Matchday 26 of the 2025/26 Serie A season may go down as the moment Inter Milan effectively clinched the Scudetto. The Nerazzurri did their part with a gritty 2-0 away win against relegation-threatened Lecce, sealed by late goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Manuel Akanji. Then, they watched as their closest competitors unraveled one by one.
A Weekend of Stumbles for the Contenders
First, Juventus fell 2-0 at home to Cesc Fabregas's high-flying Como, with goals from Mergim Vojvoda and Maxence Caqueret. Reigning champions Napoli followed suit, losing 2-1 to Atalanta in Bergamo after second-half strikes from Mario Pasalic and Lazar Samardzic overturned Sam Beukema's opener. But the most shocking result came on Sunday evening.
Milan, Inter's cross-city rivals, hosted Parma in what seemed a routine victory for the Rossoneri. Max Allegri's side hadn't lost since the opening day defeat to newly promoted Cremonese, and recent away wins at Como and Bologna kept them in the title conversation. However, on a day when they could have cut the deficit to seven points, Milan were sucker-punched by lowly Parma, courtesy of center-back Mariano Troilo's winner ten minutes from full time.
Inter's Commanding Position
The fallout leaves Inter ten points clear at the top of Serie A, a margin that online betting sites now deem insurmountable. The Nerazzurri are heavy favorites to reclaim the Scudetto this term, with odds reflecting near-certainty. Milan and Napoli are distant longshots, effectively out of the race barring a monumental collapse.
Inter's dominance extends beyond the league. They remain alive on three fronts: Serie A is all but secured, they're through to the Coppa Italia semifinals with just a two-legged tie against Como standing between them and the final, and they're in the Champions League knockout playoff round, though a 3-1 first-leg defeat to Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt means work is needed in the reverse fixture at the San Siro to advance to the Round of 16.
Milan's Fading Challenge
Milan's troubles predate the Parma defeat. While Inter has reeled off wins, the Rossoneri have dropped points consistently against teams like Como, Roma, Fiorentina, Genoa, and Sassuolo. This slide is particularly painful given that Milan was the last team to beat Inter, with Christian Pulisic's second-half goal in November handing them a famous 1-0 win and putting them one point ahead at the time.
Since that victory, the two Milanese clubs have diverged sharply. The upcoming derby clash is critical for Milan: a win would cut the gap to seven points with ten games left, a daunting but not impossible margin. A loss, however, would extend the deficit to 13 points, all but sealing the Scudetto for Inter.
Napoli's Disappointing Title Defense
Last season, Napoli mounted a late charge to overtake Inter, capitalizing on back-to-defeats by the Nerazzurri to claim the title on the final day. This campaign tells a different story. A recent 2-1 loss at Atalanta has left them 13 points off the pace, a deficit likely too large to overcome. A sluggish start to the New Year with three draws, followed by defeats at Juventus and Atalanta, has put them in a deep hole.
Napoli does have a relatively kind run-in, with a home game against Milan and a trip to Como as the only significant tests. But even if they win every remaining match, they'd likely finish well behind Inter, highlighting the practical reality of their collapsed title defense.
