It was a season of stark contrasts for Italian football. The men’s national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, falling to Bosnia in the playoffs, while Serie A clubs suffered one European humiliation after another. Inter, fresh off a Champions League final the previous year, crashed out in the playoff round to Bodø/Glimt. Juventus conceded seven goals against Galatasaray, and reigning Scudetto holders Napoli failed to progress beyond the group stage. Atalanta briefly rescued Italian pride by overturning a two-goal deficit against Borussia Dortmund, only to be demolished 10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich. In the Europa League, Bologna knocked out Roma but then lost 7-1 to Aston Villa, and Fiorentina were outclassed by Crystal Palace. The continental failures underscored a deep malaise in the domestic game.
Domestically, the action often felt lifeless. Serie A produced just 922 goals at a rate of 2.43 per match, the lowest since the 1993-94 campaign. One grim October weekend saw only nine goals across nine fixtures. Off-field chaos added to the gloom: a refereeing scandal prompted the designator of match officials to suspend himself in April, while a scheduling clash between the Rome derby and the Italian Open tennis finals remained unresolved until days before the events, drawing in courts and politicians. The Derby d’Italia in February was overshadowed by Alessandro Bastoni’s theatrical dive that got Pierre Kalulu sent off, with the Inter defender shamelessly celebrating his deception. When Bastoni later earned a red card playing for Italy against Bosnia, some compatriots called it karma.
Amid the turbulence, Inter Milan carved out a golden narrative. Under the unlikely leadership of Cristian Chivu, who had just 13 games of senior management experience before replacing Simone Inzaghi, the Nerazzurri stumbled early, losing two of their first three. Yet they roared back to claim a first domestic double since 2010, winning Serie A and the Coppa Italia with a potent attack that amassed 89 goals—far clear of the next best, Como’s 65. Left wing-back Federico Dimarco was crowned the league’s official MVP, embodying a side that made the difficult look effortless.
Como’s ascent was the feel-good story of the season, but it came with a complex subtext. Backed by billionaire owners, Cesc Fàbregas’s side surged from the fourth tier to a historic first Champions League qualification in just a few years, playing vibrant, attacking football. Yet their squad was almost entirely foreign; only defender Edoardo Goldaniga, an Italian, took the field for them in Serie A, playing just 14 minutes off the bench. This sparked debate about whether Como represented a triumph of smart investment or a symptom of Italian football’s struggles, with minutes played by Italians in the league dropping from 70% to 30% over two decades.
The British contingent in Italy continued to expand, providing rich subplots. Jamie Vardy’s move to Cremonese was pure chaos: greeted by fans at Milan’s airport who begged him to take them to Europe, he celebrated his first goal with a cartwheel into a backflip and scored seven times, but the Grigiorossi were still relegated. Kieron Bowie joined Verona from Hibernian in January, netting four times in 14 appearances, yet couldn’t save his new club from the drop either. At Udinese, teenager Lennon Miller made 24 appearances and Keinan Davis hit 10 goals for the first time in his career. The most decisive Briton, however, was Scott McTominay, whose 10 goals from midfield propelled an injury-hit Napoli to a second-place finish. Kevin De Bruyne arrived as the headline summer recruit but the team’s persistent fitness issues limited their challenge.
Roma secured a top-four finish under Gian Piero Gasperini despite initial fan protests against the former Atalanta boss. A mid-season power struggle with Claudio Ranieri was resolved, and January signing Donyell Malen provided a crucial spark up front. Their achievement was helped by dramatic late-season collapses from Juventus and Milan. The Rossoneri, who had opted for safety with Massimiliano Allegri and avoided European distractions, still imploded, leading to the manager and several directors losing their jobs. One bright spot was the elegance of 40-year-old Luka Modric, whose every touch became a cherished memory in an otherwise forgettable campaign.
Elsewhere, there were stirring revivals. Fiorentina sat dead last with one win from 17 by December but turned things around after firing Stefano Pioli and hiring Paolo Vanoli. Genoa pulled off a similar escape, playing expansive football under Daniele De Rossi after parting ways with Patrick Vieira. Giovanni Simeone enjoyed a prolific spell at Torino, reaching double figures for the first time in years.
Off the pitch, the season served up moments of levity and passion. Luciano Spalletti caused a culinary stir by claiming at a press conference that Jonathan David grated parmesan on his pasta with clams—a gastronomic crime in Italy. Meanwhile, after Como’s victory over Juventus, Fàbregas delivered one of the quotes of the year: “One word. Only one word: I’m so fucking proud of you.” A red card for Bologna’s Lukasz Skorupski in a match against Genoa added to the disciplinary notes.
As the curtain falls on a flawed but fascinating Serie A campaign, the league faces tough questions about its competitiveness and identity. Inter’s brilliance and Como’s audacity provided moments of glory, but the national team’s absence on the global stage and Europe’s cruel lessons leave a bitter aftertaste. Based on reporting from The Guardian.