Napoli, Inter Milan Face Off in Decisive Serie A Title Final Matches

The 2024/25 Serie A title will be decided in dramatic fashion on Friday, May 23, as Napoli and Inter Milan, separated by just one point, head into the final round of matches in what has become one of the most intense finishes to a Serie A season in recent history.

Napoli currently sit at the top of the table with 79 points, closely followed by Inter Milan on 78 points. The final matchday promises high drama, with Napoli hosting Cagliari and Inter facing Como away. Both matches will kick off simultaneously at 8:45 p.m. CEST (7:45 p.m. WAT) to maintain fairness and competitiveness.

The games, originally scheduled for the weekend, were brought forward to Friday to allow flexibility in case a playoff is needed and to give Inter enough recovery time ahead of their UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 31.

In the penultimate round, both title contenders dropped crucial points. Napoli were held to a goalless draw by Parma, a side fighting relegation. The Naples club missed a late opportunity to clinch victory after a penalty awarded in stoppage time was overturned by VAR.

Simultaneously, Inter Milan played out a dramatic 2-2 draw with Lazio, conceding a stoppage-time equalizer via a penalty converted by Pedro, also awarded through VAR intervention.

Both results ensured the title race would go to the final day, with Napoli holding the advantage.

Adding to the tension, both teams will be without their head coaches for the final matches. Antonio Conte of Napoli and Simone Inzaghi of Inter Milan were red-carded during the weekend games and will serve one-match suspensions.

The absence of their managers on the sidelines could play a crucial role in determining the outcome.

If Napoli lose to Cagliari and Inter manage only a draw against Como, both teams would finish level on 79 points.

With head-to-head records identical and goal difference not considered in such tiebreaks under Serie A rules, a one-off playoff match will be required to determine the champion.

That playoff would take place on Monday, May 26, with Inter Milan holding home advantage.

In the event of a draw after extra time, the winner would be decided by a penalty shootout.

Napoli are chasing their fourth Serie A title, hoping to add to their previous triumph in the 2022/23 season under Luciano Spalletti. For Inter Milan, a win on Friday — combined with a Napoli slip-up — could seal their second consecutive Scudetto and set the stage for a potential historic domestic and European double.

As anticipation builds, football fans across Italy and around the world are bracing for a thrilling finale that could be etched into Serie A history.