Serie A Round 25: Inter Milan Eyes the Summit, Fiorentina Needs More Firepower

Serie A's 25th round delivered another thrilling chapter in the season, with Inter Milan seizing the opportunity to reclaim the top spot, while Fiorentina struggled to find solutions in attack. With Napoli dropping points, Inter knew that a victory in the Derby d’Italia against Juventus would send them back to the summit. Meanwhile, Fiorentina faced a different challenge—finding attacking alternatives beyond Kean, who has been isolated and heavily marked in recent fixtures.

Inter Milan Seizes the Moment: Derby d’Italia Triumph

The stakes couldn’t have been higher for Inter Milan heading into their clash against Juventus. A win would not only restore them to first place but also underline their credentials as the most dominant force in Italian football this season.

With Juventus having one eye on their midweek Champions League fixture, the Nerazzurri were expected to dictate the tempo and dominate proceedings. The team arrived at the Allianz Stadium high on confidence, having avenged their Coppa Italia defeat to Fiorentina last week with a strong league performance.

Inter started the game in relentless fashion, launching wave after wave of attacking moves. The early moments saw Darmian deliver a pinpoint cross to Lautaro Martínez, whose volley flashed just wide. Soon after, Çalhanoğlu tested De Gea from distance, but the Spaniard held firm.

The first breakthrough came in the 28th minute when Çalhanoğlu’s perfectly whipped corner forced Pongracic into an own goal, handing Inter a deserved 1-0 lead.

However, Juventus found a lifeline just before halftime. A controversial VAR decision saw a penalty awarded for a handball by Darmian, and Mandragora coolly converted from the spot to make it 1-1 at the break.

Inter refused to let frustration creep in, and they regained the lead early in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Bastoni delivered an exquisite cross-field pass to Carlos Augusto, who squared it for Marko Arnautović to head home. 2-1 Inter.

From that moment on, the game became a tactical battle. Juventus threw on attacking reinforcements, desperately searching for an equalizer, while Inter remained disciplined and well-organized, looking for counterattacking opportunities.

Tempers flared in the closing minutes, with Mkhitaryan and Richardson both booked after a heated exchange. Juventus appealed for a late penalty in stoppage time, but the referee waved play on, and Inter held on for a massive victory.

With this 2-1 triumph, Inter Milan returned to the top of the table, proving once again that they are the team to beat in Serie A this season.

Juventus: Moise Kean and the Striker Conundrum

While Inter celebrated a crucial victory, Juventus must now turn their attention to a growing dilemma—who leads their attack?

Since the arrival of Randal Kolo Muani in the January transfer window, Dusan Vlahović has been forced into a secondary role, often finding himself benched or limited to late-game cameos. Muani has hit the ground running, scoring five goals in just three Serie A appearances, including a match-winning brace against Como last weekend.

His form has been so electric that he now finds himself in direct competition with Marcus Thuram for the France national team’s second-choice striker spot behind Kylian Mbappé.

With Juventus facing Champions League commitments next week, Vlahović is expected to get at least 30 minutes of game time in the next fixture. But unless he delivers a standout performance, his starting position may be slipping further out of reach.

Fiorentina's Offensive Struggles: Who Supports Kean?

Fiorentina entered Round 25 with high hopes, but their four-match unbeaten streak came to an abrupt halt at the hands of Inter Milan last week.

Their defensive errors were glaring, with an own goal and poor marking allowing Inter to capitalize. But beyond the backline issues, the bigger concern is Fiorentina’s overreliance on Kean in attack.

Kean has been Fiorentina’s most consistent attacking threat this season, but teams have caught on to the strategy, marking him out of games and forcing the Viola to find alternative goal sources.

Last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Inter exposed this problem even further. Despite creating chances, Fiorentina failed to convert, and when Kean was isolated and neutralized, no one else stepped up.

If Fiorentina wants to push for a Champions League spot, they must develop more attacking options. They cannot afford to rely solely on Kean while hoping that De Gea produces miracle performances to keep them in games.

Como's Fight for Survival

Newly promoted Como remains outside the relegation zone, despite suffering three consecutive losses. Their survival hopes are still alive, mainly because the four teams below them have also failed to pick up wins in recent rounds.

Against Juventus, Como put up a valiant fight, using high pressing to unsettle the Bianconeri defense and creating several dangerous opportunities. The home crowd rallied behind them, giving them an edge in intensity.

However, quality eventually told, and Juventus secured a 2-1 victory. Como can take positives from their spirited performance, but their margin for error remains razor-thin as they battle to avoid the drop.

Fiorentina’s next challenge? A matchup against Como. But if recent history is any indication, the Viola could be in for a tricky contest.

Last month, Fiorentina shockingly lost to bottom-placed Monza, proving that they are vulnerable against relegation-threatened teams.

Como will look to exploit that weakness, and Fiorentina must show more attacking variety if they want to avoid another upset.

Final Thoughts: Inter’s Title Charge, Juventus’ Striker Puzzle, and Fiorentina’s Woes

Serie A’s title race remains as thrilling as ever, with Inter Milan taking full advantage of Napoli’s slip-up. Their victory over Juventus was a statement win, confirming their status as the team to beat.

Juventus faces key decisions in attack—does Allegri continue with the red-hot Muani, or does he reintegrate Vlahović before it’s too late?

Meanwhile, Fiorentina must rediscover their attacking depth if they want to remain in the Champions League conversation. Depending solely on Kean won’t be enough, and their match against Como will be a major test of their adaptability.

With every round, Serie A delivers new drama, and the battles for the title, European spots, and relegation survival continue to intensify.