It didn’t take long for Sunday’s Derby d’Italia to descend into chaos.
Just a minute in, Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martínez’s high kick caught the face of Juventus’s Manuel Locatelli, and he became the first of eight bookings. The rivalry matchup between the biggest clubs of Italy’s largest northern cities quickly turned into a contentious affair that was ultimately decided by a missed first-half penalty, which, after a VAR review, was retaken and buried by Inter’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu. It was a bizarre winner for Inter in a game that Juventus mostly dominated, mirroring the unpredictable nature of Italy’s top flight.
Europe’s top five leagues often descend into one-team title races that feign competitive balance, but in the end, they bend to the big spenders and traditional giants. Bayern Munich will likely and comfortably win the German Bundesliga for the 10th straight year. After an epic collapse in 2020–21, Qatari-backed Paris Saint-Germain is cruising to its eighth league title in the last 10 seasons. Spanish giant Real Madrid has a large cushion in La Liga, and a two-team duel in England could be all but decided by Sunday’s match between Man City and Liverpool. For the most drama, the most intrigue and the most parity, Europe’s most fascinating title race belongs in Italy.
