Inter Milan and Napoli produced a dramatic 3-3 draw in Milan that underlined their status as Serie A's leading two clubs, while Juventus and Milan played out a flat stalemate in Turin that highlighted both sides' struggles despite heavy summer transfer spending. The result comes amid debate over which fixtures truly count as Serie A's "scontri diretti" (head-to-head clashes), with Inter coach Cristian Chivu pushing back on the idea that games against Juventus and Milan carry special weight, given both finished well off the pace last season while Napoli mounted the only real title challenge.

Napoli, managed by Massimiliano Allegri, raced into a 2-0 lead through Matteo Politano and Rasmus Højlund early in the second half, before Inter fought back via Lautaro Martínez and a Marcus Thuram equaliser in the 82nd minute. Napoli then spurned two further chances to win it after introducing Kevin De Bruyne and David Neres, capping a chaotic, high-quality contest that felt like a genuine title-race statement. In contrast, the Juventus-Milan meeting in Turin was comparatively subdued, reinforcing the sense that this season's early hierarchy is being shaped more by Inter and Napoli than by the traditionally dominant Turin and Milan clubs.