Inter and Lazio are level on 19 points, Roma have conceded just three goals in seven matches, and Napoli have already suffered three defeats. Serie A heads into Matchday 8 with a few surprises in the standings: Juventus are only eighth, Como sit fifth, and Fiorentina find themselves in the relegation zone.
Matchday 8 takes place from 23 to 25 October. We look at the main fixtures, recent form and underlying numbers ahead of another round of Serie A action with 888STARZ.
Napoli vs Roma: Ninth Place Against the League’s Best Defence
24 October | 9th vs 3rd
Napoli have taken just ten points from seven matches and already lost three times. Their latest defeat was particularly frustrating: Massimiliano Allegri’s side went down 1-0 to Venezia, who had not collected a single point before the match. Kevin De Bruyne even had a penalty saved by Filip Stanković.
Napoli responded with a 4-3 Champions League victory over Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday, but once again allowed their opponents too many chances. Seven goals conceded in Serie A, plus another three in their latest European game, is hardly ideal preparation for facing one of the league leaders.
Roma’s numbers tell a very different story: 17 points, only three goals conceded and no defeats. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team have kept clean sheets in all three away league matches and thrashed Slovan Bratislava 4-0 in midweek.
There is one statistic in Napoli’s favour, though: they are unbeaten in their last eight home league meetings with Roma, winning four and drawing four.
Napoli are struggling for consistency, while Roma have rarely put a foot wrong defensively. Another defeat could leave the hosts more than ten points behind the leaders.
Inter vs Fiorentina: The Best Attack Meets One of the Weakest Defences
25 October | 1st vs 18th
Inter have scored 21 goals in seven matches, averaging three per game. The Nerazzurri have won six and drawn one, with last weekend’s 3-1 victory over Bologna keeping them top on goal difference.
Nine goals conceded, however, suggest they are not quite as convincing at the back. Their 1-0 Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk was also hard-earned: Alessandro Bastoni’s dismissal left Inter chasing a winning goal with ten men.
Fiorentina are at the opposite end of the table. Four points, 17 goals conceded and five defeats in seven rounds. Their latest match ended in a 3-1 home loss to Como.
The difference in form is enormous. Fiorentina have at least scored eight goals, which is not especially poor for a relegation-zone side. Their biggest problem is how frequently opponents are able to create chances against them.
Inter are clear favourites based on current form, but their own defensive record gives Fiorentina some reason to believe they can threaten going forward.
Lazio vs Parma: Rome’s Best Start in Years
24 October | 2nd vs 19th
Lazio have opened the season with six wins and a draw: 19 points and a 14-4 goal difference. Gennaro Gattuso has overseen the club’s best Serie A start in years, and last weekend his side thrashed Juventus 3-0 in Turin.
That victory was not built on relentless attacking pressure. Lazio made excellent use of set pieces and quick transitions, then gave Juventus almost no route back into the game after half-time.
Parma sit second from bottom. They have scored just four goals in seven league matches and lost their last two fixtures by identical 3-0 scorelines, against Inter and Torino.
Parma have also failed to win any of their last ten league trips to Lazio.
The Rome club play before Inter, so even a draw would temporarily send them top. Given the difference in form, though, anything short of a home win would be a significant setback.
Lecce vs Juventus: Just Two Points Separate Them
25 October | 12th vs 8th
Juventus are under pressure again. After losing 3-0 at home to Lazio, Luciano Spalletti’s side drew 2-2 with Rennes in the Europa League despite starting as strong favourites.
The Bianconeri have scored just nine goals in seven Serie A matches. They struggled to create chances through the middle against Lazio, then allowed Rennes to exploit defensive mistakes twice in Europe.
Lecce, meanwhile, come into the game after an impressive 3-0 victory over Udinese. Their first two goals followed corners, and they could have settled the contest before half-time.
That matters because Juventus also conceded from a set piece against Lazio. Lecce have the tools to exploit similar situations, especially against opponents who played in Europe only three days earlier.
Juventus have 11 points and Lecce nine. For all the differences in reputation and squad value, the teams have been much closer on the pitch this season than many expected.
Udinese vs AC Milan: A European Setback Changes the Mood
25 October | 16th vs 4th
Milan remain unbeaten in Serie A with four wins, three draws and 15 points. They beat Atalanta 3-2 last weekend, although they nearly threw away a three-goal lead.
Thursday’s Europa League defeat was far more damaging. Milan lost 3-0 to Bournemouth, with Mike Maignan’s red card playing a major part in the result. Even so, the final xG figures — 3.14 to 0.11 — show just how thoroughly the English side dominated.
Udinese have problems of their own. They have lost five consecutive matches and conceded 16 goals in seven rounds. Their latest 3-0 defeat to Lecce was particularly poor, with the opposition repeatedly finding space in the penalty area and creating danger from set pieces.
Milan are favourites based on their league position, but they have conceded five goals across their last two matches. After a heavy European defeat and limited recovery time, the trip to Udine could prove more difficult than the standings suggest.
Other Matchday 8 Fixtures
Torino open the round against Monza. Both teams enjoyed emphatic victories last time out: Torino beat Parma 3-0, while Monza surprised Cagliari with a 4-0 win.
Como have climbed to fifth following their 3-1 victory over Fiorentina. They now host Sassuolo, who have conceded 14 goals in seven league matches. Another win could take Como into the top four.
Cagliari face Bologna, who have won just once in seven matches. Atalanta host surprise sixth-placed Frosinone, while Genoa take on bottom-of-the-table Venezia.
What Matters Ahead of Matchday 8
Inter, Lazio and Roma are the only three unbeaten teams left in Serie A. Their approaches are quite different: Inter lead the scoring charts, Lazio combine defensive discipline with clinical finishing, and Roma have conceded only three goals.
Napoli and Juventus are already nine and eight points behind the leaders respectively. Both are still involved in European competition but have struggled to turn promising spells into consistent league results.
The schedule will become even more demanding next week, with Serie A Matchday 9 starting on 27 October. Squad rotation and recovery could therefore have an unusually large influence on this weekend’s games.
After the round, we’ll compare the results with the pre-match 888STARZ odds and the quality of chances created, particularly in Napoli vs Roma and Lecce vs Juventus.
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