Napoli, Inter, and Fiorentina: if this isn't a decisive week, it's very close to being one. Sergio Conceição's Milan has a few days left to prepare for a "triple-header" that could send them to paradise or hell, defining what the end of the season will look like. The Rossoneri are still involved in two competitions with clear objectives: Serie A, where a fourth-place finish currently feels like a mirage, and the Coppa Italia, with a two-legged derby in the semifinals.
Between March 30 and April 5, it will become clearer what the Rossoneri can ask of the final stretch of an endless and chaotic season—one that can still bring small satisfactions. Our focus is on the race for Champions League qualification, which took a major turn today with Juventus' managerial change, as relayed via Milan Press.
Will it have an impact? If so, how much? How are the other contenders faring?
Let's try to answer these questions.
The atmosphere at Juventus had become unbearable under Thiago Motta, and the decision to bring in Igor Tudor is aimed at resolving internal issues related to squad dynamics while also revitalizing a team that has looked completely detached from the season in recent outings. The real difference may not come so much from a tactical shift as from a psychological boost. On paper, Juventus has the easiest remaining schedule, and their current fifth place with 52 points makes them the favorites to secure a top-four finish. However, the true effect of the managerial change will be tested on the pitch—something Milan has shown can initially be positive.
Vincenzo Italiano’s Bologna is, at this moment, the team most deserving of a Champions League spot due to their consistency, style of play, and project coherence. Their current fourth place with 53 points makes them the prime target for their competitors, and a tough schedule featuring several big matches in the final nine games—along with their Coppa Italia commitments—does not help their cause. Even qualifying for any European competition would still be a strong achievement for a team that lost key pillars from last year's success but retained its core leadership and brought in new additions, both on the bench and on the pitch.
Lazio is perhaps the most physically and athletically struggling team. Among the contenders, their season has been the most complete, thanks to their impressive European campaign. However, fatigue is starting to take its toll, as are the shortcomings of a winter transfer window that provided little support for Marco Baroni. Their concurrent Europa League campaign will demand additional resources, which could prove costly for a side currently sitting sixth with 51 points.
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Roma is the most in-form team among the six competitors but also the one facing the most uncertainty. The turnaround under Claudio Ranieri has been remarkable—just a few months ago, they were battling in the lower half of the table, and now they sit seventh with 49 points. They haven't lost in the league since December 15 (a 2-0 defeat to Como), but a tougher schedule lies ahead, and the injury to Dybala, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season, could be a decisive blow.
What about Fiorentina?
‘La Viola’ squad finds itself in a peculiar situation, as they are fighting to win the Conference League after losing two finals, yet coach Raffaele Palladino has been facing criticism—including internal doubts—for weeks. Their eighth-place standing with 48 points is a solid result, especially considering that the club started a new cycle last summer. But will their European campaign and unfinished business there take precedence over domestic objectives?
Last but not least, there’s Milan...
They are the ultimate unpredictable team. They can win or lose against anyone, delivering either incredibly positive or incredibly negative performances. An emotional squad that, with 47 points, remains tenuously attached to their hopes of a fourth-place finish, which will inevitably depend on their matches against Napoli and Fiorentina. A perfect haul from these two games would make them legitimate contenders; anything less, and it's goodbye to the Champions League.
