Serie A Daily Report - 2026-10-17: Avenue Capital leads Serie A media rights bidding

Avenue Capital emerged as the leading bidder for a minority stake in Serie A’s international media rights venture on 16 October, according to Reuters. The New York-based private equity firm was targeting 10 per cent for €320 million, valuing the company at approximately €3.2 billion. The venture is intended to hold the league’s international broadcasting, sponsorship and betting rights. Serie A clubs met on Friday to conduct an initial review of the final bids after the league explored selling an interest in the company responsible for its overseas commercial operations.

Avenue’s proposal was reportedly ahead despite rival bids offering more money, because it was structured as a common-equity investment without the future cash-flow protections sought by some competitors. Carlyle and Nextalia, working together, were said to have offered about €650 million for roughly 17 per cent, implying a valuation of around €3.75 billion. The decision would represent a significant step in Serie A’s effort to strengthen and monetise its international business, although the bidding process remained under review after the clubs’ initial assessment.

Venezia beat Napoli 1-0 on 17 October to claim their first Serie A points of the season. Akor Adams scored shortly after half-time after chasing Simon Sohm’s long ball and capitalising on a mistake by Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani, with the effort taking a deflection before beating Alex Meret. Napoli dominated possession but struggled to turn it into clear chances, while Kevin De Bruyne saw a penalty saved by Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stanković in the 68th minute. The result left Massimiliano Allegri’s side with a third league defeat in seven matches.

The defeat was Napoli’s second in five days after their 3-1 Champions League loss to Villarreal, and their fifth defeat in all competitions. It also marked the first time in 25 years that Napoli had lost five of their opening nine matches in all competitions. Venezia’s victory gave new head coach Davide Nicola an immediate reward after he replaced Giovanni Stroppa earlier in the week. Allegri said Napoli had to respond by working seriously, improving their focus and turning the disappointment into motivation before Tuesday’s Champions League match against Bodo/Glimt.

Inter came from behind to beat Bologna 3-1 on 17 October and move clear at the top of Serie A. Bologna took the lead after 10 minutes when Tommaso Pobega struck, having already threatened with a shot that hit the bar. Inter responded through Marcus Thuram’s header before Francesco Pio Esposito was denied by a strong Lukasz Skorupski save. Carlos Augusto then scored within a minute of coming on in the second half, helping Cristian Chivu’s side complete a comeback at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

The champions moved to 19 points, three ahead of Lazio before their Sunday visit to Juventus, while Bologna’s bright start faded after the interval. Inter had been criticised following their midweek Champions League defeat by Club Brugge, but the victory provided a timely response ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with Shakhtar Donetsk. Captain Lautaro Martínez was absent after being ruled out for a month with a thigh strain. Assistant coach Aleksandar Kolarov said the group’s strength and the players’ quality remained central, while demanding greater intensity both with and without the ball.

Gennaro Gattuso said on 17 October that Lazio would face Juventus without fear in Sunday’s Serie A meeting in Turin. Lazio had collected 16 points from their opening six matches and were pursuing a third consecutive victory after beating Monza last weekend. Gattuso acknowledged that Juventus were stronger on paper, but urged his players to show courage and compete directly rather than allow the opposition’s reputation to shape the contest. He also played down the importance of the early league table, noting that 31 matches would remain after the seventh round.

The Lazio manager described the fixture as a test of mentality and continued development rather than a judgement on the campaign. He said the team had done many good things but needed to improve from match to match. Juventus had, in his assessment, taken fewer points than their performances deserved, making the Turin trip especially demanding. Gattuso also expected Thiago Motta’s side to offer a varied attacking threat, with the ability to use two, three or four forwards. Lazio’s approach would therefore be measured by its willingness to trade attacks rather than protect its position.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani reportedly held preliminary discussions about acquiring a minority stake in Inter through the investment vehicle Al Mirqab. The approach was attributed to Tuttosport in reports published on 17 October, with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani associated with the vehicle. Inter’s current owners, Oaktree Capital Management, were reported to be unwilling to consider a full sale but potentially open to transferring a non-controlling interest. The discussions remained preliminary and concerned investment in one of Serie A’s most prominent clubs.

The reported approach would mark another attempt by Sheikh Jassim’s family to enter European football ownership after his unsuccessful bid to buy Manchester United. Inter have been under Oaktree’s control since the investment firm took ownership from Suning, and any minority transaction would preserve the existing controlling structure. Interest from a new investor could provide additional capital while leaving sporting and strategic authority with the current owners. The reports offered no indication that an agreement had been reached, so the situation remained at an exploratory stage.