How the Serie A title could be decided by a penalty shootout

The title race between Inter and Napoli could come down to a 90-minute playoff

Inter and Napoli are neck and neck with five games to go (Getty Images)

Serie A is heading for a thrilling title race, with Inter Milan and Napoli level on points with five games to go in the battle for the Scudetto.

The season took another twist on Sunday as Inter lost 1-0 at Bologna, with Riccardo Orsolini’s overhead kick in the 94th minute stunning the reigning champions.

Antonio Conte’s Napoli had put the pressure on the previous day, as Scott McTominay’s 72nd minute winner proved to be enough to secure a 1-0 victory at Monza.

It means Inter and Napoli are level on 71 points with five rounds to go. Inter have a superior goal difference, but that is not how the title would be decided if the teams finish level on points at the end of the final game.

That’s because Serie A reintroduced the playoff rule in 2022, having scrapped it in 2005. It has only been used once in the history of Italian football, with Bologna beating Inter in a playoff for the Scudetto in 1964.

So, should Inter and Napoli finish level on points, a 90-minute playoff final would be arranged to decide the title. If the teams are level at the end full-time, the playoff would go straight to penalties, with no extra time played.

Inter are also through to the semi-finals of the Champions League and will play rivals Milan in the second legs of their Coppa Italia semi-final on Wednesday. Their final five games in Serie A are against Roma, Verona, Torino, Lazio and Como.

Napoli, who last won Serie A in 2023, are not involved in any other competitions and will play Torino, Lecce, Genoa, Parma and Cagliari. The final day of the Serie A season is Sunday 25 May.