Scudetto race: why Napoli and Inter final Serie A matches will be played on Friday | OneFootball

The Scudetto race is set to be decided on Friday, 23 May, when Napoli and Inter face Cagliari and Como, respectively, in the final matchday of the Serie A season.

The scheduling of these fixtures remained uncertain until earlier this week, when Lega Serie A officially announced the dates, opting to bring them forward rather than keep them over the weekend, as initially expected.

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 18: Matteo Guendouzi of SS Lazio reacts with the referee Daniele Chiffi during the Serie match between Inter and Lazio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 18, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

This decision stemmed from the complex scenario that unfolded in recent weeks: Inter reached the Champions League final while remaining locked in a head-to-head battle with Napoli for the Serie A title, making the prospect of a Scudetto play-off a real possibility.

Why Lega Serie A decided to schedule Scudetto deciders on Friday

With just one point separating the Nerazzurri and the Partenopei after the penultimate round of fixtures, Lega Serie A had to prepare for the possibility of both teams finishing level on points—an outcome that would require an additional match to determine the champion.

Had Napoli–Cagliari and Como–Inter been scheduled for the weekend, say on Saturday, any potential Scudetto play-off could only have been held midway through the following week, on Tuesday or Wednesday. That scenario would have left Inter with just a few days to prepare for their Champions League final against PSG, set for Saturday, 31 May.

NAPLES, ITALY – MAY 11: Romelu Lukaku (2ndR) of Napoli celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal during the Serie A match between Napoli and Genoa at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on May 11, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Before the final decision, rumours circulated that Inter had requested to move both their and Napoli’s final Serie A matches forward to Wednesday or Thursday. However, this proposal clashed with Napoli’s reluctance to play such a decisive game on a weekday, fearing it would dampen celebrations for the Scudetto in the event of a title win.

Ultimately, Lega Serie A had to protect the interests of the only Italian club still competing in Europe. As a compromise, the league scheduled both matches for Friday, allowing for a potential play-off on Monday. This would still give Inter enough time to recover and prepare properly for the Champions League final.