Matchday 3 in Serie A was full of drama, goals, and some intriguing shifts. The early season form-bearers continued to make statements, while a few clubs still look vulnerable.
Big games lived up to expectations, and there are signs already of who could mount a title challenge — or who might be dragged into a relegation fight.
Results & shocks
Here are some of the key results from Matchday 3:
Fixture
Result
Juventus 4-3 Inter Milan
Juventus edged a wild “Derby d’Italia” with a stoppage-time winner.
Fiorentina 1-3 Napoli
Napoli maintained their perfect start, with new signing scoring on debut.
AC Milan 1-0 Bologna
Luka Modric (aged 40) scored his first goal for Milan in a tight win.
Other results included draws and some tighter matches like Monday night’s two games where Como and Genoa drew 1-1 and Verona were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Cremonese.
Shocks and surprises:
The Juventus vs Inter match might be the biggest surprise. A 4-3 thriller, with Juventus managing to snatch the win in the final moments despite Inter having periods of control.
Napoli’s convincing 3-1 away win at Fiorentina, particularly with Rasmus Højlund scoring on debut, underlined how well they are integrating newcomers. Fiorentina, meanwhile, continue to struggle for wins.
AC Milan’s win over Bologna was tight, and marked by an unexpected standout moment: Modric scoring at 40. Not necessarily a shock, but noteworthy in terms of narratives.
Stars of the weekend
Vasilije Adzic (Juventus) – Scored the winner in stoppage time vs Inter. A dramatic entrance and match-winner.
Kenan Yildiz (Juventus) – Contributed strongly (goal + influence) in the derby.
Rasmus Højlund (Napoli) – Scored on debut, showing promise and helping Napoli extend their perfect run.
Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli) – Scored early (penalty) to set the tone.
Luka Modric (AC Milan) – Turned back the clock with a composed goal, and showed leadership in a tight match.
Players who underwhelmed
Inter Milan’s defence – In the derby, they were caught out multiple times; couldn’t hold on despite some good spells.
Fiorentina – Despite decent performances, they remain without a win after several matches; issues in converting chances.
Others perhaps less headline-grabbing: In tight fixtures, some mid-table clubs still look shaky under pressure; for example, teams drawing when maybe they might have hoped to win.
Pick of the weekend
Juventus vs Inter Milan (4-3) stands out as the game of the weekend. It had everything: goals, swings in momentum, big personalities, dramatic ending.
Juventus took the lead, Inter responded, the Thuram brothers added emotional weight (Marcus with Inter, Khéphren for Juventus), and then Adzic’s winner in stoppage time.
It reflected both the promise and the fragility in top Serie A teams: attacking skill, but defensive lapses. Great spectacle.
What’s coming next weekend
Here are some fixtures to watch, with what’s at stake:
Sunday is the first Rome derby with Lazio hosting Roma – both teams had disappointing 1-0 defeats on Sunday.
Napoli will look to extend their perfect run. Their opponents are Pisa at home so they will continue to maintain momentum.
Juventus will want to prove the derby result wasn’t a flash in the pan – they travel to Verona to play Hellas. Keeping form and consistency will be needed.
Milan has a chance to build on Modric’s goal and get more stability but an away trip to Udinese isn’t easy.
Mid-table vs. relegation-threatened clubs will be key to watch: teams like Parma, Pisa, Lecce, Verona will be under pressure to pick up points.
The Table: Top & Bottom
Here’s where things stand after Matchday 4:
Position
Team
Points / Notes
Top
Napoli & Juventus
Both perfect so far (all wins)
Cremonese, Udinese
Close behind – good starts.
Bottom
Parma, Pisa, Lecce
These teams are languishing, with few or no wins, negative goal differences.
So far, the league is separating: a top group emerging, a bottom group scrambling. The middle is still quite crowded.
Conclusion
Matchday 3 confirmed that Napoli and Juventus are serious title contenders — both looking sharp, deep, and hungry.
Meanwhile, teams like Fiorentina are under pressure to break out of their early slump.
The “Derby d’Italia” gave fans what they want: drama, goals, narrative with the Thuram brothers, and last-gasp heroics.
As we move into Matchday 4, consistency will matter even more.
At the top, small lapses could prove costly; at the bottom, every point feels like survival.
Serie A is shaping up to be competitive this season — for glory and for avoiding relegation alike.
