A curious case of serie a - title deciders without coaches

The decision will come in the final round, which will not be played simultaneously, as there’s no need for that. However, due to Inter's participation in the Champions League final and the possibility that the new (or reigning) champion of Italy will be decided in a playoff, the two most important clashes of Serie A's 38th round will be played on Friday at 21.45, it was decided today.

Napoli will host Cagliari, while Inter will be away to Como. On paper, both are expected wins, and if the favorites prevail, Napoli will be champions, as they currently have one point more than the Nerazzurri. Antonio Conte’s side will only need a draw if Inter doesn’t win in Como.

A unique twist is that the title could also be decided in a playoff between Napoli and Inter. Namely, the rules in Italy state that in case of a tie on points, head-to-head results determine the champion, and both matches between Napoli and Inter ended 1–1. Since that’s the case, goal difference becomes irrelevant, so if Napoli loses and Inter draws, the two title contenders would play a “final” on Monday to determine the best team. Inter would host at the “Giuseppe Meazza” stadium, though the chances of this outcome are fairly slim.

Inter had requested the match to be played on Thursday to have more preparation time for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Napoli preferred Friday so that, in case of a title win, celebrations could carry into the weekend.

Another curious fact is that the decisive matches of the season will be played without coaches. Both Antonio Conte (Napoli) and Simone Inzaghi (Inter) won’t be allowed to sit on the bench due to red cards received in the 37th round.

As for the other matches, Bologna vs. Genoa and Milan vs. Monza — the only two with no competitive significance — will be played on Saturday, while the remaining six are scheduled for Sunday at 21.45. And about two hours later, we’ll find out whether Juventus will qualify for the Champions League if they win away at Venezia, or whether Roma or Lazio will manage to overtake them in their clashes with Torino and Lecce, respectively.