Serie A leaders Inter Milan could be crowned Italian champions this weekend when they host Parma at the San Siro, with the Scudetto potentially decided before a ball is even kicked in Milan.
Inter currently hold a 10-point lead over Napoli, meaning they need just one more win from their final four matches to secure a 21st league title and their third in six seasons.
However, Inter’s celebrations could arrive early if results elsewhere go their way. If Napoli lose to Como on Saturday, and AC Milan—12 points behind in third—fail to win against Sassuolo, the title could already be mathematically decided before Sunday evening.
While Inter close in on glory, both Napoli and AC Milan are now primarily battling to secure Champions League qualification.
Napoli could guarantee a top-four finish if:
- They beat Como, and
- Roma fail to defeat Fiorentina on Monday night
Napoli sit eight points clear of fifth-placed Como and sixth-placed Roma, who are still fighting for a top-four breakthrough.
Behind them:
- Como and Roma trail Juventus by 3 points
- Juventus hold the fourth and final Champions League spot
- AC Milan are a further 3 points ahead of Roma and Como
On paper, Inter’s clash with Parma looks straightforward. Parma have little left to play for, while Inter are chasing the finishing line.
However, caution remains after Inter recently dropped a two-goal lead in a draw against Torino, reminding fans that nothing is guaranteed in a tense title run-in.
Off the pitch, Serie A has been rocked by a growing scandal involving senior refereeing officials.
The head of referees for Serie A and Serie B, Gianluca Rocchi, has suspended himself after being investigated for “sporting fraud” by prosecutors in Milan.
He, along with VAR chief Andrea Gervasoni and two others, is under suspicion of influencing match decisions. The alleged offences carry potential sentences of up to six years in prison.
- Referee selection allegedly being influenced in certain matches
- VAR officials receiving external communication regarding decisions
- A suspected attempt to overturn a handball ruling in an Udinese vs Parma match
- Allegations that Rocchi pressured VAR officials during matches involving Inter and Roma
One notable claim suggests Rocchi influenced the appointment of a referee “favoured by Inter” for a match against Bologna.
Gervasoni is also accused of interfering in a VAR decision during Inter’s defeat to Roma last season.
Five matches are currently under investigation, all from previous seasons, with no club officials implicated at this stage.
Still, the scandal arrives at a difficult time for Italian football, following:
- Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive time
- Ongoing uncertainty within the national football federation, which will not elect a new president until late June
Friday
- Pisa vs Lecce (1845)
Saturday
- Udinese vs Torino (1400)
- Como vs Napoli (1600)
- Atalanta vs Genoa (1845)
Sunday
- Bologna vs Cagliari (1030)
- Sassuolo vs AC Milan (1300)
- Juventus vs Verona (1600)
- Inter Milan vs Parma (1845)
Monday
- Cremonese vs Lazio (1630)
- Roma vs Fiorentina (1845)
AFP
