Serie A Daily Report - 2026-09-21: Juventus recover with 2-0 victory over Atalanta

Juventus beat Atalanta 2-0 on Sunday, 20 September, in the fifth round of Serie A. Francisco Conceição opened the scoring in the 28th minute at Allianz Stadium before Gleison Bremer added a second in the 77th. The result lifted Juventus to sixth place with 10 points, while Atalanta remained 11th on six points. It was Juventus’ response to their first defeat of the campaign, a 3-2 loss to Sassuolo decided by Vasilije Adzic’s stoppage-time goal on the previous matchday.

Luciano Spalletti said the Sassuolo defeat had created doubt within the Juventus ranks, making the clean-sheet victory particularly welcome before the international break. The coach acknowledged that Atalanta had forced his side to defend for a period, but said Juventus changed something and played on an equal footing after half-time. Juventus have won three of their first five league matches and kept a clean sheet in each victory, a sequence last achieved by the club in 2017-18. The performance gave Spalletti a more stable platform to develop the team during the three-week pause.

Serie A refereeing officials and representatives of all 20 clubs met at the Lissone VAR hub on 21 September to review the first five rounds of the 2026-27 season. Refereeing designator Daniele Orsato presented figures linked to a new approach intended to allow more contact and keep matches moving. The policy followed criticism from players and coaches that soft free-kicks had slowed the game, particularly when Italian teams competed in Europe. Officials admitted errors during the meeting but maintained that VAR should intervene only for a clear and obvious mistake or when the referee lacked a good view.

Domenico Messina, the refereeing director, said the officials wanted to improve the spectacle while avoiding errors without abandoning the new line. The meeting therefore represented an early defence of a policy that has already divided opinion, rather than a retreat from it. Supporters of the approach believe fewer stoppages can improve tempo and make Serie A more competitive in Europe. Critics will focus on incidents that go uncorrected when the on-field decision is given greater authority, leaving the balance between flow and accuracy under scrutiny as the season continues.

Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini said on 21 September that the club had made an excellent start to the Serie A season, taking 12 points from five matches. Cagliari have lost only narrowly to leaders Inter and were sitting close to the top of the table during the three-week international break. Giulini highlighted goalkeeper Elia Caprile and young players Romano and Maldini, describing all three as potential Italy material. He also said the club had received several requests for Caprile, placing the goalkeeper’s performances among the clearest signs of Cagliari’s progress.

The president credited Fabio Pisacane’s work and praised the manager’s character, intelligence and desire to keep learning. Giulini drew a comparison with the togetherness of Cagliari’s famous 1969-70 title-winning side, while stressing that the current team lacked a figure equivalent to Gigi Riva. The immediate challenge is to preserve that collective spirit when the league resumes. Cagliari’s points haul has moved them from survival concerns towards an unexpectedly prominent position, increasing attention on both Pisacane’s management and the development of the club’s younger players.

Roma forward Donyell Malen withdrew from the Netherlands squad on 20 September with an injury, and coach Xavi said on Monday that the problem was “not too bad”. Malen had played the full 90 minutes in Roma’s 2-2 draw with Inter on Saturday, a match between the two sides that had begun the campaign with four consecutive victories. Reports suggested the issue involved his knee, while Guus Til replaced Malen in the Netherlands squad. Roma had been relying heavily on the forward, who had scored six goals in five Serie A appearances this season.

The update eased concerns around a player who has been central to Roma’s strong opening under Gian Piero Gasperini. Soccer News reported that Malen had scored 20 goals in 23 Serie A appearances since joining Roma, while Roma entered the break top of the table on goal difference. Xavi also confirmed that Bournemouth forward Justin Kluivert had withdrawn and said both changes happened late, requiring the Netherlands to adapt. Roma will monitor Malen during the international pause, with his fitness important to maintaining their early challenge when domestic football returns.

AC Milan beat Lecce 3-0 on Sunday, 20 September, at San Siro to remain unbeaten after five Serie A matches. Christian Pulisic opened the scoring, while Adrien Rabiot and Diego Moreira completed the victory. The result followed a difficult period for Pulisic, who returned to the starting line-up and scored his first goal of the season. Milan’s three victories and two draws under Ruben Amorim gave the former Manchester United manager an encouraging beginning to his first Serie A campaign.

Amorim said his players had more freedom against Lecce after becoming too static in recent matches. His comments pointed to a tactical adjustment after a difficult spell at Manchester United, where he acknowledged making mistakes he did not want to repeat in Milan. The victory also offered evidence that the Rossoneri can combine greater flexibility with a solid early record. Milan now enter the international break with momentum, while Amorim’s willingness to adapt will remain a central part of the discussion around his rebuilding work.

Juventus condemned a section of their supporters after chants interrupted a minute’s silence for Sandro Mazzola before Sunday’s match against Atalanta. The tribute was held across Serie A following the death of the former Italy and Inter forward on Friday at the age of 83. Some Juventus fans turned their backs to the pitch and sang about club legends, while applause from other supporters in the Allianz Stadium drowned out the chants. The incident occurred before a fixture between two historic rivals, adding a contentious note to a weekend intended to honour one of Italian football’s most revered figures.

The club said no rivalry could justify a lack of respect during a minute’s silence and described remembrance as a shared responsibility beyond allegiances and colours. Juventus could face a fine or further disciplinary action over the disruption. Mazzola’s death prompted tributes across Italian football, including a funeral service in Milan attended by hundreds of supporters carrying Inter flags, shirts and scarves. The Juventus statement sought to separate the club from the behaviour while reinforcing the importance of collective respect during official commemorations.