Everything about Serie A is uncertain heading into the final two rounds

MILAN (AP) — Almost everything in Serie A is still uncertain heading into the penultimate round this weekend.

Two teams are fighting for the title, six sides are trying to avoid relegation, and four clubs are vying for the final Champions League spot — with another two still in with a slim chance of snatching fourth spot.

That is why all but one of the 10 matches on Sunday are kicking off simultaneously, at 9:45 p.m. local time (1945 GMT).

Only Atalanta's match against Genoa has nothing at stake, with Atalanta having already secured third spot and Genoa Serie A safety.

“The Italian league is the most exciting and uncertain in the world and this year an unprecedented season finale awaits us, with almost all the teams still fighting for different objectives,” said Ezio Simonelli, the president of the league’s governing body.

So uncertain is the title race that when some matches in the final round will be played is anyone’s guess.

It is a race between defending champion Inter Milan and league leader Napoli, which is trying to reclaim the crown it won two years ago followed by one of the worst title defenses in history last season, when it went through three coaches and finished 10th.

Antonio Conte has brought stability and discipline to Napoli and is looking to steer a third team to the Serie A title, having won it at Inter and three times at Juventus.

Napoli visits relegation-threatened Parma on Sunday with a one-point advantage over Inter. The Nerazzurri host fifth-placed Lazio.

That raises the very real possibility that, for the first time in more than 60 years, a playoff will decide the destination of the championship.

In 2022, Lega Serie A reintroduced a rule that if two teams competing for the title or to avoid relegation finish level on points, the matter must be settled with a playoff.

Those playoffs (which in the past also included teams tied for a European qualification spot) were scrapped in 2005.

Coincidentally, Inter was involved on the only previous occasion that a Serie A title was decided by a playoff. It lost to Bologna 2-0 in 1964.

The final round is set for May 24-25. But if it is needed, a playoff match would be difficult to schedule with the Nerazzurri also involved in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain a week later.

One idea that has been mooted is to move Napoli’s and Inter’s final matches — against Cagliari and Como respectively — to next Thursday, freeing up the Sunday for a potential playoff.

At a meeting on Monday, with nearly every club represented, the Lega Serie A decided to keep the final round as is — for the moment.

“We had a board meeting and decided not to change anything, so at the moment the matches will be played on Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25,” Simonelli said this week. “We are waiting for the results of the penultimate round and if needed there will be another meeting, which could confirm this decision or change it.

“I’ll leave it up to the board. If it changes its mind, then we’ll change things.”

This could all be moot on Sunday night if Napoli wins and Inter loses, then the Serie A trophy will be returning south.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Napoli's Giacomo Raspadori celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Genoa at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Inter Milan players celebrate at the end of the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Inter Milan and Barcelona at San Siro stadium in Milan , Italy, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Inter Milan's head coach Simone Inzaghi celebrates at the end of the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Inter Milan and Barcelona at San Siro stadium in Milan , Italy, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Napoli head coach Antonio Conte shouts on the sideline during a Serie A soccer match against Genoa at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, southern Italy, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — England ended an 18-match winless streak in Australia and beat the home side by four wickets in the fourth Ashes test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.

England lost each of the first three tests to allow Australia to retain the Ashes in just 11 days of on-field action at Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.

But England returned the favor by winning the MCG test Saturday inside two days, similar to Australia's opening win at Perth.

It was the first time the same series has had multiple two-day tests in 129 years.

The England winless streak had dated to the 2013-14 Ashes series, which Australia won 5-0. Since England convincingly won the 2010-11 Ashes 3-1, England had lost 16 matches and drawn the other two of their 18 tests Down Under over a period of nearly 15 years.

Needing 175 second-innings runs to win and 98 after the tea break, England reached its target at 178-6 to clinch the match and send thousands of its long-suffering but faithful “Barmy Army” fans into frenzied celebration.

England raced to 70-2 off the first 10 overs in its second innings, losing the wickets of Ben Duckett (34) and Brydon Carse (6). Scott Boland removed Zak Crawley (37) and Jacob Bethell (40), who both made valuable contributions.

Joe Root (15) and captain Ben Stokes (2) fell cheaply before Jamie Smith and Harry Brook guided the visiting side to a morale-boosting win ahead of the fifth and final test beginning Jan. 4 in Sydney.

Earlier Saturday, England bowled out Australia out for 132 in its second innings after lunch on Day 2. On an MCG pitch offering substantial sideways movement for pace bowlers, England successfully chased down a target of 175 to win after 30 wickets had fallen in 4 1-2 sessions.

The dismissal of opener Travis Head (46) was quickly followed by the departures of Usman Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) in the next two overs as Australia slumped from 82-3 to 88-6 in the morning session.

Ben Stokes (3-24) claimed the important wicket of Cameron Green (19) after lunch, caught at second slip, and Brydon Carse sliced through the tail to finish with 4-34.

Australia held an overall lead of 46 Friday after scoring 152, running through England for 110 in a dramatic first day

Josh Tongue, named player of the match, claimed a career-best 5-45 to lead England’s bowling attack Friday before Michael Neser grabbed 4-45 for Australia.

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said Saturday “short tests are bad for business," and said CA would consider a closer role in pitch preparation in the future.

“Historically we have taken a hands-off approach in all of our wicket preparation and allowed the staff and the conditions and those characteristics to be presented,” Greenberg told SEN Radio. ”But it’s hard not to get more involved when you see the impact on the sport, particularly commercially."

The attendance at the MCG on Saturday was 92,045, the second-highest test crowd in Australia, only behind Friday's opening-day crowd of 94,199.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Fans celebrate England's win over Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Fans celebrate England's win over Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Jamie Smith, left, Ben Stokes, second left, Harry Brook andJoe Root, right, shake hands after defeating Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Ben Stokes applauds the crowd after England defeated Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Australia's Scott Boland, center, successfully appeals for a LBW decision on England's Zak Crawley, right, on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Joe Root bats against Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Jamie Smith, left and Harry Brook touch bats near the end of their Ashes cricket test match against Australia in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Brydon Carse, left, grabs the ball for a caught and bowled on Australia's Michael Neser, right, on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Australia's Steve Smith watches the ball while batting against England on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Ben Duckett bats against Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Ben Stokes, right, celebrates with teammates after taking Australia's final wicket of their second innings on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Brydon Carse celebrates the wicket of Australia's Mitchell Starc on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Fans of the England cricket team, known as the Barmy Army, wave flags on Day 2 of the Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Australia's Jake Weatherald his bowled by England's Ben Stokes on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Josh Tongue, second left, celebrates with teammates after the wicket of Australia Usman Khawaja on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Australia's Travis Head walks off after he is bowled by England's Brydon Carse on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Josh Tongue, right, celebrates with teammate Jacob Bethell after the wicket of Australia Usman Khawaja on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)