It was a challenging weekend of Serie A soccer in Italy, where both Juventus and Napoli were defeated and their coaches are now seriously risking their jobs, which will depend on their performances in the next matches. Lazio and Inter are still leading the standings, with the side led by Gennaro Gattuso still being the biggest surprise of the season so far. AS Roma reacted after a disappointing Champions League game against Real Madrid and won against Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico. Now, time for some hot takes.
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Massimo Allegri is in trouble
The Azzurri head coach is now seriously risking losing his job after Napoli lost on Saturday against Venezia away. The home side won their first match of the season after six defeats and after appointing Davide Nicola as the new head coach. Napoli have only collected 10 points in seven games so far and lost the two opening matches of their Champions League campaign. This is why Napoli need to react against Bodo/Glimt before facing AS Roma on the weekend: Two key matches not only for the manager but also for the current campaign of the Italian team. If they don't pick up better results, Allegri might seriously risk losing his job again.
"We are talking about a legendary great manager. Sometimes you stay around long enough to see yourself become the villain. "@T_Deeney and @IFTVMarco talk Massimiliano Allegri after Napoli's tough start to the season continues 🔵 Watch Serie A on @paramountplus 📺 pic.twitter.com/wISiilLoOC
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 17, 2026
Luciano Spalletti to be sacked?
Elsewhere, things are not going so well at Juventus, where coach Luciano Spalletti is also facing the risk of losing his job after losing 3-0 at their home stadium against Lazio. Clearly, it was a disappointing start to the season for the Italian giants who only collected 11 points and three wins in the opening seven Serie A games. Spalletti seemed quite nervous after the game on Sunday, as he admitted to DAZN, "A side lacking rhythm, ideas, intensity, and commitment. There were far too many attitudes and behaviours that I didn't like." Words that should worry not only the fans but also the club that decided to commit to the Italian coach in the summer after a positive stint in the second part of the 2025-2026 season when Spalletti replaced Igor Tudor at the beginning of the previous campaign.
"The players that they brought in are not of the level." "He [Luciano Spalletti] is not at the level of Juventus coach."@MikeGrella10 has plenty to say on Juventus after their season reaches an apparent new low ⚪️⚫️ pic.twitter.com/I0cmSAMczb
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 18, 2026
Lazio are serious contenders
Gustav Isaksen delivers again on the big stage 🦅🩵 The Danish winger scores against Juventus to put Lazio firmly in control 💪🇩🇰 Watch Serie A on @paramountplus 📺 pic.twitter.com/Ad51eECzSe
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 18, 2026
Let Gattuso dream. Lazio have been the most surprising side in the first part of the 2026-2027 campaign as the Biancocelesti won six matches and only drew once so far under the former Italian national team manager, and they can win it all. Lazio endured a challenging summer, with financial restrictions forcing the club to sell players before they could bring in new signings. On top of that, the ongoing fan protest against the ownership has left the Stadio Olimpico largely deserted during home games, with Lazio supporters staying away. Despite these challenges, Lazio have delivered so far, and Gattuso appeared pleased with what he had seen, while making it clear that he expects even more going forward.
"We've built a real family here, and credit must go to the club. We had to work with a limited budget in the transfer market, focusing on bringing in good people and building a strong team spirit. Now, our focus shifts to Parma. We have to take it one game at a time, and if we do that, perhaps we can surprise a few people," he said.
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