Are Serie A's top teams ready for the 2026-2027 season kickoff?

The standout fixture of the summer occurred in Perth on August 8, 2026, where Inter Milan defeated Juventus 2-1 in front of 50,325 fans. Federico Dimarco opened the scoring in the 20th minute, capping off a fluid attacking sequence that proved the reigning champions' 3-5-2 system remains lethal, even after the departures of defensive mainstays Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij. Andy Diouf added a second-half goal to secure the win for Inter. While Juventus found an 85th-minute late goal through Francisco Conceicao, the match exposed the tactical gap that still exists despite Turin's massive summer spending. Juventus committed over 40 million euros each for Loïs Openda and Randal Kolo Muani, alongside 18-year-old winger Kerim Alajbegovic, but breaking Inter's rhythm proved difficult on the night.

AC Milan's pre-season schedule laid bare their defensive integration issues. A few days before the Juventus clash, Inter and AC Milan played to a 1-1 draw in a pre-season friendly in Perth on August 5, with Dimarco again scoring Inter Milan's only goal. Following that draw, AC Milan scheduled a pre-season friendly against Chelsea at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on August 8. The resulting 0-3 defeat against the London side highlighted alarming defensive gaps, placing immediate pressure on their newly signed center-back Gila. Even with veteran Luka Modric expected to supply newly acquired forward Ramos, conceding easily negates their offensive firepower. A final tune-up, as AC Milan scheduled a pre-season friendly against Manchester United at the Tarczyński Arena in Wrocław, Poland, on August 15, will serve as a critical stress test for their backline.

Down south, Napoli opted for a domestic setting, scheduling a pre-season friendly against Spanish club Celta Vigo on August 8 at the 7,000-seat Stadio Teofilo Patini in Castel di Sangro. With Romelu Lukaku gone, Napoli's attack now relies on new arrivals Rasmus Højlund and Alisson Santos to finish chances created by an aging Kevin De Bruyne. Early friendly results have shown offensive promise, including a commanding 6-2 victory. Elsewhere in Italy, Lazio rounded out their preparations by scheduling a pre-season friendly against Frosinone on August 9 at the Stadio Benito Stirpe, while Atalanta quietly strengthened their midfield by converting versatile new signing Nicola Zalewski to a central role, positioning them as serious top-four contenders.