Chivu’s Inter are improving, Lazio are struggling, and Fiorentina are sinking fast.
The second international break of the season offers the first chance to take stock in Serie A. One caveat: these are just early impressions. The campaign is still very long — only about 15% of the matches have been played, with a massive 85% still to come.
The marquee matchup of Round 6, Juventus vs. Milan at the Allianz Stadium, was far from an advertisement for Italian football. The two teams spent much of the match studying each other, without ever really daring to strike, resulting in a slow, cagey, and frankly dull first half.
The tempo picked up slightly in the second half when both sides began to stretch and lose their compact shape. The wake-up call came with Milan’s penalty at the 53rd minute — missed by Pulisic. From that moment on, the game finally opened up. It was as if both teams suddenly realized that one single episode could cost them the match, even though neither had really tried to win it. Better late than never — the final half hour was much more entertaining, with big chances for both sides (Leão for Milan and Gatti for Juve).
For Juventus, still unbeaten like Atalanta, it was their third consecutive draw. The “draw syndrome” that led to Thiago Motta being dubbed Mister X last season seems to be haunting the Bianconeri again — ironic for a club whose motto is the unmistakably anti-Coubertin “Winning is the only thing that matters.”
Atalanta, meanwhile, are the undisputed kings of the stalemate: four draws in six matches. Mathematically speaking, a draw is worth “two-thirds of a loss,” and indeed, despite being unbeaten, the Dea sit only sixth, level with Bologna, and already five points off the top.
The table remains tight, with just three points separating the top five teams. At the summit — and guaranteed to stay there through the break — are Napoli and Roma. While Conte’s team were clear title contenders coming into the season, the real surprise package so far has been Gasperini’s Roma.
Both leaders share one key trait: neither has been entirely convincing in terms of performance, yet both have maximized results, taking 15 of 18 possible points.
Napoli have collected five wins out of six thanks to an attack that continues to produce, masking a shaky and injury-hit defense. With 12 goals scored, the Partenopei boast Serie A’s second-best offense, trailing only Inter’s 17, averaging exactly two per game.
Roma, on the other hand, have built their success on a rock-solid back line. The Giallorossi have conceded just two goals in six matches — one every three games — keeping four clean sheets in the process. Much of the credit goes to goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who has provided both reliability and brilliance whenever the defense has been breached.
The upcoming showdown at the Olimpico against powerhouse Inter, right after the international break, will reveal more about this Roma side — which also welcomed back Dybala in Florence after nearly a month out. For now, they remain humble outsiders in the title race… but as the saying goes, appetite comes with eating. Just look at Napoli’s rise last season.
Speaking of Inter, Chivu’s team appear to have bounced back after two unexpected slips between Rounds 2 and 3. Three straight wins have restored confidence and placed them among Serie A’s most in-form teams — alongside Roma. All of which makes the October 18th Roma–Inter clash even more compelling.
On the negative side, Sarri’s Lazio have been one of the early disappointments. They’ve lost half their matches — including the derby against Roma, never a “normal” game in the capital. A transfer window hampered by financial restrictions and a lack of reinforcements (despite Cancellieri’s return from loan providing a positive spark) has stifled the optimism surrounding Sarri’s comeback. Poor results — especially the derby defeat — have done the rest.
The biggest letdown so far, however, is Fiorentina under Pioli. Still winless after six games, with three draws and three losses, the Viola had ambitions of finally becoming a top side — but have instead looked alarmingly small-time. Their next three matches, all extremely tough — against Milan, Bologna, and Inter — could either mark Pioli’s revival or his downfall. All or nothing.
L’articolo Serie A: Juve and Milan Cancel Each Other Out, Roma and Napoli Alone at the Top proviene da Soccer Made In Italy.
