This season's Scudetto race has been the most interesting fans have seen in recent times, with all three of Italy's biggest sides in contention. For the first time, Juventus really are now trying to play catch-up with both AC Milan and Inter, who occupy the second and top spots respectively. All three sides won their respective fixtures, but Juventus fans will certainly be concerned about the gap between the reigning Scudetto champions and current league leaders Inter.
On the opposite end of the pitch, Crotone finally won a match, albeit it's not enough for the Squali to pull themselves out of last spot.
Let's have a look at what took place during the latest round of matches.
Top five teams in Serie A up to March 9
Inter have now established a six-point gap between themselves and AC Milan as the Nerazzurri look to win their first Scudetto since 2010. However, one should never rule out Juventus, who, despite being 10 points behind, still remain a threat. And Atalanta's hopes of breaking into the top four were dashed as the piucky side saw their recently acquired five game winning streak
Who are the top three scorers in Serie A?
Cristiano Ronaldo may not have been able to score he came on as a late sub during Juve's 3-1 win over Lazio, but the 36-year-old Portuguese superstar still leads the goal-scoring charts. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku has moved into second place, despite he himself not scoring as Inter battled to a crucial 1-0 win over Atalanta. Finally, Luis Muriel isn't a name that is well-known to casual observers of Serie A, but Atalanta fans and other serious followers will certainly be familiar with the Colombian's talent.
Serie A's top three marksmen
Top headlines in Serie A
Conte's future at Inter uncertain? The former Juventus midfielder refused to fully confirm whether he'd still be at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza for the long-haul. In his presser prior to his team's match against Atalanta, Conte, who is now in his sophomore term on the Nerazzurri bench stated that he has "one year left on his contract...[but] we must stay focused and think [only] about the present from here until the end of the season. I don't know what will happen [elsewhere]".
In some esteemed company: Roberto Soriano may not be a big household name, but he's certainly doing his part to help Bologna this season. Although his team were on the wrong end of a 3-1 score-line versus Napoli, the 30-year-old netted a consolation goal for his team. And in doing so, he became the first attacking midfielder to score eight or more goals at this juncture since none other than legendary Azzurri star Roberto Baggio did so in the 1997/1998 season.
100 points and counting: Milan's win over Hellas Verona means that the Rossoneri have now racked up 100 points since January 1, 2020. They joint only three other sides to have achieved this, and not surprisingly, two include Bayern Munich and Manchester City (both of whom were either managed or are currently being managed by Pep Guardiola). The other to complete this quartet is Real Madrid. Now the question becomes - will Milan be able to overhaul that four point gap between themselves and Inter?
Key matches in Serie A: March 12-14
Benevento vs Fiorentina: On face value, this game may not catch most viewers' attention, but it could be an interesting one. For starters, Fiorentina, who pulled off an impressive 3-0 win over Juventus in Turin last December, have since slid down the table. With just one win from their last five, the Viola find themselves in 14th place. Normally, that should provide enough of a cushion, but not so much for the Tuscan side. Their upcoming hosts, Benevento, sit in 16th spot and have picked up just three points from their last quintet of matches. Curiously, both teams are on 26 points, which is six points from the drop zone. It goes without saying that this match could be one of those deciding factors as to which side could find themselves in some real trouble as the season goes on.
Torino vs Inter: Two teams with contrasting fortunes will face off in this one. Torino, who not too long ago was usually guaranteed at least a mid-table berth, have been battling the drop all season. The Granata have won just three matches, albeit one was in their last five, but will have a long afternoon at the Stadio Olimpico when Inter come to town. Meanwhile, the Nerazzurri have now started to pull away from the chasing pack and could be as much as nine points clear if Milan fail to beat Napoli. Inter, however, will have to make do without Antonio Conte on the tactician's bench as he's suspended for one match.
Cagliari vs Juventus: This game could present a great chance for the Bianconeri to continue gaining some much-needed ground. The Rossoblu are presently in 17th place but sit just two points away from the drop zone, and Leonardo Semplici's side could be in for a real tough test when Juventus arrive. Although the Bianconeri have had their ups and downs, they had no problems beating Cagliari 2-0 earlier this season and should have no issue completing a routine double over the Sardinian side this weekend.
Milan vs Napoli: Milan will certainly face a tricky test when Napoli arrive at the Stadio San Siro. The Rossoneri have suffered a wobble recently, which has allowed their cross-town rivals Inter to now establish a six-point lead on top of the table. This upcoming game is crucial for Stefano Pioli's side if they don't want Inter to start to run away with the Scudetto. As for Napoli, a Champions League berth is still within grasp if they can start to string some positive results together.
Make sure you don't miss out on these key games and stay on top of all the action via our bespoke Serie A match page.
