Serie A Daily Report - 2026-05-09

Juventus beat Lecce 1-0 thanks to Dusan Vlahovic's goal after just 12 seconds at the Stadio Via del Mare, the fastest strike in Serie A this season. The Serbian returned to the starting XI for the first time since November 29 and immediately made the difference, even though two more Juve efforts were ruled out for offside.

The result moved Luciano Spalletti's side into third place and four points clear of fifth-placed Roma, a major step in the Champions League race. Lecce stay four points above the relegation zone and missed a chance to secure their top-flight status, while Spalletti was left complaining that Juventus cannot 'change 18 players' and still expect instant fixes.

Inter Milan backed up their Serie A title by winning 3-0 at Lazio, with Lautaro Martinez scoring one and setting up another in the Stadio Olimpico. The champions were already 2-0 up by the time Sarri's side were exposed again, turning the league meeting into a statement win four days before the Coppa Italia final.

Lautaro's latest goal took him to 17 league strikes, four ahead of teammate Marcus Thuram in the scoring race, and Inter now look set to chase a league-cup double. Lazio, meanwhile, were left with a bruising defeat and a manager who admitted the team's passive defending was unacceptable and demanded a completely different response in the final.

Udinese's 2-0 victory at Cagliari was overshadowed by Keinan Davis accusing defender Alberto Dossena of calling him a 'monkey' during the match. Davis reacted angrily late on, alerted the referee, and then had to be separated from Dossena after the final whistle as the confrontation escalated.

Udinese backed their striker and condemned the incident as 'shameful', while Dossena denied any wrongdoing. The result itself mattered too: Adam Buksa broke the deadlock in the 56th minute and Idrissa Gueye sealed it in the 96th, with Maduka Okoye registering his 10th clean sheet of the season and matching his career-best single-season mark.

Inter Milan were received by Pope Francis at the Vatican after clinching the 2025-26 Serie A title, bringing the champions' season into the public spotlight beyond football. The Pope urged the players and directors to be authentic role models and to use their experience as a vehicle for useful messages, especially for young people.

The visit underlined how far Inter's title-winning campaign has resonated in Italy, with the club now representing not just sporting success but a broader social platform. One report noted that Hakan Calhanoglu was absent from the delegation, which drew attention on social media, but the main story was the club's formal audience with the pontiff.

Juventus have reportedly opened discussions with Robert Lewandowski's agent as they plan to strengthen their attack for next season. The 36-year-old Barcelona striker is said to be considering a move to Serie A, while Juve are targeting proven experience as they rebuild around a squad that still needs more firepower.

The timing is notable because Luciano Spalletti has already complained about the limits of his current options, saying Juventus do not have another player with Dusan Vlahovic's characteristics and cannot simply replace large parts of the squad. With Vlahovic just back among the goals and Juve still chasing Champions League qualification, the club's summer planning is clearly already underway.

Nottingham Forest have decided not to trigger their option to buy Lorenzo Lucca, leaving the striker set for another move after a disappointing loan spell in England. Lucca made only eight appearances in all competitions for Forest, and the report says he prefers to return to Italy rather than stay in the Premier League.

The forward's next step appears likely to be in Serie A, with Napoli having paid Udinese just under €40 million for him last summer before sending him out on loan in January. The situation adds another twist to a summer market that already features Juventus' search for a new striker and several clubs reworking their attacking plans.