The Monday Scratch

First surprise: Inter beat Udinese. Full points for Napoli, Juventus, Roma and Cremonese

1 September 2025

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Here is the first bang of this championship. Which confirms how unpredictable and often mocking football is. After the five against Torino, you expect an Inter team that smashes. That replicates the success with another goleada that allows it to catch up with the first ones in the class who are running with full points. Namely: Napoli, Juventus, Roma and the little Cremonese who, to the general amazement, slip in among the big ones in the first stretch of the tournament. And instead.

And instead Inter, the most expected, the one we painted as the real strong power against the tricolour Napoli, slips clamorously at San Siro with Udinese (1-2). A strange defeat, surprising, because it is not easy in six days to change skin so radically. In the first version - the one with Torino - Inter had bewitched us, making us forget the ghosts of the drubbing in the final with Psg.

In the second version - against Udinese - we saw again the cooked and dull Inter that left the Scudetto to Napoli. With many mistakes, many distractions and a strange feeling: that Chivu, who took over from Inzaghi, has not completed his revolution. That old ballasts, such as the weight of age, and a certain predictability aggravated by the non-arrival of Lookman, are yet to be removed. Otherwise, one cannot explain how, having easily taken the lead in the 17th minute after an elaborate action finished by Dumfries, Inter allowed themselves to be so easily overturned by the Friulans, who were very strong and physically structured but not irresistible.

The equaliser came on Davis' penalty for a generous concession by Dumfries himself (wide arm reviewed by Var). But the capitulation came in the 41st minute, when Frenchman Atta punished the Nerazzurri with a razor-sharp shot that ended up in the corner. Bisseck, who should have been covering, clumsily retreated without intervening. An ugly mess from which Inter were never to emerge. To make up for it, Chivu in the second half launched the much-loved 3-4-2-1 with Lautaro and Thuram behind Esposito, making his applaudable debut. But little changed. The pattern was always the same: a lot of pressure, an infinite number of crosses and a last quarter of an hour of assault that did not break through. Dimarco even scores, but offside. For the series that when things go wrong, they will only go worse.

What can I say? That before the break for the national team (on Friday 5 September, an almost crucial challenge against Estonia), Chivu's team stumbles at the least propitious moment. It is true that we are only at the second day, and three points are recoverable, but this fall puts back into circulation in Inter those old ghosts that seemed dissolved by now. And which it will be better to chase away in view of the first Champions League match (Wednesday 17 September) against Ajax in Amsterdam.

Juventus wins in Genoa

It's not lightning, but it's methodical. After the success on the opening day against Parma, Tudor's team won against Genoa at the Ferraris, thanks to a winning dunk by Vlahovic, who scored again in this championship after replacing David, who was not particularly brilliant this time. It was a hard-fought victory over a Genoa side clearly on the up after their home draw against Lecce. A short-snouted victory, like Napoli and Roma, curiously still decided by Vlahovic, a bomber in search of redemption whom everyone first criticised but then thanked, since David was left empty-handed. Juve were not sparkling, but solid and patient, taking the lead when Tudor, in the second half, turned it around by inserting Koopmeiners, Kostic and Vlahovic in place of Locatelli, Joao Mario and David. It was therefore a positive Sunday for Juventus, who closed the market with the sale of Nico Gonzalez and the purchase of Edon Zhegrova, the 26-year-old Lille outfielder. For Kolo Muani we will have to wait until tonight.

Sarri's revenge

Even Lazio, after the fall with Como, redeemed themselves by overwhelming (4-0) at the Stadio Olimpico a Verona that had been coldly beaten. At the first attempt, in fact, Sarri's team went ahead through Guendouzi. A few minutes later Zaccagni doubled the score, again on an assist from Castellanos, who also signed the 3-0. Dia scored the fourth goal in the final. Elated Sarri: "Now I've seen a group with strong motivations.

And Napoli? When you win at home in the 95th minute against a team that makes a wall like Cagliari, you can say two things. The first, that something is wrong, that there have been too many mistakes and so on. The second, the most probable, that in any case this Napoli does not give up until the last second. That the best condition is still far away, but the head, the one that counts in the end, is well connected. Of course: if Anguissa had not placed the decisive goal in the last second, we would be here making very different speeches and Conte himself, once the danger vanished, would have been much less satisfied. But in the meantime, six points in two matches, before the break, make the classification. Usually, being able to win these bad matches brings good results. Conte knows this and in fact gloats. Then let's face it: Lucca is not Lukaku and Debruyne has to carbonize his 34 years of age and a climate unaccustomed to the Neapolitan heat. In short, the prospects for defending the title with the arrival of Hojlund and Elmas, already in the stands on Saturday, are solid and comforting. And the Maradona crowd in fact went home happy even to have suffered. 'We were good at being patient,' repeated Conte with his head already projected towards Thursday 18 September when he will make his Champions League debut at the home of Guardiola. That will be the first crash test of a season that no longer envisages any respite. And City, no matter what, will not take a break.

Roma and Cremonese

With full points, rightly to be celebrated, are Roma and Cremonese, the latter predicted by all as the sacrificial lamb of the championship. Well, if a good day is seen from the morning, hats off to the "grigiorossi" who, after beating Milan with full merit, have repeated (3-2) with Sassuolo. Determined and concrete, Cremonese showed that to stay in the A league, it is not necessary to have 20 foreigners of uncertain talent and certain cost in the squad. And that there are coaches such as Davide Nicola, always reliable and not very popular with the media, who deserve more emblazoned benches. Often, instead of looking at the substance, in football one looks more at the outline. Some coaches, even with modest results, are hailed as infallible gurus.

The Sign of Gasp

Another who has had to impose himself with results is Gasperini himself, now happily at Roma. He is a constantly disgruntled lunatic, Gasp. He doesn't hold it against the referees or his own managers. But even in this new adventure he is stamping his mark. Second win in a row again 1-0, but this time too, in Pisa, the Giallorossi forced the Tuscans (in the second half) to stay holed up in their own area. And that's not easy with a team as well organised as Gilardino's. But with the insertion of Dybala, a genius who shakes things up, from a tired slow it went to the Argentine tango. And with Soulè's goal, and Ferguson's shoves, the challenge shifted in favour of Gasperini, who expects another striker before the market closes. If he gets him, the Champions League zone will be within his grasp. And maybe even something more.

Juric's Atalanta not convincing

That Gasperini leaves his mark can be seen from Atalanta's difficult start, still stuck on a draw (1-1 at Parma). And that Juric is not Gasperini can also be seen in the game, which is struggling to get going. Not having the big guns Retegui and Lookman at his disposal are certainly valid extenuating circumstances, but it is clear that the handover has left some traces. For Juric, however, this will be a litmus test: either he makes the leap, or, if he does not make the leap sooner, he will remain one of the many suburban Serie A coaches.

The one who redeemed himself was Vincenzo Italiano, the coach of Bologna, who gave a healthy scramble (1-0) to the terrible Como boys of Cesc Fabregas, a coach on the wave who, after a peremptory victory over Lazio, now thought he had found the philosopher's stone of football. Put under pressure, Como lost creativity. Nico Paz himself, after the wonders of the first round, remained on the sidelines. Which Orsolini, the home-grown talent, did not. Well served by Castro, he reminded Gattuso with his left-footed winner that he was ready for the national team.

Milan, tug and pull for Rabiot

After the disastrous start against Cremonese, the Diavolo redeemed themselves by beating (0-2) Lecce away. For sure, a good result that will allow Allegri, during the break, to put order to a group with several problems, even if this time he seemed more careful and concentrated. From the market, uncertain news: for sure, the Mexican Gimenez is leaving. He leaves for Bournemouth with an agreement that foresees a loan with a possible obligation of redemption. Milan fans will certainly miss him. For Rabiot the tug-of-war continues. Tonight we will finally know.