Week 36 was expected to be crucial in the relegation battle and the chase for the Europa League, but in truth there hasn’t been much change.
Lazio have secured their place in Europe, but those below them continue to falter while the relegation strugglers all won.
Here’s what we learned in Week 36.
No-one wants to be in the Europa League
Inter, Milan and Fiorentina are all vying for the final Europa League spot, but you could be forgiven for thinking they’re in fact attempting to rule themselves out of contention.
Week 36 was expected to be crucial in the relegation battle and the chase for the Europa League, but in truth there hasn’t been much change.
Lazio have secured their place in Europe, but those below them continue to falter while the relegation strugglers all won.
Here’s what we learned in Week 36.
No-one wants to be in the Europa League
Inter, Milan and Fiorentina are all vying for the final Europa League spot, but you could be forgiven for thinking they’re in fact attempting to rule themselves out of contention.
The Nerazzurri haven’t won in seven games, five of which have been defeats, culminating in a loss at struggling Genoa on Sunday.
Their city rivals haven’t fared much better, with just one win in six. That win came against Palermo, but games with Crotone, Empoli and Pescara yielded just two points.
Fiorentina, meanwhile, have managed just one win in five and drew with Sassuolo in Week 36.
That means that, since the start of April, the sides currently placed sixth, seventh and eighth have taken 15 points between them, from a possible 54.
Time is running out for Crotone
Who’d be a Crotone fan? Over the past six games, Davide Nicola’s side have the joint-best record in Serie A, alongside Napoli.
Four wins and two draws is a better record than Juventus, Roma and Lazio; and 14 points in that spell is better than the two Milan clubs combine.
Another win over Pescara this weekend should have offered hope to the Squali, but Genoa defeated Inter and Empoli triumphed 3-1 over Bologna.
That means Crotone are still four points from safety and, with three games to go, time is running out.
The final two games of the season see them face Juventus in Turin and Lazio at home. It’s going to take something extraordinary to stay in the division.
Atalanta almost there
The aforementioned collapse of the Europa League contenders has had one big beneficiary: Atalanta.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are staggering as they reach the end of their own personal marathon, with four draws in their last five.
However, the form of their potential rivals has been so poor that the Orobici need only a point against Milan next week to secure Europa League football for next season.
Roma show a reaction
Roma went into their clash with Milan knowing that Napoli had moved above them in the Serie A table, and knowing only a win would keep their slim Scudetto hopes alive.
Given their proclivity to crack under pressure, there were fears that Luciano Spalletti’s side could once again implode, but the Lupi showed they have some steel about them with a crushing 4-1 win.
Of greater concern, however, will be Luciano Spalletti’s post-match comments, indicating he shouldn’t have agreed to return to the Giallorossi.
Next summer might be another fresh start.
Lazio can halt Juventus
With 20 goals in their last six games, Lazio are finishing the season in spectacular fashion.
This weekend brought a 7-3 win over Sampdoria, and the Aquile are getting goals from all over the pitch.
The gap to the Champions League places is seven points, which is surely insurmountable, but Juventus have reason to feel a little nervous.
A likely Champions League final against Real Madrid has been touted as the main obstacle to the Treble, but the Old Lady won’t be relishing the Coppa Italia final against in-form Lazio.