Serie A Final Matchday: Title Race, European Spots, and Potential Playoff

As the 2024-25 Serie A season reaches its conclusion with just one matchday remaining, key questions about the title winner and the final top four spots persist. Napoli and Inter have already secured Champions League qualification and are locked in a fierce battle for the Scudetto. Atalanta has clinched third place, but three other teams are still vying for the final Champions League spot. This ensures significant stakes for the last fixtures.

Should Napoli and Inter finish the 38-game season level on points, a playoff match is scheduled for the following Monday to determine the 2024-25 Serie A champion. This potential decider could occur in the same week Inter is set to play against PSG in the Champions League final in Munich on May 31st. Here is a breakdown of the key aspects heading into the season`s final week.

The Reason for Friday`s Matches for Inter and Napoli

Inter and Napoli`s final 2024-25 season matches are scheduled for Friday. This scheduling is crucial because if they finish tied on points (for example, if Napoli loses and Inter draws), the potential Scudetto playoff must happen before the Champions League final on May 31st. Playing after the end of May is not feasible due to the upcoming international break and the FIFA Club World Cup starting June 14th, which Inter is participating in. Inter also requested an earlier date to match PSG`s preparation time before the Champions League final, proposing a playoff on Monday, May 26th. Ultimately, Serie A decided to have Inter play Como away and Napoli host Cagliari on Friday.

Serie A`s European Qualification Spots

Despite some Italian clubs underperforming in the Champions League this season, Serie A will still have four representatives in the next edition. Inter is the sole Italian team remaining in the UEFA Champions League, set to compete in the final against PSG.

Bologna, having won the Coppa Italia by defeating AC Milan on May 14th, automatically qualifies for the Europa League league phase, bypassing the preliminary rounds. Based on the current standings before the final matchday, here`s how the European qualification spots are distributed:

1. Champions League league phase
2. Champions League league phase
3. Champions League league phase
4. Champions League league phase
5. Europa League league phase
6. Conference League league phase

• Bologna: Already qualified for the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League league phase.

Details of the Potential Serie A Playoff

If Napoli and Inter finish the season tied on points (currently separated by just one point), they will face each other in a playoff final the Monday before the Champions League final on May 31st. This specific playoff rule, which also applies to relegation battles, was implemented after the close 2021-22 season title race between AC Milan and Inter, which AC Milan won by two points. The playoff will be a single 90-minute match; if tied, it will go straight to penalties.

For an Inter vs. Napoli playoff, the venue is determined by rules prioritizing the team with a better head-to-head record. This season, their head-to-head results are identical, both matches ending 1-1. If head-to-head criteria don`t decide the venue, tiebreakers include:

1. Goal difference in head-to-head matches
2. Goal difference across the entire championship
3. Goals scored across the entire championship
4. Coin toss

However, due to potential public order concerns, particularly regarding away fans, the match might be held at a neutral venue like Rome`s Stadio Olimpico instead of Milan.