Serie A Liveblog: Lecce-Napoli & Atalanta-Milan
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Lecce host Napoli at the Via del mare this evening as Antonio Conte’s side look to go temporarily three points clear at the top of Serie A.
After an impressive victory at the Stadio Maradona against Scudetto rivals Inter at the weekend, Napoli appear to be getting their momentum back on track following a brutal week before.
After a disappointing 1-0 loss to Torino and heavy 6-2 thumping at the hands of PSV last week, Conte’s side bounced back with a convincing 3-1 win over Inter.

Unfortunately for Conte and the Partenopei, talismanic midfielder Kevin De Bruyne suffered an injury in the win and the Partenopei must now deal without the Belgian midfielder for some time.
Furthermore, Scott McTominay heads to the bench as Conte opts for a midfield triad of Billy Gilmour, Eljif Elmas and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

Additionally, Lorenzo Lucca starts up front, with Politano and Noa Lang working from the flanks. This marks Conte’s return to his 4-3-3, after utilising a 4-1-4-1 for a majority of the season so far.
Lecce (4-3-3): Falcone; Gallo, Gabriel, Gaspar, Veiga; Berisha, Ramadani, Coulibaly; Banda, Camarda, Pierotti
Napoli (4-3-3): Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Juan Jesus, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Gilmour, Elmas; Politano, Lucca, Lang
Calcio&Finanza reports that Juventus will have to pay almost €30m to cover the salaries of their former coaches Thiago Motta and Igor Tudor, who remain under contract until June 2027.
Juventus are expected to pay almost €30m to cover the wages of sacked coaches Thiago Motta and Tudor, according to Calcio&Finanza.

Tudor was hired in March 2025 to replace Motta and signed a contract through 2027 after leading the club to Champions League qualification last season.
Juventus’ latest balance sheet for the financial year ending June 30, 2025, signals that the club has already set aside €16.3m to cover the salary of Motta and his staff members until June 2027.

The figures regarding Tudor’s salary are not official, but it is believed that the Croat signed a €3m-a-year contract until 2027, circa €5.5m gross, which brings the spending to €11m plus wages of his staff members.
This means Juventus will have to pay over €27.3m to their ex-coaches, unless they reach an agreement to end their contracts or unless Motta and Tudor find a new club before their deals expire in 2027.
Juventus have now identified Luciano Spalletti as the ideal replacement for Tudor, and according to various sources, the Bianconeri director Damien Comolli will meet the ex-Italy boss today.
Antonio Conte and Gian Piero Gasperini were Juventus’ primary options at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, and while Igor Tudor has already been sacked by the Bianconeri, the Italian coaches are now at the top of the Serie A table.
Juventus are expected to hold talks with Luciano Spalletti today as the Serie A giants seek a replacement for Tudor.
The Croatian tactician was hired in March 2025 to replace Thiago Motta and remained at the helm after leading the team to a Champions League qualification and with the Club World Cup just around the corner.
Tudor signed a contract until 2027 in June, but Juventus had considered different options before that.

As reported by Gazzetta, it is no secret that Juventus’ top priority for the bench in May was their former coach and midfielder Conte.
The Napoli boss had been contacted by ex-Juventus director Cristiano Giuntoli, but eventually decided to remain at the Stadio Maradona after winning the Scudetto.

According to Gazzetta, Giuntoli had approached Conte even before appointing Tudor in March, working for a possible agreement for the 2025-26 campaign.
The pink paper claims that Giuntoli had also contacted Gasperini, who had no agreement with Roma and was preparing to leave Atalanta.

However, Napoli convinced Conte to stay, and Giuntoli was fired by Juventus, so when Damien Comolli arrived as the new Juventus General Manager, the club’s strategy partially changed.
There was still contact between Comolli and Gasperini, but the Italian tactician was already in advanced talks with Roma, and Comolli was not entirely convinced about hiring the Grugliasco-born coach.
Giorgio Chiellini had reportedly suggested hiring Gasperini, but the now Roma coach felt Comolli was sceptical about appointing him, so he closed the deal with Roma.
Ironically, while Juventus are now looking for a new coach, Conte and Gasperini share the top spot of the table in Serie A ahead of a mid-week round.
Luciano Spalletti opens up about rumours linking him with the Juventus job, saying that ‘whoever will replace Igor Tudor will be lucky.’
Spalletti is the leading candidate for the Juventus job, as multiple sources in Italy claim that he and Bianconeri director Damien Comolli will sit down today to discuss contract details with him today.
Ironically, Spalletti had already planned a meeting with the media on Tuesday morning to unveil a new advertisement in which he features alongside his former Roma star Francesco Totti.

The ad was released earlier this week, and Spalletti didn’t only talk about his latest sponsorship commitment.
“I feel well, I wait with serenity. I have the ambition to set things right,” the ex-Italy coach told Sky Sport via Gazzetta.

“I can only speak highly of Tudor, a serious and passionate person. Whoever will replace him will be lucky because he’ll find a well-trained team.”
Juventus confirmed Tudor’s sacking on Monday after the team lost three consecutive matches and failed to score in the last four.

Spalletti also spoke about his reunion with Totti, which has made headlines in Italy because of their public dispute during the coach’s second spell at the Stadio Olimpico.
“It feels so good to sit next to Totti,” Spalletti said.
“There were some risky choices, but we spent some marvellous years together, so when Ramazzotti put us back together, I was very happy and he was quite relaxed.”
An 81-year-old man in an electric wheelchair was fatally struck this morning by a car driven by Inter‘s second-choice goalkeeper Josep Martinez, reports in Italy claim.
There’s tragic news from Italy this morning, as according to several sources, including Gazzetta, Inter’s second-choice keeper Josep Martinez was involved in a car accident that killed an 81-year-old man in an electric wheelchair.

It happened at around 9:40 am local time on Via Bergamo in Fenegrò, in the province of Como, near Inter’s training centre Appiano Gentile.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene despite the prompt arrival of an ambulance and an air ambulance.
The Italian Police is carrying out investigations to reconstruct the dynamics of the accident.

According to Gazzetta, the initial hypothesis is that the elderly man may have suffered a sudden illness and veered into the lane where Martinez was driving.
The Nerazzurri goalkeeper immediately stopped and provided first aid to the man.
Following the tragic news and as a sign of mourning, Inter decided to cancel Cristian Chivu’s press conference, which was scheduled for 14:00 CET today.
Multiple sources in Italy claim that Kevin De Bruyne will undergo surgery in Antwerp tomorrow and will only return to action in February 2026.
Napoli star De Bruyne is set to miss several months of action after suffering a severe lesion to the thigh muscle in a Serie A game against Inter on Saturday.

Corriere dello Sport, Gazzetta and Tuttosport report that the Belgium international will be forced to undergo surgery in Antwerp. The operation will be carried out tomorrow, Wednesday, October 29.
According to reports, De Bruyne will miss from three to four months of action, returning on the pitch around February 2026.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the ex-Manchester City star has already landed in Belgium to prepare for the surgery.

De Bruyne sustained an injury to the same muscle in August 2023, which sidelined him for five months. During that period, he missed 28 matches for Manchester City and one for the Belgium national team.
De Bruyne underwent surgery two years ago as well, while his teammate and compatriot Romelu Lukaku, who sustained a similar injury this past August, has opted for conservative therapy.
Juventus sacked Igor Tudor because of poor results and performances in recent games, but the frosty relationship between the Croat and club director Damien Comolli also played a role in the coach’s dismissal.
Juventus announced Tudor’s sacking on Monday and Juventus General Manager Comolli is set to meet Luciano Spalletti today to offer him the job at the Allianz Stadium.
Juventus have been winless since September 13, they’ve lost three games in a row and have not scored in the last four.
Naturally, results and performances in recent weeks led to Tudor’s dismissal, but there’s more behind Juventus’ decision to part ways with the Croatian tactician.

Juventus’ transfer activity surely affected the relationship between Comolli and Tudor, given that the coach’s requests were largely ignored by the Old Lady’s general manager. Juventus didn’t sign a new central midfielder over the summer but signed instead two attacking players, Lois Openda and Edon Zhegrova, on deadline day. Furthermore, Tudor was eager to keep Alberto Costa in the team, especially after some positive performances in the Club World Cup, but Juventus still decided to swap the Portuguese right-back with his compatriot Joao Mario, who has only collected 330 minutes on the pitch across all competitions since moving to Turin.

The appointment of a new Director of Performance, Darren Burgess, in September, was another decision that the club did not share with the coach. The welcome from Tudor surely wasn’t a warm one, as the Croat said “This gentleman hasn’t yet arrived at the club” when asked about Burgess’ appointment last month. Juventus had welcomed Burgess, stating that the ex-Arsenal and Liverpool staff member would “work closely with Damien Comolli, Giorgio Chiellini, François Modesto, Igor Tudor and across all the technical areas and every age group of the Club to form a high-level team dedicated to promoting excellence in performance, innovation and athlete wellbeing.” Furthermore, as first reported by Tuttosport, in recent weeks, club directors also discussed Tudor’s tactics, suggesting in one-on-one meetings that he should have considered switching to a four-man defence, a step into Tudor’s territory that the coach didn’t particularly appreciate.
Aside from results, Juventus were also not impressed by Tudor’s communication, including frequent protests towards referees. Tudor’s first complaint came after a 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona, in which the Bianconeri protested for a penalty kick in favour of their opponents and a potential red card for the Gialloblu striker Gift Orban. On that occasion, Tudor labelled the penalty kick decision as “shameful.” Tudor’s communication strategy didn’t change in the following weeks as he kept complaining about referees, and even the fixture list, before a Champions League game against Real Madrid last week, with Giorgio Chiellini, Comolli and François Modesto sitting in front of him in the first row of the press room of the Estadio Bernabeu. Ultimately, on and off-the-field issues led to the coach’s dismissal, and Juventus are now on the verge of starting a new era, with their third coach in seven months.
Santiago Gimenez will partner with Rafael Leao in Milan’s away game at Atalanta this evening, while Ivan Juric will look to Charles De Ketelaere and Ademola Lookman.
It kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT) at the New Balance Stadium in Bergamo.

It’s a mid-week Serie A round, and the game will kick off after Lecce-Napoli.
Atalanta are the only unbeaten team in Serie A this season, but have also collected six draws in eight matches.
They host Milan without the injured Giorgio Scalvini, while the Rossoneri have travelled to Bergamo without Adrien Rabiot, Ardon Jashari, Christian Pulisic and Pervis Estupinan.

Multiple sources, including Gazzetta, claim that Atalanta coach Juric will pick Lookman and De Ketelaere in attack, with Mario Pasalic playing as an attacking midfielder.
Massimiliano Allegri is expected to reply with Leao and Gimenez up front. The Mexico international has yet to score a goal in Serie A this season.
Davide Bartesaghi will replace Estupinan on the left wing, and Fikayo Tomori will return to the starting XI after resting against Pisa in the previous round.
The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK and Ireland, but is also available to stream on DAZN. Fans in the USA can stream it live on Paramount+.
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Hien, Djimsiti; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Zalewski; Pasalic; De Ketelaere, Lookman.
Milan (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi; Gimenez, Leao.
Lorenzo Lucca is expected to return to the Napoli XI against Lecce today, but Scott McTominay might start on the bench.
It kicks off at 18:30 CET (17:30 GMT) at the Stadio Via del Mare in Lecce.

Napoli see Rasmus Hojlund and Amir Rrahmani return to action, but neither is fit to start, so Antonio Conte is expected to pick Lucca in attack, Sam Beukema and Juan Jesus at centre-back.
Lucca was benched against Inter on Saturday and had received a red card in his latest game as a starter against PSV last week.
Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Alex Meret and Stanislav Lobotka are injured.

Several sources, including Gazzetta and Corriere dello Sport, report that Scotland international McTominay is expected to rest so Eljif Elmas will join Billy Gilmour and Zambo Anguissa in the middle of the park.
Noa Lang is expected to start for the first time in Serie A this season, completing a three-man attack with Lucca and Matteo Politano.
Milan loanee Francesco Camarda is expected to start for Lecce.
The match is available on TNT Sports 1 and DAZN in the UK and Paramount+ in the USA.
Lecce (4-3-3): Falcone, Veiga, Gaspar, Tiago Gabriel, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani, Maleh; Pierotti, Stulic, Banda.
Napoli (4-3-3): Milinkovic-Savic, Di Lorenzo, Beukema, Juan Jesus, Olivera; Anguissa, Gilmour, Elmas; Politano, Lucca, Lang.
Juventus director Damien Comolli is set to meet with ex-Italy coach Luciano Spalletti today to offer him a contract as a replacement for Igor Tudor.
Multiple sources in Italy, including Gazzetta, claim that Juventus will meet with Spalletti today to discuss the contract details and the technical project following Tudor’s dismissal.

Football Italia exclusively reported on Monday that Juventus had established contact with Spalletti right after Tudor’s departure.
The Bianconeri have gone eight consecutive games without victories and have not scored a goal in the last four matches.
Spalletti, a Napoli Scudetto winner in 2022-23, has been without a team since June, when he was sacked by the Italian federation.

According to Tuttosport, Spalletti will be offered a contract until the end of the season, with an option to extend in case of Champions League qualification.
Gazzetta claims that Spalletti has rejected offers from Saudi and Turkish clubs and is eager to accept the Juventus job. However, if the two parties fail to reach an agreement, Roberto Mancini and Raffaele Palladino remain possible candidates for the Old Lady.
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Juventus sack Tudor
Spalletti ahead
Comolli meets the ex-CT today. Green light expected. Eight months and renewal in case of Champions League. Palladino and Mancini the alternatives. Brambilla on the bench tomorrow.
Lookman-Leao full speed
De Bruyne has to undergo surgery, Napoli for the sprint
Inter, with three defeats in eight games, the Scudetto is a feat.
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Tudor sacked
Yesterday the dismissal and negotiations with the ex-CT
Juve to Lucio
Spalletti is ready to say yes, today the meeting for the signature.
Buffon: ‘This is the ideal solution.’ If he doesn’t sign, Mancini is the alternative. Fatal defeat against Lazio for Tudor. Brambilla on the bench against Udinese tomorrow.
Napoli want to win for KDB
Allegri: ‘Leao is worth 25 goals.’
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Juve, why Spalletti
Tudor out! Today the meeting with the ex-CT
Comolli has gone all the way for Luciano, already contacted in June: all the reasons. A missed agreement would reopen other options, from Mancini to Palladino. Igor sacked after the last outburst in Rome: he pays for results, communication and dislikes in the dressing room. Tomorrow Brambilla on the bench.
Baroni knows how to change and improve Toro
Leao on fire. Allegri’s push: ‘He can score 20 goals.0
De Bruyne choc, Conte will welcome him back in February
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Ivan Juric says Atalanta must raise their level in every department as they prepare for a crucial clash with Milan, while also expressing sympathy for Igor Tudor after the Croatian coach was sacked by Juventus.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Juric opened by reacting to events in Turin. “I feel sorry for Tudor because he was a Juventus man,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.
“But this is our job. When you have a period where you play well but don’t win, you must improve in every area.”

The coach also addressed his recent public friction with goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi, insisting the issue is closed. “Everything is absolutely fine,” Juric stressed.
“The words were said in the heat of the moment. I’m very satisfied with his performances.”
Juric confirmed that Marten de Roon’s selection in defence was a deliberate tactical choice and not a stop-gap. “It’s not a surprise,” he said. “He does that role well.”
He also discussed squad fitness, noting that Sead Kolašinac is not yet ready to start, while “Scamacca needs calm, but I’d like to get him playing soon.”

Despite a run of draws and missed opportunities, Juric remains positive. “We’ve created a lot, but we haven’t turned it into goals. The team is alive. Lookman is fully involved and only missing the finish,” he explained.
Kossounou, meanwhile, is expected to start: “I’m pleased with his progress and I think he will play from the beginning.”
Juric acknowledged the challenge of facing Milan, especially with a demanding schedule. “Playing every 2-3 days is difficult. We analyse things day by day. To contain Milan, we need rhythm and compactness.”
Atalanta have not won in Serie A since September 21, and Tuesday night offers a crucial opportunity to restart their campaign.
Inter have confirmed Henrikh Mkhitaryan sustained a muscular injury, but it is not as serious as first feared for the veteran midfielder.
He limped off during the first half of Saturday’s 3-1 Serie A defeat to Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, right after giving away a penalty.

Tests were performed today and a formal statement from the Nerazzurri medical staff confirms a strain to the semitendinosus muscle in the left thigh.
Crucially, there is no lesion, which means it is not as serious as first thought.
The official club website merely states the situation will be re-evaluated next week, meaning Mkhitaryan will miss at least the midweek round against Fiorentina and Sunday’s trip to Hellas Verona.
There is some hope that the Armenia international might be back in action for the clash with Lazio on November 9, but it is more likely that he’ll return for the Derby della Madonnina against Milan on November 23, after the break for international duty.
Multiple sources claim that Luciano Spalletti and Raffaele Palladino are the leading candidates to replace Igor Tudor, who was sacked by Juventus this morning.
Spalletti and Palladino are the frontrunners for the Juventus job, according to various sources, including Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto.

Spalletti was sacked by the Italy national team in June, while Palladino left Fiorentina by mutual consent at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

Juventus confirmed Tudor’s sacking with an official statement on Monday morning after the team had lost three consecutive matches and failed to score in the last four.

Juventus also confirmed that Massimiliano Brambilla, the NextGen coach, will lead the team in the next two days and be in charge when the Old Lady host Udinese in the next Serie A game on Tuesday.
Tudor has won 10 of his 24 matches as Juventus coach. He was appointed in March 2025 to replace Thiago Motta.
Both coaches remain under contract at the Allianz Stadium until June 2027.
Napoli have confirmed the worst fears, as Kevin De Bruyne has been diagnosed with a severe lesion to the thigh muscle and is expected to be out for several months.
The midfielder pulled up clutching the back of his right thigh after successfully converting a penalty during the 3-1 victory over Inter on Saturday evening.
That result allowed them to go top of the table, alongside Roma, but it came at a heavy cost.

De Bruyne immediately seemed to be distraught when holding his leg and Napoli medical staff confirmed in a statement today that he had been diagnosed with a ‘high grade lesion to the femoral bicep in the right thigh.’
There was no official word on the time it will take to recover from this injury, but it is not dissimilar to the one sustained by Romelu Lukaku during a pre-season friendly in August.
That setback forced the striker to be out for circa four months, and it is entirely possible there will be a similar timeframe for his fellow Belgium international.
De Bruyne has a history of muscular problems, as a similar issue saw him ruled out for three months at Manchester City.
Juventus confirm that Igor Tudor has been sacked and that NextGen coach Massimo Brambilla will lead the team in the next Serie A match against Udinese.
Juventus have officially sacked the coach Tudor after three consecutive defeats.
The Bianconeri have confirmed their decision with an official statement published on Monday morning.
The Serie A giants also said that NextGen coach Brambilla will lead the team in the next two days, ahead of a Serie A match against Udinese at the Allianz Stadium.

Juventus have lost three games in a row and have not scored in the last four matches.
They are without a victory since September 13, when they beat Inter 4-3 at the Allianz Stadium.
Tudor replaced Thiago Motta in March 2025 and won 10 of his 24 matches in charge of the Bianconeri.
The Croatian tactician remains under contract until June 2027, just like his predecessor.
Juventus have collected 12 points in eight Serie A matches and sit 8th in the Serie A table.

“Juventus FC announces that it has today relieved Igor Tudor of his duties as head coach of the Men’s First Team, along with his staff consisting of Ivan Javorcic, Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci.
“The Club also announces that it has temporarily entrusted the Men’s First Team to Massimiliano Brambilla, who will be on the bench for the Juventus-Udinese match on Wednesday evening.
“The Club thanks Igor Tudor and his entire staff for their professionalism and dedication over the past few months and wishes them all the best for their future careers.”
Juventus have already informed Igor Tudor that he’ll be sacked, but the coach’s destiny has been written since the start of October.
Juventus have decided to sack their coach Tudor, and the club directors have already informed the Croatian tactician. An official statement in the coming hours will formally put an end to Tudor’s reign, which began in March 2025 and ended with three consecutive losses against Como, Real Madrid and Lazio.

The situation at Juventus has been clear since October 6, when I reported that, without tactical clarity, the coach would pay a high price.
This is exactly what happened today, as Juventus have not even waited for the next Serie A match against Udinese on Wednesday.

Juventus’ poor results and the lack of trust in new summer signgins have made the difference in determining the coach’s fate.
Tudor took charge of 24 Juventus matches across all competitions, grabbing 10 wins, eight draws and six losses.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus have sacked their coach, Igor Tudor, with an official statement expected later today.
Tudor is no longer the Juventus coach, and the Croatian tactician has already been informed about the club’s decision, according to Gazzetta.

The pink paper claims that Juventus will confirm Tudor’s sacking with an official statement later today.
According to the report, Juventus NextGen boss Massimo Brambilla will likely lead the team as an interim coach in a Serie A game against Udinese in just two days.
Reports in Italy on Monday morning suggested Juventus would wait until the next match to sack Tudor, but the situation has evolved since.

Juventus have lost their last three games and have not scored in their last four outings.
Furthermore, they have gone eight consecutive matches without winning.
Fabrizio Romano confirms that Juventus have already decided to sack Tudor and will now make the formal steps forward to relieve him from his duties.
Tudor was appointed in March 2025 to replace Thiago Motta. Both Motta and Tudor are under contract with Juventus until 2027.
Christian Pulisic is expected to return to action before the international break in November, but Milan director Giorgio Furlani is reportedly in talks with the United States Soccer Federation, hoping that Mauricio Pochettino will not include the star winger in the USMNT squad.
Milan hope Pulisic will not be called up to the USMNT squad in November.

The American winger sustained a hamstring injury during a friendly match against Australia earlier in October, irritating his club.
Pulisic has not featured for Milan since, but according to Gazzetta, his recovery is going ahead smoothly.
The American star will miss tomorrow’s game against Atalanta and has little chance to make it for the Roma match next Sunday, but Milan hope he’ll return to action against Parma on November 8, right before the next international break.
If Pulisic is eligible for that match, then he’ll automatically become available for selection for USMNT, but Milan want to avoid another long trip and more games for the ex-Chelsea star.

Therefore, according to the report (via Milannews) CEO Furlani has already initiated talks with the US Soccer, hoping that Pulisic will be allowed to remain in Milanello during the November break to fully get back in shape.
The USMNT will meet Paraguay and Uruguay in friendly encounters next month, while Milan will face city rivals Inter on November 23, in the first game after the November break.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Inter are ‘still irritated’ by Antonio Conte’s claims after Napoli’s 3-1 win at the Stadio Maradona on Saturday.
Tension erupted in Naples over the weekend, both during and after a Serie A match between the Partenopei and Inter.
As reported by Gazzetta, the Nerazzurri are not bothered by the on-pitch argument between Lautaro Martinez and Conte, but are rather annoyed by what happened after the final whistle.
During his post-match interviews, Conte criticised Inter’s decision to send their president, Beppe Marotta, to talk to the media to complain about a penalty kick given to the Partenopei.

“A team has to evaluate and realise why they lost, doing this, they just create alibis for the players and coach. I would not have allowed it. Now Marotta is President, but it’s not right that he has to come here and make these statements,” Conte said.
“I say with all due respect for the director, leave these things to the people who actually participated in the match, because it is diminishing the role of the coach too.”

Inter also found ‘inappropriate and serious’, according to Gazzetta, that Conte said Inter have been “The best team” in Serie A and “could have won more in the last four years.”

Gazzetta notes that Conte behaved differently during his time at Inter, as he publicly requested the directors’ intervention after some disappointing results or debatable referee decisions.
Conte won the 2020-21 Serie A title at Inter, but his relationship with club directors deteriorated at the end of the campaign as the Italian tactician pushed to leave, knowing that the club would need to sell Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi over the summer for financial reasons.
Inter and Conte eventually parted ways by mutual agreement, seeing the Italian tactician get a €7m net severance pay.
Alessandro Del Piero and Beppe Bergomi got into an argument about Inter on Sunday as the Juventus legend insisted that the Nerazzurri have been ‘the best team in Serie A in the last four years.’
Juventus and Inter legends Del Piero and Bergomi showed diverging opinions on Cristian Chivu’s side on Sunday evening as Sky Sport Italia analysed the latest Serie A weekend, in which the Nerazzurri suffered a 3-1 loss at Napoli.
Inter had complained about a penalty kick that gave Napoli the lead in the first half, but Del Piero and Bergomi did not focus on referee controversies.

“Inter have been the best team in Serie A in the last four years. Others who won instead of them were better, but Inter are the best team,” Del Piero said.
Bergomi, however, didn’t agree: “No, why do they never win games against direct rivals?”
Del Piero replied: “For other reasons, but if you look at the Inter team, it’s undoubtedly better than Napoli, Juventus, Milan and Roma.”
The argument continued with Bergomi, who hit back: “No, Ale. I’ve been saying this for four years.”

The Nerazzurri legend continued: “Remember that those who shout more are not necessarily right…You can raise your voice all the time, and respect what I’m saying, too. Especially because I’ve been saying this for four years, and the results are there. But when they lose, then the others are better. So, who is better? The winners or the losers?”
The Italian World Cup winners were unable to find a common ground.
“I respect it, but what I said is the same, with different words. The better one is the one that wins, the best one is another,” argued Del Piero.
“Inter were able to do certain things and reach certain results, winning titles, cups and reaching Champions League Finals,” concluded Bergomi.
“Even beating clubs like Bayern Munich and Barcelona, who are better than Inter.”
The Nerazzurri have lost three of their opening eight Serie A matches this season and are three points below the leading pair Napoli and Roma.
Sources in Italy claim that Wednesday’s Serie A game against Udinese may end Igor Tudor’s spell at Juventus, regardless of the result, as the Bianconeri have gone eight consecutive games without a win.
Juventus’ 1-0 loss against Lazio on Sunday marked their third consecutive defeat across all competitions, extending the Old Lady’s winless streak to eight games.
The last time Tudor’s men collected all three points was on September 13 against Inter and the Croatian tactician’s job is inevitably under scrutiny.

A new Serie A round is just around the corner, as Week 9 will be played mid-week. Juventus will host Udinese at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday and according to reports, that could be Tudor’s last game in charge of the Bianconeri.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Tudor might be sacked even if Juventus win, and Gazzetta confirms that the Croat is expected to be given time until the next match.

The pink paper reports on Monday (page 6) that not all Juventus directors are convinced to sack Tudor with immediate effect; therefore, the Croat is expected to sit on the Juventus bench in the next game in just two days.
As for the possible replacements, Italian media mention the same candidates named just a few days ago: Luciano Spalletti, Roberto Mancini, Raffaele Palladino and even Thiago Motta, who was sacked in March 2025, but remains under contract with the club until 2027.
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Lazio put Tudor in trouble: now he risks
Juve to the ground
Basic-goal: it’s the third consecutive defeat. The coach: ‘I don’t leave.’ But the club makes assessments
Toro is here
Maripan great final, Granata comeback.
Inter against Conte
Club irritated. Mkhitaryan out for at least one month
Dybala reaches the top
Roma with Napoli. Gasp: ‘Scudetto? If we grow…’
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Top spot and first, decisive, Dybala goal
Roma, double Joya
They won 1-0 at Sassuolo’s home and caught Napoli with 18 points. Fourth consecutive victory away: +8 in the table compared to 2024. Gasperini: ‘Paulo is extraordinary in every role.’
Tudor at the end
Juve in crisis. Third consecutive loss (1-0). Tudor’s future under scrutiny
Lazio sink the Croat
On Wednesday against Udinese, a win might not be enough for the coach. ‘Everyone is responsible. My future? I’m not concerned.’ Decisive Basic, Isaksen close to the 2-0.
Electric Chivu and Chivu’s cure
After Marotta’s protests for the soft penalty to the irritability of a team struggling to cope with difficulties.
De Bruyne risks a long stop
Milan, Gimenez is an issue
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It’s no longer Juve
Basic scores after nine minutes (incredible David assist), sending the Bianconeri into a tilt. Confused reaction and can only complain about a penalty denied to Conceiçao. Eight games without victories. The coach: ‘My future? I don’t care about it at all.’
Maripam-Paleari, ‘Toro happiness’
The super goal from the captain under the Curva completes the comeback at minute 90 after the early Thorsby goal and Sabelli’s own goal, then miraculous saves in the stoppages. Baroni: ‘I scolded my players at halftime.’
Roma, Joya for the top spot
Dybala knocks Sassuolo down
Lashed out by Gasp, he responded like a champion. Napoli reached. The coach: ‘Extraordinary Paulo.’
Napoli-Inter: Rocchi stops the coach, the assistant and VAR referee.
Viola, penalty comeback, but Bologna are furious
Alessandro Del Piero insists Igor Tudor is ‘not the problem’ at Juventus and ‘it’s not as if with another coach this squad would win the Scudetto.’
The Bianconeri are now in a full-blown crisis after three consecutive defeats against Como, Real Madrid and Lazio, going 394 minutes without scoring a goal.
They are on their longest winless streak in all competition since 2009, as after five draws in a row between Serie A and the Champions League, they lost three on the bounce.

With Tudor continually chopping and changing the line-up and tactics, is there too much confusion on the bench?
“I wouldn’t say confusion is the right word,” said Del Piero on Sky Sport Italia when analysing his beloved Juventus.
“The coach is not the problem, it’s more complicated than that, and includes how the team has struggled to come together so far this season.”
Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Lazio 1-0 Juventus
Although there were 1-0 defeats to Real Madrid and Lazio, Del Piero still saw some signs of improvement.
“The team was alive and did not deserve to lose tonight, perhaps a draw was the right result. They weren’t bad against Madrid either, the problem was the performance against Como.
“In any case, it’s not as if with another coach this team would win the Scudetto.”

Another issue that he did not necessarily put the blame on Tudor for was the absence of a core to this side.
“He doesn’t yet have a first choice XI, but it’s not because Tudor doesn’t want to find it, it’s because aside from a few individuals, the others have struggled to perform consistently.
“If you look at the best teams in Italy and Europe, they more or less all have a regular XI that will start the big games.”
Lazio beat Juventus 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico this evening and Gustav Isaksen is Football Italia’s Man of the Match.
Lazio: Provedel 6; Lazzari 6 (Pellegrini 6), Gila 6, Romagnoli 6.5, Marusic 5.5; Guendouzi 6, Cataldi 6.5, Basic 7 (Vecino 5.5); Isaksen 7.5 (Pedro N/A), Dia 5.5, Zaccagni 6
Best Lazio player: Isaksen – After an inconsistent start to the campaign, the Dane really came to life today and was a constant menace for the Juventus defence to reckon with. He was fouled a number of times, testament to his agility and dribbling down the flank.
Lowest Lazio Rating: Dia – Makes Lazio miss Castellanos more but fortunately his side were still able to win the three points despite another tame and biteless performance.

Coach: Sarri 7 – Set up well against a strong Juventus and did just enough to secure the three points. His side are showing more signs of settling back into his tactical demands and the coach will be delighted with a huge victory against a top club.
Juventus: Perin 6; Kalulu 6, Gatti 5.5 (Joao Mario N/A), Lloyd Kelly 5.5,;Cambiaso 6 (Yildiz 6); Conceicao 6.5, Koopmeiners 6 (Thuram 6), Locatelli 6.5, McKennie 5.5 (Openda N/A); Vlahovic 5.5, David 5
Best Juventus player: Conceicao – Despite not being able to get his team a point, the Portuguese winger was effective in his duties this evening. Potentially should have been awarded a penalty after a foul from Mario Gila in the box and was fairly lucid in an otherwise tame performance from the Bianconeri.

Lowest Juventus rating: David – Involved in a goal tonight, but not in the way he would’ve liked. At fault for Lazio’s opener, the Canadian struggled to redeem himself and was eventually hooked just after the hour mark. Life has not started well for the former Lille man in Turin.
Coach: Tudor 5 – Showing the signs of a coach under immense pressure, Tudor took risks today and they failed to pay off. His front two of Vlahovic and David continue to struggle to develop any sort of chemistry together and his decision to bring on Kenan Yildiz at half-time was too little too late.
Lazio President Claudio Lotito insists they ‘have what it takes to turn this around’ after a rough start to the season, as Maurizio Sarri’s men host Juventus.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT.
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.
The injury crisis keeps getting worse for the Biancocelesti, who go into tonight’s match without Nuno Tavares, Matteo Cancellieri, Taty Castellanos, Nicolò Rovella, Samuel Gigot and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.
Fans are losing patience and there has been criticism of the way the team has been constructed.

“Constructive criticism is right when results aren’t arriving, even if for a series of reasons that are beyond our control, but it is a team sport and we must all work in the same direction,” Lotito told DAZN Italia.
“I am convinced it is dictated by a series of imponderable factors that completely changed the results we expected. I urge everyone to have faith, because we are building a solid club, we are continuing the process of taking over the Stadio Flaminio and building the new training ground.”
Lazio were unable to make any new signings over the summer, as after failing three different financial stress tests, they received a transfer embargo.
Coach Sarri admitted he was unaware of this when accepting the job, and would’ve walked away from any other club but Lazio.

Will Lotito at least be able to promise reinforcements in the January transfer window?
“I have a rapport of respect and affection with Sarri, there is no clashing of roles, as everyone wants what is best for the club and the fans. The club was prevented from acting over the summer, we are ready to do whatever is necessary,” replied the President.
“I’ve never seen so many injuries and other situations that penalised us. We understand the mood of the fans, who are passionate about this side and feel upset when certain results are not achieved. There is sadness, irritation and at times criticism, but always remember unity is strength, we have what it takes to turn this situation around.
“If we stick together, the players, club, staff and fans, then you’ll see we will get great results.”

Lotito was asked about his view on the controversy that erupted after last night’s game, when Napoli beat Inter 3-1 with debate over the penalty and role of the assistant referee.
“I believe a system must be watched over, but not destabilised. There is a new generation of referees and when things don’t work, we need to point it out, but only trying to make it better, otherwise we risk making the situation worse. We need utmost transparency to bring through a generational shift of referees,” noted Lotito.
Paulo Dybala admits he was getting ‘pressure’ to score his first Serie A goal of the season, while Lorenzo Pellegrini sees Roma improvements in a 1-0 win at Sassuolo.
The Giallorossi had lost three of their last four competitive games between Serie A and the Champions League, but emerged with a 1-0 victory from the Mapei Stadium.
The only goal of the game was scored by Dybala, on the rebound from a save on Bryan Cristante, to put them joint top of the table alongside Napoli.

“We are relaxed, we knew before the game with the other results that we could take top spot, but there is a very long way to go,” Dybala told DAZN Italia.
“These are three important points, also for us to make up for recent setbacks, and now we have to turn our focus to Wednesday.”
Although he had found the net in the Europa League, this was La Joya’s first Serie A goal of the season, and it allowed him to debut a special celebration with the ball under his jersey, for pregnant wife Oriana.
“Strikers live for goals, obviously, so we would love to score in every game. Unfortunately, there are negative moments during the season, but the important thing is that the team wins, not who scores.
“I had been waiting to make this celebration, as my wife was putting pressure on me to get on with it!”

Pellegrini came off the bench and almost scored within 120 seconds, as his dinked finish bounced off the upright.
The former captain was asked if Roma really can aim to stay top of the table and if a Scudetto challenge is their objective this season.
“The objective is to keep improving, and I thought today was a little better when attacking than previous games, we could’ve scored a few more goals,” replied Pellegrini.
“We were coming off defeats and really eager to prove ourselves on the pitch. We are giving our all.”
Curiously, all four defeats between Serie A and the Europa League have been at the Stadio Olimpico, but even in away fixtures, Roma always have a strong presence of cheering fans.
“We are fortunate that our fans always travel with us with passion, I don’t think they realise how much they give to us on the field with their presence. This is also a special match for me, as I called Sassuolo home for a while and want to salute the Sassuolo supporters too, as they remained in my heart.”
Gian Piero Gasperini explains why he made such radical changes to the Roma attack against Sassuolo, including fitness updates on Matias Soulé and Evan Ferguson.
It kicks off at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia at 14.00 GMT.
Soulé had originally been mentioned in the starting XI released to the media, but was then replaced in the official line-up by Manu Koné, moving Neil El Aynaoui into a more advanced role.
This is the first time that the Argentine talent has been left on the bench this season, so what prompted that decision?
“We play very often, and Soulé had practically not missed a minute yet. We start like this, I hope he can be a valuable resource off the bench,” Gasperini told DAZN.

Paulo Dybala is again used as a False 9, even though it has had extremely limited results so far, as Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk continue to struggle with one goal between them.
Following Thursday’s 2-1 Europa League defeat to Viktoria Plzen, Gasperini said that he had only just seen the first “real training session” from Ferguson, so what did that mean?
“He needs to be an important factor for the future. It was his first really hard working session, but unfortunately he also got a knock to the ankle and he’s on the bench today, but I’m not sure if he can play.”
A victory here would send Roma joint top of the Serie A table alongside Napoli, who beat Inter 3-1 last night.
“We all know the situation, but it’s quite early to start looking at the table. We need to focus our attention on Sassuolo, who are a newly promoted side, but getting good results already. We just need to concentrate on this game and getting the result we want today,” concluded Gasperini.
It is remarkable that Roma always saw the Stadio Olimpico as their fortress in previous years, but all four of their defeats in Serie A and the Europa League this season have been home fixtures.
Jamie Vardy is ‘over the moon’ with his first Serie A goal, albeit with regrets that Cremonese were held to a draw, but reveals extra motivation for learning Italian. ‘My kids will take the mickey!’
The veteran finally made his mark this evening by giving Cremonese the lead against Atalanta at the Stadio Zini, his first goal since making the move as a free agent over the summer.
However, it was cancelled out by a late Marco Brescianini strike for the final 1-1 result.

“I’m over the moon to get my first goal, but taking the lead that late on, I’m a bit disappointed we didn’t get the three points. Still, it’s a step in the right direction,” Vardy told Sky Sport Italia.
There had been doubts about his fitness levels at the age of 38, but the former Leicester City legend showed he is in good shape with some acrobatic backflips to celebrate.
Jamie Vardy’s having a party!
#CremoneseAtalanta 1-0 pic.twitter.com/h1TB4QMH3S
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) October 25, 2025
“I feel great. I look after myself, make sure I do all the right recovery and as close to 100 per cent for each game as and when they come. If the manager wants me to play, then I’m all ready to go, and then that decision is up to the manager. I’m ready whenever.”

The Premier League winner was asked what differences he has found between English football and Serie A after these first few months of the experience.
“It’s more tactical and possession based in Serie A, you get to the Premier League and it’s all high intensity, fast paced, normally end to end. Here you have more time on the ball, you need to make sure you’re in the right positions.
“At the end of the day, football is football, we just have to make sure we’re on it 100 per cent every week. It’s 11 against 11 every week, anyone can beat anyone, so as long as we’re fully on it, we know that we can pick up points no matter who we’re playing.”
Has Vardy learned any Italian since making the move to Cremonese?
“I only know the basics, good morning, thank you, numbers, but I’ll be taking lessons as of next week, so hopefully that will start the bringing on the language a bit more. I have to learn, as my kids are learning, and I can’t have them learning it before me, otherwise they’ll be taking the mickey out of me!”
Cristian Chivu believes Inter lost 3-1 to Napoli because they ‘wasted energy arguing’ with the opposition bench, but feels ‘even more confident’ of their future success.
The Nerazzurri were the favourites going into the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after winning their last seven on the bounce in all competition, while the Partenopei were struggling with an injury crisis.
However, a controversial Kevin De Bruyne penalty, Scott McTominay and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa counter-attacks sealed the result, despite a Hakan Calhanoglu spot-kick.

It was that penalty that hit the headlines and prompted Inter President Beppe Marotta to speak to the media first, but Chivu did not want to be drawn on the matter.
“I talk about football and the match,” Chivu told DAZN Italia.
“I would like to talk about the good things the players did in the first half. We tried to stay in the game after that, to keep our balance, but we hit the woodwork twice and reacted to going behind.
“We lost our balance in the second half because we were so eager to get the game back on track, so we conceded for 2-0. Despite that, we were still able to get back into it, then wasted energy arguing with their bench and from that moment on we lost sharpness.”

The argument was largely between the Napoli staff and coach Antonio Conte, Inter players Denzel Dumfries and Lautaro Martinez.
After that, the hosts scored a third goal with Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa after a flicked-on throw-in.
“It is down to the waste of energy that we threw away for nothing. We should’ve understood the moments of the match,” continued Chivu.
“In the second goal, we didn’t sense the danger, as there were so many of us pushing and building, we were unprepared on a ball Spinazzola just hit upfield to McTominay.
“Then we reacted too slowly to the third goal, which was down to losing sharpness. We cannot concede so easily from a throw-in.”

Inter had won seven in a row in all competition before this setback, but it is the second Scudetto showdown defeat after their 4-3 to Juventus.
“I am proud of what the lads are doing, and even more confident after tonight,” assured Chivu.
“I saw a great first half, despite the Napoli enthusiasm, as we were dominant. We came here to play our game, but unfortunately this is football. You have to maintain concentration and we lacked something in the second half.”
There was an extremely tense moment on the touchline between Denzel Dumfries and the Napoli bench, which then saw Antonio Conte and Lautaro Martinez exchange ugly hand gestures.
“I don’t know what happened and I don’t care. I will tell the players in future not to waste their energy just to argue. We’ve got to focus on the game and where we want to go,” concluded Chivu.
Scott McTominay reveals he had a surprising problem scoring for Napoli against Inter, while Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa gives his view on the tactical change.
The Partenopei were not the favourites going into this Scudetto showdown, as they had lost four of their last seven competitive games, whereas the Nerazzurri had won seven on the bounce.
However, a Kevin De Bruyne penalty, McTominay screamer and Anguissa counter-attack cancelled out the Hakan Calhanoglu penalty to seal a 3-1 victory.

“I don’t know if we sent a signal, but we have to take it one game at a time and the objective is to keep winning. We pushed hard, we won as a team, and had the right attitude,” Anguissa told DAZN Italia.
Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Napoli 3-1 Inter
Napoli changed to a 4-3-3 system after De Bruyne went off injured, and that seemed to give them more balance, not to mention being familiar from last season.
“I wouldn’t say the system made the difference, but rather the approach. We had energy, we wanted to win, we work on many different systems in training and ultimately the coach decides. We are here just to follow his instructions.”
This puts Napoli top of the table, as AC Milan were held 2-2 by Pisa last night, while Roma could join them with a victory away to Sassuolo tomorrow.

McTominay scored his first home goal since the Scudetto winner against Cagliari back in May, so he only seems to reserve his goals for some big fixtures.
“We knew we had to give a reaction after the Champions League and I thought we did that really well. Inter are a top team with great players, but it was a top response,” McTominay told DAZN Italia.
When asked about the pass from Leonardo Spinazzola, the Scotland international revealed some difficulty with the situation.
“I lost it in the lights, so the pass took me by surprise, the lights are so bright I couldn’t see it. Then I just thought to shoot. Leo is a top player, he put in some great passes this year, now we need to find that consistency so we can continue to push.”
Zambo Anguissa is Football Italia’s MVP in Napoli’s 3-1 win over Inter on Saturday.

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic 6; Di Lorenzo 6.5, Buongiorno 5.5, Juan Jesus 6.5, Spinazzola 6.5; Gilmour 5.5; Politano 6 (81′ Elmas N/A), Anguissa 7.5, De Bruyne 6 (37′ Olivera 6), McTominay 7; Neres 6.5 (81′ Lang N/A). Coach: Conte 7.
Best Napoli player: Anguissa 7.5 – The second half was absolutely stunning. Anguissa dominated in central midfield and even scored the third goal for the Partenopei, finalising a perfect counter-attack.
Lowest Napoli rating: Buongiorno 5.5 – Same rating as Gilmour, but Buongiorno caused a penalty kick with a clumsy handball that could have had worse consequences for the Partenopei.
Napoli coach: Conte 7 – His argument with Lautaro is already a classic scene in Italian football, but Conte will rightly make headlines thanks to a perfect game plan. Napoli were happy to leave the ball to Inter and hurt the Nerazzurri on counter-attacks. The penalty kick in the first half, more than debatable, helped them, but the Napoli defending was even more resolute once they took the lead.

Inter: Sommer 5.5; Akanji 5, Acerbi 5, Bastoni 5.5; Dumfries 5.5 (75′ Luis Henrique 5.5), Barella 6 (73′ Frattesi 6), Calhanoglu 7 (73′ Sucic 6), Mkhitaryan 5.5 (32′ Zielinski 5.5), Dimarco 5.5; Lautaro Martinez 5, Bonny 5.5 (62′ Pio Esposito 5.5). Coach: Chivu 5.
Best Inter player: Calhanoglu 7 – Converted a spot kick to keep Inter in the game and maintained a high passing accuracy despite the physicality and press from Napoli midfielders. It wasn’t enough to get a result.
Lowest Inter rating: Acerbi and Akanji 5 – Both poor in the build-up, but mostly unable to cope with Napoli’s counter-attacks, especially in the second half.
Inter coach: Chivu 5 – Inter were probably the better side in the first half and had a convincing reaction after Napoli had taken the lead. However, they showed no balance and were too exposed defensively after the break. Not even Calhanoglu’s goal gave them the push to go for the equaliser.
Napoli surged back to the top of the table after a tense victory over an Inter side that had won seven on the bounce, including a controversial penalty and serious Kevin De Bruyne injury.
This was a title showdown last season and again crucial for top spot here, especially after Milan’s 2-2 draw with Pisa last night. The Partenopei were in crisis after losing four of their last seven official games, including a 6-2 hammering at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday. Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Alex Meret, Amir Rrahmani and Romelu Lukaku were injured, so David Neres was launched as a False 9. The Nerazzurri missed Marcus Thuram and Matteo Darmian, but had won their last seven in all competition.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Alessandro Bastoni nodded a corner just wide and Hakan Calhanoglu bent his finish past the post in the opening minutes, then Vanja Milinkovic-Savic rushed out to deny Lautaro Martinez one-on-one after Nicolò Barella intercepted a Leonardo Spinazzola pass.
During a spell of Napoli pressure, the referee pointed to the spot several seconds after Giovanni Di Lorenzo went over between a Henrikh Mkhitaryan nudge and over the Francesco Acerbi sliding tackle. It was a call from the assistant referee, which was then not considered a clear and obvious error by the VAR. Mkhitaryan injured himself in the process and was replaced by ex-Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski.

Kevin De Bruyne stepped up and converted into the near bottom corner, but then immediately clutched the back of his right leg and was distraught, suffering an apparent hamstring strain. The Belgian hobbled off barely able to put his right foot down, another injury for the crowded Napoli treatment room.
Kevin De Bruyne pulled a muscle in the process of putting Napoli ahead against Inter
pic.twitter.com/SKnGHnsXHN
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025
Inter had a huge opportunity to equalise on a corner, but Alessandro Bastoni’s free header thumped the crossbar with Milinkovic-Savic well beaten.
There was a double chance when Milinkovic-Savic only parried the Calhanoglu strike, then Dumfries pulled back from the right for Lautaro Martinez to sweep first time, shaving a coat of paint off the far post.
Moments later, Dumfries came even closer, his header clipping the outside of the upright on a Bastoni cross.
Calhanoglu fired over from the edge of the area after the restart, but just as Inter were pouring forward seeking an equaliser, they were caught on the counter-attack. Leonardo Spinazzola’s pass allowed McTominay to spring the offside trap in the centre-circle, sprinting forward and letting it bounce to hit the ferocious right-foot half-volley into the far bottom corner.
STUNNING from Scott McTominay!
What a finish from the Scot
pic.twitter.com/Uy7honw6aC
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025
Inter got back into the game though, as VAR spotted Alessandro Buongiorno with arm raised to charge down the Lautaro Martinez header, and Calhanoglu beat specialist Milinkovic-Savic from the penalty spot.

The tension erupted with a scuffle on the touchline sparked by Dumfries and the Napoli bench, resulting in some harsh hand gestures between Lautaro Martinez and Antonio Conte.
Napoli struck again on the counter, as a throw-in was knocked down and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa ran from midfield, getting away from Manuel Akanji and Dumfries to blast the finish past Sommer.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa extends Napoli’s advantage against Inter with a brilliant run
pic.twitter.com/8IQYpqSR1h
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025
David Neres had the chance to add a fourth on the counter, but he hesitated too long, had his finish charged down, then struggled with cramp. Francesco Pio Esposito nodded an Akanji cross over the bar in stoppages.
De Bruyne pen 33 (N), McTominay 54 (N), Calhanoglu pen 59 (I), Anguissa 67 (N)
| Kevin De Bruyne | 33' | |||
| Giovanni Di Lorenzo | 43' | |||
| Billy Gilmour | 45+6' |
| Scott McTominay (Assist: Leonardo Spinazzola) |
54' | |||
| 59' | Hakan Calhanoglu | |||
| Frank Anguissa (Assist: David Neres) |
66' | |||
| 77' | Alessandro Bastoni |
Antonio Conte and Lautaro Martinez were caught on camera insulting each other during the second half of a tense Napoli-Inter on Saturday.
The incident happened around minute 61 after an argument had sparked between Napoli and Inter players.

Lautaro, who had played under Conte at Inter, was seen pointing at the Italian tactician and making a gesture as to say: ‘You are sh****** yourself,’ but the Napoli boss replied (via Daniele Mari): ‘Wrap your laughing gear around this,’ also making an unequivocal gesture.
Napoli were leading 2-1, but Hakan Calhanoglu had just scored a penalty kick goal to put Inter back into the game.
Conte and Lautaro already argued during the Italian tactician’s final season at the Stadio Meazza in 2020-21.

That time, Lautaro openly complained about a substitution and kicked a bottle on the touchline.
Conte didn’t take it well and hit back at the Argentine, telling him to shut up.
Inter players and staff members jokingly organised a boxing fight at Inter’s training ground a few days later to clear the air between the two.
DAZN reports that Antonio Conte urged Kevin De Bruyne to take a penalty against Inter instead of David Neres, but referee pundit Luca Marelli argues that the spot kick should have been revoked by VAR.
Napoli took the lead in the first half of a home game against Inter on Saturday thanks to a penalty kick converted by De Bruyne, who even got injured while kicking the ball.
DAZN reports that David Neres had already put the ball under his arm to take the penalty, but Conte said De Bruyne should have stepped up instead.

According to the report, Conte told Matteo Politano to inform his teammates that KDB should have taken the spot kick.
There will surely be controversy regarding the penalty given to the Partenopei, which was awarded for a Henrikh Mkhitaryan foul on Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

DAZN referee pundit Luca Marelli has already claimed that it was a wrong call from the official Maurizio Mariani and the VAR.

“I repeat that there was no penalty for Napoli. It should have been overturned by VAR,” Marelli said via Daniele Mari.
“The contact was clearly initiated by Di Lorenzo. Mkhitaryan did not move towards Di Lorenzo. There was no foul from Acerbi, who played the ball. It’s a penalty that should have been revoked.”
Follow Napoli-Inter live on the Football Italia LIVEBLOG.
It went from celebration to drama in the space of a second for Kevin De Bruyne, as he converted a penalty to give them the lead against Inter, then sustained a serious injury in the process.
You can follow the action as it happens from that game on the Liveblog.
The Belgium international was not seemingly even meant to take the spot-kick, as David Neres had initially taken the ball, but the order came from Antonio Conte on the touchline to hand it to De Bruyne.

It proved a correct decision, as the former Manchester City midfielder converted past Yann Sommer to put his team in front.
However, the player immediately grabbed the back of his right thigh and had to be consoled by teammates rather than surrounded in celebration, as it immediately looked to be serious.
Kevin De Bruyne pulled a muscle in the process of putting Napoli ahead against Inter
pic.twitter.com/SKnGHnsXHN
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 25, 2025
De Bruyne was substituted by Matias Olivera and could not even put his right foot down when held up by two members of the Napoli medical staff.
He eventually had to be taken away on the motorised stretcher to applause from the Napoli fans at the Stadio Maradona.
It adds to the growing list of Partenopei injuries, as they already went into this Scudetto showdown without Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Alex Meret, Amir Rrahmani and Romelu Lukaku.
What a bizarre few moments in Naples…
Kevin de Bruyne steps up to take the penalty for Napoli and appears to pull his thigh as he scores
pic.twitter.com/ICcaJ8Xuf9
— CBS Sports Golazo
(@CBSSportsGolazo) October 25, 2025