Serie A Takeaways: Three things to emerge from Matchday 26

The latest weekend of Serie A action was a positive one for the Giallorossi. The side solidified their hold on second place following a superbly executed win at the San Siro against Inter, while rivals for Europe stuttered in their quest in top-of-the-table glory.

Here are three things we learned.

The race for the Champions’ League just got much more interesting.

Roma are roaring into life and sustaining momentum well (only Juventus and Atalanta have a better record over the past six matches). While nothing is assured, with 36 more points to play for, it certainly looks like the top two sides have made a positive break in the hope of securing one of those coveted spots.

Third, meanwhile, is at risk of being blown wide open. Mauricio Sarri’s Napoli have unexpectedly dropped points to Palermo and Atalanta in the past five matchdays, allowing Lazio, Inter, and Gian Peiro Gasperini’s side themselves to inch closer and closer to their position. As of next year, when Italy gains a fourth Champions’ League spot, this would be more of a minor inconvenience, but this season is the last that third place goes to the Champions’ League playoff – and the wealth, fame, and prestige that come with it.

A mere four points separate Napoli and 5th placed Lazio. The next month or so may well decide the fate of the table; The Partenopei travel to Rome twice to play Roma and Lazio, as well as host Juventus, before mid-April; the side from Bergamo have difficult matches against Fiorentina and Inter in the next two matchdays.

Saturday’s clash between Roma and Napoli looks particular interesting – the gap from second to third could close right up or be opened further depending on the result.

Nevertheless, he who drops the fewest points may well find themselves in an European play-off match come August.

Penalties are freebies: Use them wisely

No team has earned more penalties in the league this season than Roma, though Luciano Spalletti’s insistence on quick counter-attacks, slick cutbacks in the box, and pacey wingers and fullbacks all lend themselves to multiple touches in the box – touches that, if defended poorly, beget penalty kicks.

Diego Perotti demonstrated just how ice-cold he is at dispatching spot kicks when he scored his seventh of the season to ensure victory over Inter. Spalletti’s men, however, would have won the match just as well thanks to Radja Nainggolan’s brilliant double. Milan and Lazio, however, both relied on a single penalty of various levels of dubiousness to dispatch Sassuolo and Udinese, respectively. Inevitably, from time-to-time every side in the league receives calls that, in hindsight, might be refereeing mistakes – and the reverse also happens. GThe most a team can do is ensure that they maximize the cards they’ve been dealt, and all three sides did so this weekend.

For all three, it was essential to ensure a European spot, or at least make significant progress towards one as rivals faltered. Penalty controversy is unlikely to go away- though with Perotti and Francesco Totti on the books, Roma have little to fear from twelve yards out.

Some sides are in desperate need of new ideas

Mauricio Zamparini seems to have realised as much – or at least realised there are only so many coaches to sack before Palermo’s president finally sacked himself. Zdenek Zeman’s Pescara are similarly floundering in the relegation zone, with last week’s thrilling win looking like little more than a fluke in a 2-0 loss at Chievo.

In fact, those are just two of the eight sides placed 13th or below, none of which won this weekend. Several sides sitting higher in the table are similarly stuttering. Fiorentina are down to 8th, having thrown away a two-goal lead hosting Torino, though the visitors have just one win themselves in the last nine matches.

It seems like much of the league are halted in the throes of winter, and need some reinvigoration - and quickly. Next week won’t be much easier for Napoli (away at Roma), Pescara (at the solidly revived Sampdoria), Palermo (at Torino), or Fiorentina (at the season’s surprise success, Atalanta)