Serie A fixtures
The Milan derby
The Turin derby
The Genoa derby
The Rome derby
The Derby d’Italia and more
FAQs
Home to some of world football’s biggest and most successful teams, the Serie A fixture list also boasts some of the game’s greatest derbies. Whether it’s the Derby della Maddonina between Inter and Milan, Turin’s Derby della Mole – contested by Juventus and Torino – or Genoa and Sampdoria in the Derby della Lanterna, Serie A derbies are hotly contested affairs that demand attention whether you have a vested interest in them or not.
Starting in the north of the peninsula, Milan’s Derby della Maddonina is a fixture that has been played out not only in Serie A, but on some famous Champions League nights too. Named after the statue of the Virgin Mary at the top of the city’s famous cathedral, the first meeting between Milan and Inter came in 1908, played in Switzerland as part of the Chiasso Cup.
Milan was originally a one-team city - the Milan Cricket and Football Club. But a split developed over the signing of players from outside Italy, and in March 1908 the club fractured. The aptly named Internazionale was the result, and one of football’s biggest games was born. Milan won the first encounter 2-1, but the fixture has been a largely even affair throughout its history and, since Inter moved into San Siro in 1947, at their shared home – except for some notable European encounters.
Milan was originally a one-team city - the Milan Cricket and Football Club. But a split developed over the signing of players from outside Italy, and in March 1908 the club fractured. The aptly named Internazionale was the result, and one of football’s biggest games was born. Milan won the first encounter 2-1, but the fixture has been a largely even affair throughout its history and, since Inter moved into San Siro in 1947, at their shared home – except for some notable European encounters.
Moving roughly 140km southwest to Turin and the Derby della Mole has a similar backstory. Torino were formed by unhappy Juventus members and came to represent the working class part of the city, with Juve favoured by the richer residents.
As in the Milan derby, Torino’s first-ever game was against their city rivals, in January 1907, little more than a month after the club was formed. Torino won it, but the Turin derby has been dominated by the Bianconeri – the Grande Torino era of the 1940s is the most notable period of Granata success. The name Derby della Mole, meanwhile, refers to the Mole Antonelliana, a major landmark in Turin.
As in the Milan derby, Torino’s first-ever game was against their city rivals, in January 1907, little more than a month after the club was formed. Torino won it, but the Turin derby has been dominated by the Bianconeri – the Grande Torino era of the 1940s is the most notable period of Granata success. The name Derby della Mole, meanwhile, refers to the Mole Antonelliana, a major landmark in Turin.
In Genoa, the Derby della Lanterna – the Derby of the Lantern – is named after the port city’s main lighthouse, the Torre della Lanterna. Fittingly for a fixture involving Italy’s oldest still-active club, Genoa, a lighthouse has stood on the site of the Torre della Lanterna since the 12th century.
Though they can trace their origins back to 1891 and the Ginnastica Sampierdarenese, Sampdoria as the club exists today was founded in 1946 as an amalgamation of a number of Genoese clubs. Genoa, by contrast, were established in September 1893, but their longer history did them no favours the first time the clubs met, as the newcomers won 3-0 in November 1946. Legend has it that Samp’s Giuseppe Baldini scored a long-range goal so impressive that Genoa goalkeeper Juan Carlos Verdeal shook his hand after the goal.
Though they can trace their origins back to 1891 and the Ginnastica Sampierdarenese, Sampdoria as the club exists today was founded in 1946 as an amalgamation of a number of Genoese clubs. Genoa, by contrast, were established in September 1893, but their longer history did them no favours the first time the clubs met, as the newcomers won 3-0 in November 1946. Legend has it that Samp’s Giuseppe Baldini scored a long-range goal so impressive that Genoa goalkeeper Juan Carlos Verdeal shook his hand after the goal.
There are some big games involving clubs based between Genoa and Rome but none of them derbies in the true sense – the derby dell’Emilia is the closest, but Bologna and Parma are separated by almost 100km. So it’s to Rome and the Eternal Derby, between Lazio and Roma, where the Derby della Capitale – it has many names – has been played since 1929. Lazio are the city’s older club, dating back to 1900, while Roma was the product of the union of three clubs in 1927. It was the Fascist regime’s intention to create one Roman club but Lazio, with friends in high places, were able to resist, and the derby was born.
Lazio had to wait until 1932 for their first derby victory, with Roma winning four of the first six capital contests, and I Lupi have continued to be the more successful of the clubs. Unfortunately, the Derby della Capitale has been marred by fan violence on more than one occasion, and is one of Serie A’s most intense fixtures.
Lazio had to wait until 1932 for their first derby victory, with Roma winning four of the first six capital contests, and I Lupi have continued to be the more successful of the clubs. Unfortunately, the Derby della Capitale has been marred by fan violence on more than one occasion, and is one of Serie A’s most intense fixtures.
Of course, there are Serie A fixtures that have all the rivalry of a local derby without being very local at all. The Derby d’Italia, the name coined by legendary journalist Gianni Brera for matches between Inter and Juventus, is arguably the biggest game in all of Serie A. Often decisive in the Scudetto battle and played between two of Italy’s most successful clubs, the Nerazzurri against the Bianconeri is a game that makes the entire peninsula sit up and take notice.
Juve have a third major rivalry, too – with Fiorentina. The origins of this rivalry are said to be found in Viola loyalists growing tired of seeing Florentines supporting the more successful Old Lady, and exacerbated by the controversial end to the 1981-82 season.
Fiorentina and Juventus went into the final round of games level on points, with the former away at Cagliari, who needed a point to avoid relegation, and the latter at Catanzaro, who had nothing to play for. Fiorentina and Cagliari finished goalless with the Tuscans denied a penalty, while Juve beat Catanzaro with a penalty of their own to lift the Scudetto. Fiorentina’s star playmaker, the legendary Giancarlo Antogoni, accused Juve of ‘stealing’ the title.
The 1989-90 UEFA Cup Final between the clubs – again won by Juve – led to similar allegations and the transfer or Fiorentina starlet Roberto Baggio to Juventus only fuelled the fire, with riots on the streets of Florence even as Baggio expressed his love for his former club, even declining to take a penalty for Juve against Fiorentina the first time he played at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Federico Bernardeschi made the same move in 2017, with passions not dying down.
These are just some of the Serie A fixtures that fans look for when the fixture list is released prior to the new season. Other games, such as the Derby del Sole – Derby of the Sun – between Napoli and Roma, and, if they’re both in the top flight, the Sicilian Derby between Palermo and Catania, can be headline-grabbers too. They all add to the rich tapestry that is Serie A.
Juve have a third major rivalry, too – with Fiorentina. The origins of this rivalry are said to be found in Viola loyalists growing tired of seeing Florentines supporting the more successful Old Lady, and exacerbated by the controversial end to the 1981-82 season.
Fiorentina and Juventus went into the final round of games level on points, with the former away at Cagliari, who needed a point to avoid relegation, and the latter at Catanzaro, who had nothing to play for. Fiorentina and Cagliari finished goalless with the Tuscans denied a penalty, while Juve beat Catanzaro with a penalty of their own to lift the Scudetto. Fiorentina’s star playmaker, the legendary Giancarlo Antogoni, accused Juve of ‘stealing’ the title.
The 1989-90 UEFA Cup Final between the clubs – again won by Juve – led to similar allegations and the transfer or Fiorentina starlet Roberto Baggio to Juventus only fuelled the fire, with riots on the streets of Florence even as Baggio expressed his love for his former club, even declining to take a penalty for Juve against Fiorentina the first time he played at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Federico Bernardeschi made the same move in 2017, with passions not dying down.
These are just some of the Serie A fixtures that fans look for when the fixture list is released prior to the new season. Other games, such as the Derby del Sole – Derby of the Sun – between Napoli and Roma, and, if they’re both in the top flight, the Sicilian Derby between Palermo and Catania, can be headline-grabbers too. They all add to the rich tapestry that is Serie A.
When are the Serie A fixtures announced?
The 2021-22 Serie A fixture list was announced on 14 July, 2021.
Where can I find the next Serie A fixtures?
You can find the latest Serie A fixtures here.
What are the key dates in the Serie A fixture list?
The 2021-22 Serie A season runs from 21 August, 2021 to 21 May, 2022, with the winter break between 21 December, 2021 and 5 January, 2022.