The Serie A title race is shaping up to be a two-team contest as Inter Milan and Napoli have established themselves as the clear frontrunners with just weeks remaining in the 2025 season.
After Sunday’s matches, Napoli kept pace with league leaders Inter, remaining just three points behind following an impressive 2-1 victory over AC Milan at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Napoli’s victory came despite significant personnel changes throughout the season. The team has managed to stay competitive even after losing key players, with Matteo Politano opening the scoring just 63 seconds into the match with a spectacular long-range effort after evading three defenders.
Romelu Lukaku doubled Napoli’s advantage before the 20-minute mark, scoring his 400th goal for club and country. The Belgian striker has effectively filled the void left by Victor Osimhen, who departed for Galatasaray on loan earlier in the season.
Milan did manage to pull one back through Luka Jovic in the 84th minute, setting up a tense finale, but Napoli held on for a crucial victory. The result leaves Milan in ninth place, effectively ending their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League through league position.
Inter Milan maintained their three-point lead at the top of the table with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Udinese. Marko Arnautovic, starting in place of the injured Lautaro Martinez, opened the scoring with a well-placed redirect from Federico Dimarco’s cross.
Davide Frattesi quickly added a second goal for Inter with a similar finish, but Udinese made things interesting when Oumar Solet scored his first Serie A goal with a curling long-range effort. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer proved crucial in preserving Inter’s lead with several key saves.
The title race appears to be down to just Inter and Napoli after Atalanta suffered their second consecutive defeat, falling 1-0 to Fiorentina. The loss leaves Atalanta nine points behind the leaders, with their coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, conceding that their title hopes have faded.
Meanwhile, AC Milan’s focus has shifted to cup competitions as their only realistic path to European football next season. The Rossoneri will face city rivals Inter in the first leg of their Italian Cup semifinal on Wednesday, with a Europa League spot guaranteed for the cup winner.
The upcoming Milan derby will be the fourth meeting between the rivals this season. Milan won the first two encounters, including a comeback victory in the Italian Super Cup final in January, before the teams drew 1-1 in their most recent Serie A clash last month.
For Inter, the cup competition represents just one of several potential trophies this season. The Nerazzurri will visit Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals next week, and coach Simone Inzaghi has even suggested the possibility of winning four titles this season, including the upcoming Club World Cup.
In Premier League news, the battle for Champions League qualification has become unexpectedly open this season. With Liverpool holding a commanding 12-point lead at the top and the relegation battle seemingly settled, attention has turned to the race for European spots.
Nottingham Forest have emerged as surprising contenders, currently sitting third in the table with a seven-point cushion in the race for a top-five finish. The historic club has not competed in Europe’s elite competition since 1980 when they were defending champions.
Brighton have surged back into contention under 32-year-old manager Fabian Hurzeler, taking 13 points from their last 15 available after bouncing back from a humiliating 7-0 defeat to Forest. The Seagulls are dreaming of their first-ever Champions League qualification.
Fulham and Bournemouth are also in the mix for European places, with both clubs seeking their first forays into the Champions League. Fulham face a challenging run-in, however, with matches against Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City still to come.
In international football news, German goalkeeper Almuth Schult has announced her retirement from professional football. The 34-year-old Olympic and European champion is expecting her fourth child in October and has been without a club since leaving Kansas City Current in December.
Schult has been a pioneer for mothers returning to professional sport, having successfully returned to competitive action after the birth of her twins in 2020. She will be given a farewell ahead of Germany’s Nations League match against Scotland on April 8 in Wolfsburg.
Looking ahead to the summer, several European football giants will be heading to Asia for pre-season tours. Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and AC Milan will play in Hong Kong in July, with the North London clubs contesting a rare derby outside the United Kingdom.
The matches will take place at the new $3.85 billion Kai Tak Sports Park, with Liverpool facing Milan on July 26 before Arsenal and Tottenham meet on July 31. Organizers are expecting around 100,000 spectators, with more than half traveling from outside Hong Kong.
Liverpool will continue their Asian tour with a first-ever visit to Japan, activating their commercial partnership with Japan Airlines. The tour represents an important opportunity for European clubs to connect with their substantial fan bases in Asian markets.
In wrestling entertainment, the final event of The Road to WrestleMania 41 European tour concludes tonight with Monday Night Raw at London’s O2 Arena.
The show features a championship match between Women’s World champion Iyo Sky and former champion Rhea Ripley, with Bianca Belair serving as special guest referee.
As European football leagues enter their final stretch, the coming weeks promise intense competition across multiple fronts. From title races to cup semifinals and the battle for European qualification, fans can look forward to a thrilling conclusion to the 2024-25 season.