6 Takeaways from Serie A Heading into the November Break

Why does no one defend better than Roma?

Five goals conceded — the best defensive record among Europe’s top five leagues, alongside Arsenal — and top of the table. Since Ranieri’s return, and later under Gasperini, Roma have built an extraordinarily solid defensive structure (just 23 goals conceded in 37 matches), but not one that alone could explain a nearly 19-goal gap between goals conceded and Expected Goals Against (41.59 xGA). That massive difference has a name: Mile Svilar. Historically in Italy, the team with the best defense wins the league. Roma may not yet look fully equipped to win the Scudetto, but with this level of organization — and a goalkeeper performing at that level — they could genuinely go the distance.

Napoli have taken a worrying path

“I don’t feel like accompanying a corpse.” The ever-combative Antonio Conte had never sounded so disheartened before, openly expressing concern for what he called a “box-ticking” team. Napoli have now failed to score from open play in four straight matches — the last time that happened was in December 2023, under Walter Mazzarri. The numbers reveal an alarming offensive anemia: sterile, possession-heavy football aimed only at ball retention, never at penetration. Their play lacks quick positive transitions and depends on the isolated battles of the willing but unsupported Højlund, left without KDB and with wingers all still stuck at zero goals. To make matters worse, their defense has become porous too: ten goals conceded already, all from inside the box — an area that was once an impregnable fortress.

0–0 is the most frequent result in Serie A

With three goalless draws recorded in Matchday 11, Serie A has now seen 17 of them in 110 matches — by far the most common result, followed by 1–1 (13 times) and 0–1 (11 times). While the number of goals doesn’t necessarily equate to quality or entertainment, the comparison with other European leagues is damning: in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 (both 18 teams), there are 3.21 and 2.89 goals per game on average, compared to Serie A’s 2.22. In La Liga and the Premier League, teams average 27.4 and 26.1 goals per round, while Serie A lags behind at 22.2 — by far the least prolific league in Europe.

Atalanta have lacked courage

Courage — the very trait that defined Atalanta during the Gasperini era — is precisely what they’ve been missing so far. Starting with the conservative choice of Jurić, perhaps made in the belief that Gasperini could simply be imitated, the club sent the wrong message of downsizing. Once the Gasperini era ended, Atalanta lacked the bravery to truly break with the past and bring in someone with new ideas or a fresher approach. Jurić was never going to be the one to reignite a squad still built to play proactive, high-risk football — his “draw-syndrome” and mid-table pragmatism were never going to take root in a club accustomed to attacking ambition. A breakup that felt inevitable, given how much of Jurić’s appeal relies on his personal credibility and down-to-earth manner rather than tactical innovation.

The clear identity of Italiano’s Bologna

Energy, aggression, ideas, intensity — Bologna’s win over Napoli only confirmed, if it still needed confirming, their status as a genuine top side. The team mirrors the identity and conviction of its coach. Even after losing key players, Italiano’s structure is so robust that he can change lineups weekly: everyone knows exactly what to do and executes it at full throttle. Their mentality translates into near-perfect game approaches: along with Milan, Bologna are the only Serie A side never to have trailed at halftime this season. On top of that, the Dall’Ara has become a fortress again — excluding the final match of last season, Bologna are unbeaten at home since December 2024.

The Scudetto threshold keeps dropping

It’s balance that feels like leveling down. The gap between first and sixth place is just five points, and there are no easy matches left. The so-called “small clubs” have equipped themselves — tactically above all — to frustrate the giants, and they’re succeeding more often. It’s been ten years, since the 2015/16 season (when Fiorentina and Inter led), that the league leaders had so few points (24) after 11 rounds, already with three defeats. Juventus won that season after a massive comeback, finishing on 91 points — a number that feels unthinkable now, with no side showing the dominance needed to pull away. The math currently projects the title threshold at 83 points, but on the pitch it looks like it could dip below even the 82 that won Napoli last season’s Scudetto.