The Lega Serie A has confirmed that nine matches will take place simultaneously in the penultimate round of 2024-25 fixtures coming up this weekend in order to avoid any conflicts of interest in the ongoing title race, the battle for Champions League positions and the fight to avoid relegation.
Nine out of the 10 Serie A matches taking place this weekend will now kick off at the same time: At 19.45 BST on Sunday evening (May 18).
The only match that will not take place at that time is the game between Genoa (currently 13th) and Atalanta (third), which is the only match this weekend that will not have an impact on the title fight, the top four race or the relegation scrap.
Official: Times and dates for Serie A Week 37 fixtures
Genoa-Atalanta, Saturday May 17 – 19.45 BST
Cagliari-Venezia, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Fiorentina-Bologna, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Hellas Verona-Como, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Inter-Lazio, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Juventus-Udinese, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Lecce-Torino, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Monza-Empoli, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Parma-Napoli, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Roma-Milan, Sunday May 18 – 19.45 BST
Why are nine Serie A matches taking place at the same time?
With two games to go, there is still plenty to play for in every part of the Serie A table.
The Scudetto race is still undecided: Just one point separates Napoli and Inter with two games to go, which could go down to the final day and could even require an unprecedented Serie A play-off to decide the title. That will happen if the two teams finish the season level on points.
Napoli and Inter have already guaranteed their places in next season’s Champions League, as have Atalanta, but there are still four teams left with a mathematical chance of claiming the last spot. Juventus and Lazio are level on points in fourth and fifth with 64, Roma are on 63, Bologna on 62 and Fiorentina on 59.
Things also remain open at the bottom of the Serie A table, too. Monza are the only team who have been relegated already, while Empoli, Lecce, Venezia, Parma, Verona and Cagliari are either in, or within six points of the relegation zone with two games left to play.
So, in order to avoid any conflicts of interest in any of the matches involving Napoli, Inter, Juventus, Lazio, Roma, Bologna, Fiorentina, Empoli, Lecce, Venezia, Parma, Verona or Cagliari – 13 of the 20 teams in the division, the league has taken the decision to play their matches at the same time for the penultimate week of the season.
Games on the final week of the season are typically all played at the same time to avoid any conflicts of interest as well, but with there still being the possibility of a Scudetto play-off, which will have to be played before Inter’s Champions League final on May 31, the times and dates for the final round of Serie A fixtures are still subject to change as well.
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