Serie A Matchday 4: Who plays who, when and where?

Roma host newly promoted Benevento at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, with Paulo Fonseca’s men in search of back-to-back wins to bookend the international break.

Here’s how the entirety of Matchday 4 looks as Serie A football returns this weekend…

SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER

Napoli v Atalanta
San Paolo, 15:00 CEST

Napoli started the season with a bang by hitting eight goals without reply as they won their opening two fixtures, but were docked a point and handed a 3-0 defeat to Juventus after Covid-19 cases within the squad saw the team not turn up in Turin for Matchdy 3. They will be without Eljif Elmas, Lorenzo Insigne and Piotr Zielinski for Atalanta’s visit.

Atalanta have made a perfect start to the new Serie A season and sit top of the league on goal difference, having scored at least four goals in each of their three victories. That sort of pace has seen captain Papu Gomez set the early Capocannoniere pace, courtesy of his four strikes.

Inter Milan v AC Milan
Giuseppe Meazza, 18:00 CEST

Inter are yet to lose (W2, D1), but their hopes of extending a superb Derby della Madonnina run - they’ve won the last four, are unbeaten in eight, and haven’t lost as the home side in nine - have been hit by a coronavirus outbreak that has accounted for Roberto Gagliardini, Radja Nainggolan, Ionut Radu, Milan Skriniar, and Ashley Young.

It opens the door for a Milan side who have won three from three without conceding a single goal to end that unwanted derby record and they welcome back Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his own bout of Covid-19, but Ante Rebic is missing through injury.

Sampdoria v Lazio
Luigi Ferraris, 18:00 CEST

The hosts got their campaign up and running with a 2-1 win at Fiorentina before the international break, which will give them a boost against a side they haven’t beaten since April 2016. This is a fixture that they have lost at the Luigi Ferraris in all four of the past four meetings.

Lazio have made a stuttering start to the new campaign (W1, D1, L1) and will be without the suspended Ciro Immobile for the trip to the Marassi, as well as injured trio Luiz Felipe, Manuel Lazzari and Adam Marusic.

Crotone v Juventus
Ezio Scida, 20:45 CEST

Life back in the top-flight has thus far proved problematic for Crotone, who have suffered three defeats from three and conceded 10 goals - the worst defensive record in the league.

Only Roma have taken points off the champions, but they will be without Weston McKennie and Cristiano Ronaldo - who both have coronavirus - which could open the door for Federico Chiesa to make his Juve debut after his deadline day move from Fiorentina.

SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER

Bologna v Sassuolo
Renato Dall'Ara, 12:30 CEST

Sandwiched between two away defeats, Bologna’s sole victory of the season came courtesy of a resounding 4-1 home win over Parma on Matchday 2 and they will be hoping for more home comforts - despite the likely absences of Mitchell Dijks, Gary Medel, Andreas Skov Olsen and Andrea Pioli.

Sassuolo are unbeaten (W2, D1) and have won their last two games with dominant 4-1 scorelines, but are also struggling with injuries. Jeremy Toljan is the latest to be sidelined, but Jeremie Boga is back in training and could make his first appearance of the season.

Spezia v Fiorentina
Orogel Stadium, 15:00 CEST

The hosts are out to secure their first home win as a Serie A outfit, but are again without injured ‘keeper Jeroen Zoet - one of seven injuries in the squad.

Like Spezia, Fiorentina have one win and two defeats from their opening three games, and they travel to Liguria with a Chiesa-shaped hole in their team that will take some filling.

Torino v Cagliari
Olimpico Grande Torino, 15:00 CEST

Torino have lost both matches so far and saw their trip to Genoa last time out called off due to coronavirus, but they have lost only one of the last 11 fixtures against Cagliari (W6, D4, L1).

The sole Cagliari victory during that run came in June - a 4-2 victory at the Sardegna the last time the two met - and the visitors have since added Diego Godin to their defence, who scored on his debut last time out, but in a heavy 5-2 loss at Atalanta.

Udinese v Parma
Stadio Friuli, 18:00 CEST

A 1-0 defeat to Roma prior to the international break means Udinese have lost all three of their Serie A fixtures so far without scoring a single goal, and they will be hoping the loan arrival of Gerard Deulofeu will help end that run with the Spaniard in line for his debut.

After twin defeats from their opening two matchdays, Parma notched up a 1-0 win at home to Hellas Verona to get on the board for the first time this season, while they are unbeaten in five (W4, D1) and have won the last three against Sunday’s hosts.

Roma v Benevento
Stadio Olimpico, 20:45 CEST

Pedro’s first goal for the club got the Giallorossi back to winning ways a fortnight ago and fans will be excited by Chris Smalling’s permanent return to the club, as well as the temporary signing of Borja Mayoral - with both hoping to make their debuts this weekend.

Last season’s Serie B champions have been impressive, winning two and losing just once on their return to the big time, but they have lost both previous meetings with Roma - conceding nine goals across a pair of defeats back in 2017-18.

MONDAY 19 OCTOBER

Hellas Verona v Genoa
Marcantonio Bentegodi, 20:45 CEST

Verona suffered defeat for the first time this season thanks to a 1-0 loss at Parma a fortnight ago, but they occupy sixth-place after a good start to the season and have only ever lost twice at home to Genoa in Serie A across 13 previous meetings.

Genoa’s postponed hosting of Torino means their 6-0 mauling at the hands of Napoli has lingered for three weeks now, but they at least welcome back a raft of players that previously tested positive for coronavirus, with Valon Behrami, Davide Biraschi, Federico Marchetti, Filippo Melegoni, Mattia Perin, Ivan Radovanovic, Lasse Schone and Miha Zajc all back in contention.