Atalanta secured their place in the Champions League last 16 with a dramatic late penalty, becoming the only Serie A team to advance. Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli have all been eliminated, highlighting broader concerns for Italian football. Issues with pace, investment and youth development are under scrutiny.
Atalanta clinched a thrilling victory to reach the Champions League knockout stages, thanks to a 98th-minute penalty converted by Lazar Samardzic. This outcome left them as Italy's lone representative, following the exits of other major Serie A clubs.
Juventus suffered a 7-5 aggregate defeat to Galatasaray, despite playing extra time with 10 men after Lloyd Kelly's red card. Inter Milan, leading Serie A by 10 points, were convincingly beaten by Bodo/Glimt, a team in pre-season and making their debut in the competition's knockout phase. Napoli, the reigning Serie A champions, failed to advance from the league phase, while AC Milan did not qualify for any European competition this season.
In the Europa League, Bologna and Roma remain in contention, but Fiorentina sit 15th in the Conference League and face a play-off against Jagiellonia Bialystok. Italy's national team also risks a World Cup play-off, potentially marking a third absence from the tournament they have won four times.
Former manager Fabio Capello attributed these struggles to Serie A's slow pace. "Italian teams play at a slow pace," he told Sky in Italy. "When they face teams that run and press, they don't have the quality, aren't accustomed to playing at a high pace, and make mistakes."
Data supports this view: Serie A has the second-lowest direct speed among Europe's big five leagues, trailing only Ligue 1, which had no clubs in the Champions League top eight. In contrast, the Premier League's speed has risen, aiding England's six teams in advancing comfortably.
Investment lags too. Last summer's priciest Italian transfer was Christopher Nkunku's £36m move from Chelsea to AC Milan. Notable arrivals included free agents Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modric and Jamie Vardy. Serie A minutes for under-21 eligible players stood at 1.9 percent in 2025, the second-lowest globally. Italy produced 413 football exports from 2020 to 2025, ranking 24th worldwide.
Tactical stagnation persists, with coaches like Max Allegri, Maurizio Sarri, Luciano Spalletti and Antonio Conte rotating among top clubs. Exceptions include Cesc Fabregas at Como and Carlos Cuesta at Parma, drawing from external influences. Infrastructure issues compound problems; no Italian club ranked in Deloitte's top 10 wealthiest European teams, and venues like the San Siro lag behind modern stadia.
