With Napoli 15 points clear at the top of the Serie A table, the upcoming Derby della Madonnina could be the deciding factor in showing which team is the best of the rest in the league.
Luciano Spalletti’s side have been one of the most electric teams in Europe this season, flying to the top of the league table and comfortably progressing to the knock-out stages of the Champions League.
With 18 games left to play in Serie A this season, it seems hard to imagine Napoli loosening their clutches on their first Scudetto in over three decades.
Napoli’s rise and Juventus’ fall, a result of their 15-point deduction by the FIGC court, blows the race for a top four finish wide open, and leaves the five involved clubs in an interesting spot.
Whilst neither Inter or Milan would admit to throwing in the towel in the title race, it’s clear that the fight is now for a second place finish in the league, unless Napoli somehow suffer an extraordinary collapse in the coming months.
The two Milanese sides are the most recent winners of the Scudetto and have recovered after the misery of the last decade, when Juventus ruled the roost in the Italian peninsula. Both have taken important steps forward over the last few years and are now looking to confirm their growth this season, even if they miss out on the title.
The Rossoneri had the edge in their first Derby della Madonnina of the season, picking up a hard-fought 3-2 win, but they collapsed in the Supercoppa Italiana final, allowing the Nerazzurri to run away 3-0 winners.
Both Inter and Milan have contended with inconsistency, injuries and errors this season, things they’ll be hoping to put behind them in San Siro as they prepare to fight for vital points and honour in their third derby clash of the campaign.