Serie A 2026-27: Inter, Roma win to lead standings; Venezia stuns Napoli

Title holder Inter sits in first place with 19 points, and Roma’s win against Genoa moved it two points off top in second, while Napoli’s loss left it a distant ninth, nine points off the title pace.

Updated : Oct 18, 2026 10:47 IST , Rome - 3 MINS READ

Inter Milan's Ange-Yoan Bonny celebrates scoring his side’s third goal against Bologna. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Inter Milan pulled clear at the top of Serie A after coming from behind to beat Bologna 3-1 on Saturday, while Roma dispatched Genoa to jump into second, and Napoli’s torrid start continued with a shock defeat by Venezia.

The champion moved up to 19 points, although Lazio can go level with the leader if it beats Juventus in Turin on Sunday.

A 2-0 win for Roma at the Stadio Olimpico moved it two points off top in second, while Napoli’s loss left it a distant ninth, nine points off the title pace.

Inter came in for criticism after a disappointing midweek Champions League defeat against Club Brugge but bounced back with a comeback win ahead of the visit of Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.

Bologna started brightly as Tommaso Pobega fired it in front after 10 minutes before hitting the bar with a powerful shot.

But Inter, shorn of injured captain Lautaro Martinez after he was ruled out for a month, responded with a towering Marcus Thuram header.

Chivu’s substitutions proved decisive as Carlos Augusto scored within a minute of coming on midway through the second half, before turning provider for fellow replacement Ange-Yoan Bonny late on.

Castro scores stunner

Just three days after throwing away a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 in the dying minutes of a Champions League clash with Real Madrid, Roma responded strongly with a 2-0 win over Genoa.

With top scorer Donyell Malen suspended and several key players injured, Roma’s young guns seized their chance as Santiago Castro and Emanuele Lulli scored their first goals for the club.

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Both sides were denied by the woodwork in the first half, but an audacious flicked finish in a crowded box from Castro broke the deadlock after 50 minutes, before teenage wing-back Lulli made sure of the points with a close-range effort.

Genoa coach Daniele De Rossi, a celebrated former Roma player and coach, received a warm ovation from the home support but was unable to prevent counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini from claiming the 300th Serie A win of his managerial career.

Nicola’s dream debut

Venezia coach Davide Nicola masterminded a shock 1-0 win over struggling Napoli on debut as Kevin De Bruyne had a penalty saved.

Renowned survival specialist Nicola was appointed during the week to replace sacked coach Giovanni Stroppa after last season’s Serie B champion failed to pick up a single point in its opening six games.

He made an immediate impact as Akor Adams struck the winner early in the second half to seal Venezia’s first Serie A win over Napoli since 1942.

Rested Napoli stars Rasmus Hojlund and De Bruyne came on as coach Massimiliano Allegri searched for an equaliser, and Hojlund soon won a penalty, but the Belgian midfielder’s spot-kick was saved by Filip Stankovic.

The Venezia goalkeeper proved decisive in the closing stages with a string of impressive saves as Napoli pushed forward in vain.

It marked a second defeat in a row for Allegri’s side after its midweek Champions League loss at Villarreal, and the first time in 25 years that Napoli has lost five of its first nine games in all competitions.

Napoli is ninth on 10 points, while Venezia remains bottom with three points.