Serie A title race: Inter and Napoli could require Scudetto play-off

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Football Italia

·20 April 2025

Serie A title race: Inter and Napoli could require Scudetto play-off

With five rounds left this season, Inter and Napoli are level at the top of the Serie A table, so we look at the run-in and the possibility of a Scudetto play-off.

In a sensational twist, Riccardo Orsolini’s 94th-minute scissor-kick volley gave Bologna a 1-0 victory over Inter this evening.

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As Napoli beat Monza 1-0 yesterday, that means both teams are level at the top of the table on 71 points.

According to the Serie A rules, teams who finish level on points are divided first by head-to-head record, then goal difference.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 10: Romelu Lukaku of Napoli is challenged by Francesco Acerbi of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 10, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

However, there are some specific regulations introduced to ensure fairness in the title race, so in this case two sides with the same points would need to be divided by a play-off.

This is a one-off match played on neutral turf to see who takes the Scudetto, and if there is no winner after 90 minutes, it goes straight to a penalty shoot-out.

The most likely venue is the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, which is also where the Coppa Italia Final is played.

Only once before in Serie A history has the title been decided this way, and Inter lost 2-0 against Bologna on June 7, 1964.

With this possibility on the horizon, here are the run-ins for the two contenders.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 12: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Cagliari at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 12, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Inter Serie A fixtures

Inter-Roma

Inter-Verona

Torino-Inter

Inter-Lazio

Como-Inter

NAPLES, ITALY – APRIL 14: Romelu Lukaku of Napoli celebrates after scoring his side second goal during the Serie A match between Napoli and Empoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 14, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)