While the focus is on Friday’s Scudetto battle between table-topping Napoli and Inter Milan, plus the basement battle between five clubs to avoid the drop to Serie B with Monza, there is also the matter of who will qualify for the Champions League.
AS Roma, Juventus and Lazio will be fighting it out on Sunday evening to finish fourth in Serie A to join Atalanta, Inter and Napoli in next season’s Champions League.
Juve occupy fourth place, a point above Roma and two points ahead of Lazio. The Bianconeri only need match the number of points that Claudio Ranieri’s side collect against Torino to secure involvement in Europe’s top club competition.
A draw in Venezia could see Roma leapfrog Juve to snatch fourth position, while Lazio are unable to overtake Juventus because of the league’s head-to-head rules.
Serie A rules
Serie A regulations mean that any clubs not involved in the league title or relegation who finish the season on level points will be separated by their head-to-head record, then goal difference followed by the scenario of a random draw.
Victory for Venezia over Juve would not guarantee surviving the dreaded drop. Yet they are liked to be brushed aside inside their Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo.
Relegation-threatened Venezia are desperate for maximum points to avoid the drop to Serie B, but their task is virtually mission impossible after picking up just two wins and only scoring seven goals from their past 10 games.
An unthinkable defeat for Juventus could allow Lazio or Roma to jump up the table to snatch fourth place. Going down to the wire to reach the highly lucrative Champions League was not anticipated for the Bianconeri when they kicked off their Serie A campaign.
Full of promise
Juve were expected to be serious Scudetto contenders under a new head coach and revamped squad at the start of the season. Yet those dreams turned into a nightmare, as then manager Thiago Motta found it tricky to carve out league victories.
Endless draws and other factors saw ex-Bologna boss Motta given the boot in March. Igor Tudor, a former Juve player and assistant manager, was chosen over ex-Italy boss Roberto Mancini as interim boss.
Tudor was handed nine league games to save Juve’s season, and at Venezia he could secure the club’s much desired involvement in the Champions League.
The financial riches of competing in the prestigious tournament would give Juventus the monetary muscle to pursue some of their ambitious targets.
Summer targets
Juve sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has been extremely busy compiling an extensive summer transfer wishlist brimming with big name stars, with lesser known players added as a back-up plan.
A Juventus defeat opens up the potential for Lazio and Roma to snatch the coveted fourth place. Lazio travel to lowly Lecce, while Roma travel to Torino.
While Juventus, Lazio and Roma all have a shot at a top four finish, table-topping Napoli are only a single point ahead of Milan. Antonio Conte’s Napoli host Cagliari on Friday night while Inter travel to tackle in-form Como.
A Scudetto play-off match would be implemented if Milan and Napoli end the season on the same number of points, as head-to-head records and goal difference will not be taken into consideration.
Relegation battle
At the other end of the table, two of five clubs from Empoli. Hellas Verona, Lecce, Parma and Venezia will lose their Serie A status. Monza were relegated following their 2-0 defeat to 10-man Juve last month.
Hellas Verona in 15th lie a point above Parma, three points ahead of Empoli and Lecce plus a five-point cushion over Venezia. Relegation play-off matches would be utilised if any teams conclude the season on the same number of points.
The only Serie A play-off match was a 2022/23 relegation decider, when Hellas Verona beat Spezia 3-1.
Sealing Champions League soccer will trigger talks for Tudor with the club hierarchy. Although there are four big names in the mix to become the Juve manager next season.
Conte could be coaxed back to Juve, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini may want a new challenge, ex-Italy manager Mancini was a previous candidate and former Barcelona boss Xavi was this year associated with the Juventus hot-seat.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday 23 May | Como vs Inter Milan, Napoli vs Cagliari
Saturday 24 May | AC Milan vs Monza, Bologna vs Genoa
Sunday 25 May | Atalanta vs Parma, Empoli vs Hellas Verona, Lazio vs Lecce, Torino vs AS Roma, Udinese vs Fiorentina, Venezia vs Juventus