Serie A matchday 5 preview: Roma v Inter for first place, Como at Frosinone, and the two bottom sides in one match

First against second on Saturday afternoon: AS Roma, four wins from four with one goal conceded, host Inter, four wins from four with thirteen scored, at the Olimpico. Whoever wins leads alone; a draw keeps them level on twelve and lets Como or Lazio, both on ten, draw level with a win. Como go to Frosinone on Sunday, Lazio to Venezia, who have lost all four, on Saturday night. And in Parma on Sunday, two sides with a point each meet: Parma and Genoa, both with one draw and three defeats.

Friday

Monza v Sassuolo (18:45 UTC). Monza are eighteenth with a point and eleven goals conceded; Sassuolo, ninth on seven, beat Juventus with a 90th-minute goal last weekend. Monza have the better of the recent record: three wins and a draw in the last four league meetings, in 2023 and 2024.

Saturday

Bologna v Torino (13:00 UTC). Bologna have two goals and a point from four; Torino have three points. Bologna are unbeaten in the last five meetings — 2–1 at Torino in February, 3–2 and 2–0 before that, two 0–0s.

Udinese v Cagliari (13:00 UTC, Bluenergy Stadium). Udinese scored three at Inter and lost 5–3; Cagliari, fifth on nine, have conceded two in four matches and won at Atalanta. Udinese are unbeaten in the last five meetings: 2–0 at Cagliari in May, 2–1 there the year before, and 2–0 here in October 2024.

AS Roma v Inter (16:00 UTC, Stadio Olimpico). Roma's D. Malen leads the scoring with five; Inter came from two down to beat Udinese 5–3 on Monday. Inter have won four of the last five meetings, including the last three at the Olimpico — 1–0 in October, 1–0 in October 2024, 4–2 in February 2024 — and 5–2 at San Siro in April. Roma's one win in that run was 1–0 at Inter in April 2025.

Venezia v Lazio (18:45 UTC, Penzo). Venezia have lost all four and conceded eleven; Lazio, third on ten, drew 2–2 with Milan after leading by two. The last meeting here was 0–0 in February 2025; Lazio won the three before that.

Sunday

Fiorentina v Napoli (10:30 UTC, Franchi). Fiorentina won 4–2 at Venezia with a Mastantuono hat-trick but have conceded eleven; Napoli, tenth on six, beat Bologna 1–0. Napoli have won the last four meetings, including 3–1 and 3–0 at the Franchi.

Frosinone v Como (13:00 UTC, Stirpe). Como are second, unbeaten, and have scored nine; Frosinone are seventh on seven and drew at Genoa with 27 shots. They last met in Serie B, 2021–23, and Frosinone won three of the four.

Parma v Genoa (13:00 UTC, Tardini). Seventeenth against nineteenth, a point each, two goals scored each. The last two meetings were 0–0; Genoa won the two before, both 1–0. Genoa have not lost to Parma in Serie A in the last four.

Juventus v Atalanta (16:00 UTC, Allianz Stadium). Juventus, eighth on seven, lost at Sassuolo after equalising twice; Atalanta, eleventh on six, lost at home to Cagliari. Juventus won 1–0 at Atalanta in April; Atalanta won 3–0 in the Coppa Italia in February and 4–0 here in March 2025.

AC Milan v Lecce (18:45 UTC). Milan are unbeaten — two wins, two draws — and sixth; Lecce, twelfth on six, beat Monza 3–2. Milan have won the last five meetings, the last three at San Siro without conceding: 1–0 in January, 3–0 in the Coppa Italia, 3–0 in September 2024.

Table watch

After four rounds, counting Monday's Inter–Udinese:

#	Team	P	GD	Pts
1	AS Roma	4	+11	12
2	Inter	4	+7	12
3	Como	4	+5	10
4	Lazio	4	+3	10
5	Cagliari	4	+2	9
6	AC Milan	4	+3	8
…
16	Bologna	4	−3	1
17	Parma	4	−4	1
18	Monza	4	−5	1
19	Genoa	4	−6	1
20	Venezia	4	−7	0

Roma or Inter can be alone at the top by Saturday evening; Como and Lazio can join the leaders on thirteen by Sunday if the Olimpico ends level. Parma v Genoa is the first chance for either to win this season; Bologna, Monza and Venezia are the other three still looking for one.

Numbers to know

• D. Malen has five goals; A. Raimondo of Frosinone four; Franco Mastantuono and D. Frattesi three each.
• Roma have conceded one goal in four matches. Venezia, Monza and Fiorentina have conceded eleven each.
• Five clubs are unbeaten — Roma, Inter, Como, Lazio and Milan — and five are without a win.

The full round with kick-off times in your time zone is on the Serie A page.