Serie A Matchweek 8: Can Gennaro Gattuso's Lazio really become surprise contenders?
The Biancocelesti have been the biggest surprise of the season so far and are at the top of the Serie A standings
• 2 min read
Serie A is already back in action this weekend after a successful Champions League week with all four teams winning. Como managed to win 4-1 against Manchester United in one of the biggest moments of the week, which also included the first two goals of Nico Paz in the European tournament, while Napoli, Inter and AS Roma all delivered solid wins. Now, time to go back to the domestic tournament. Let's take a closer look at what to watch for on Matchday 8: the game, the player and the story you need to know.
Game to watch: Napoli vs. AS Roma
By far the most interesting game to watch this weekend in Italy as Massimiliano Allegri's Napoli will host Gian Piero Gasperini and his team at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples. A key match for both sides, for different reasons. While Napoli are looking to find some consistency after a disappointing defeat over the last weekend away against Venezia, AS Roma are back on track and delivered two strong wins against Genoa and Slovan Bratislava this week, after two draws against Inter and Como and the home defeat against Real Madrid. Both sides have plenty of reasons to win on Saturday, and whoever comes out on the losing end will have some serious questions to answer.
Team to watch: Lazio
What a season so far for Lazio! The side led by Gennaro Gattuso are currently at the top of the Serie A standings and with a win over Parma they can potentially lead the table for at least one day before Inter's match against Fiorentina on Sunday. It has been a surprising start to the season for the Biancocelesti, especially given the challenges the club faced over the summer. Financial constraints forced Gattuso and the club to sell players before bringing in new signings, while fans continue to boycott home games in protest against the ownership. Gattuso, who also suffered the disappointment of Italy's World Cup playoff elimination earlier this year, is now enjoying a chance at redemption of his own, and he deserves it.
Story of the weekend: Can Inter change?
The Nerazzurri are facing a recurring issue in the first part of the season: the approach to the games. Inter have conceded too many goals, nine in the opening seven Serie A games, and too many times they had to make comebacks in the second half of the matches. Even against Shakhtar Donetsk in the latest Champions League game played at San Siro, Inter only scored in the last minutes of the game played at San Siro and also had a wrong approach to the game. This is what Inter need to fix in the shortest time possible, as Nicolò Barella underlined after the Champions League game speaking to Prime Sport: "We need to improve our approach to the games, it's something we need to work on."
How to watch Serie A Matchday 8
Friday, Oct. 23
Torino vs. Monza, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
Saturday, Oct. 24
Cagliari vs. Bologna, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)
Como vs. Sassuolo, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)
Napoli vs. AS Roma, 12 p.m. (Paramount+)
Lazio vs. Parma, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
Sunday, Oct. 25
Inter vs. Fiorentina, 6:30 a.m. (Paramount+)
Atalanta vs. Frosinone, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)
Genoa vs. Venezia, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)
Lecce vs. Juventus, 12 p.m. (Paramount+)
Udinese vs. AC Milan, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
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