The Serie A season in Italy remains high-octane drama, and Matchday 5 features being led by a titanic double-header on Sunday, September 28th, 2025. Below is the full preview of two pivotal encounters: a battle for survival at the Stadio Via del Mare when struggling Lecce host Bologna, and the colossus showdown at San Siro between AC Milan and defending champions SSC Napoli.

These games have massive consequences. For the lower half, Lecce must seek to end their winless streak against solidly defensive Bologna. For the Scudetto favorites, the encounter in Milan, between tactical behemoths Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte and represents the first major turning point that can affect the fate of the Scudetto rivalry.

• Date: Sunday, September 28th, 2025

• Kick-off Time: 16:00 UTC

• Venue: Stadio Via del Mare, Lecce

• Competition: Serie A (Round 5)

• Lecce enters this game at the foot of the table after suffering an absolute nightmare beginning to the campaign. With just a single point acquired from their first four games, the club is well and truly in crisis mode.

• Form: A poor start to the campaign, one draw and three losses (L-L-L-D). They scored only two goals in exchange for eight that allowed.

• League Failures: Lecce have lost four on the trot, including last week's 2-1 defeat at Cagliari and 4-1 thrashing at Atalanta.

• Historical Burden: The squad has lost a match in 12 of their last 13 home matches in Serie A, and the pressure builds on them to get it right at Via del Mare.

• Bologna, coached by Vincenzo Italiano, have had an uneven, but tactically sound, start to the season. They sit 11th, owing to a solid defense that is yielding points.

• Form: A two-win, two-loss record in their last four league games. They won a key 2-1 win over Genoa most recently.

• Defensive Strength: Bologna have conceded only three goals this season, which is tied with Napoli, and demonstrates that their defense is a solid building block.

• Away Struggles: They have lost their three away games this season each by the thin 1-0 margin, which is a sign of not being able to breach teams away from home.

History is very much against Lecce in this game, with the historical advantage lying solidly with Bologna. The visiting team has never lost to Lecce in the previous nine clashes, winning six and drawing three. Their last encounter was a February 2025 0-0 draw.

Lecce comes into the game with a relatively healthy bill of health, allowing manager Eusebio Di Francesco to employ his preferred eleven. Bologna should also be at full strength, with no real injury concerns, giving manager Italiano maximum tactical latitude.

• Lecce's Wing Game against Bologna's Compact Center: Lecce's 4-3-3 line brings width, playing up the flanks with Banda and Almqvist. Bologna will counter by playing deep in a compact 4-2-3-1 shape, taking play out wide and relying on their central defensive pairing to cut out crosses.

• Krstović vs. Lucumí: Lecce's chances of scoring will depend on the battle between Nikola Krstović, their central striker, and Jhon Lucumí, their physical defender.

• Orsolini's Second-Half Scoring Specialist: Bologna top scorer Riccardo Orsolini is a second-half specialist, and his battle with Lecce full-back will be intriguing.

• Date: Sunday, September 28, 2025

• Kick-off Time: 18:45 UTC

• Venue: San Siro/Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan

• Competition: Serie A (Round 5)

AC Milan has staged an impressive turnaround after they lost their opening fixture. They have been on a roll ever since, winning their last three league games without conceding any, equalling the club's best such run in five years.

• Form: A resounding riposte from manager Massimiliano Allegri, who has succeeded in bolstering the defense, which has recorded five clean sheets in six games across all competitions.

• Attack: The attack has finally started to gel, with Christian Pulisic, who is now playing a new striker role, having already netted five goals in all competitions.

Reigning Serie A winners SSC Napoli have opened the title defense perfectly with 12 points from 12 in four home games.

• Form: Napoli are going at it like a "relentless machine" under manager Antonio Conte, 16 league games unbeaten.

• Analysis: They lead the league with expected goals (7.2) and tie the league's strongest defence with only three goals conceded. Star summer signing Kevin De Bruyne has started off well in midfield.

The Milan-Napoli clash is a contemporary classic, but their recent San Siro record strongly favors the visitors.

Napoli have had unprecedented success at San Siro, losing seven of the clubs' last 12 Serie A matches.

AC Milan will be without star forward Rafael Leão who is sidelined with a calf issue, forcing Allegri to rely heavily on Pulisic and Giménez up front. Napoli will miss key defender Alessandro Buongiorno and long-term absentee Romelu Lukaku. Despite the injuries, both teams will field incredibly strong midfields.

• Allegri's Defense against Conte's Midfield Danger: Highlight how Allegri's defensive solidity and deep, compact 3-5-2 will handle Napoli's ruthless central midfield trio guided by the tactical acumen of De Bruyne, McTominay, and Lobotka.

• Pulisic/Giménez vs Napoli's Defence: Analyze the threat of Milan's new attacking duo against Napoli's top-of-the-table defense

• Di Lorenzo vs. Saelemaekers: The right flank will be a battleground, and Napoli skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo's attacking drive will be a key part of their game.

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History and current shape are against the home side. Lecce are in crisis and are not scoring, and Bologna are solid and keen to land an away victory following a miserable start on the road. We are tipping Bologna's solidity at the back and the class of their midfield to see them over the line and bring an end to Lecce's nine-game winless streak against them.

• Final Score Prediction: Bologna 1 - 0 Lecce

This is a classic game where tactical prudence typically prevails. The odds indicate the close nature of the game, with Napoli being the marginal underdog despite their flawless domestic record. Napoli's impressive midfield (even without Buongiorno) and their outstanding defensive solidity under Conte provide them with the advantage. Allegri's Milan will be respectable, but without Leão, they will curtail their cutting edge against the league's best defense. Anticipate a low-scoring, intense encounter.

• Final Score Prediction: AC Milan 1 - 1 SSC Napoli

Both these Serie A matches will be pivotal. Napoli or Milan winning would be a decisive pronouncement in the title battle, and Bologna beating Lecce would deepen the crisis in the southern club. The world has a day of drama at high stakes and world-class football coming up.