📝 Matchday 1 ratings: 👑 Paz, KDB shine, Gasp impresses, Milan flop | OneFootball

Serie A is back and it returned in grand style. Surprises, spectacle, and many episodes to discuss.

Watch all of Serie A on DAZN: click here, choose the plan that suits you best, and enjoy the 2025/2026 season

From surprises Como and Cremonese to the flops Milan and Lazio, with Napoli starting in the best way possible.

So let's get comfortable and enjoy the report card of the first day of Serie A 2025/26.

10 - Everyone is crazy about Paz

An evening as the undisputed protagonist: Nico Paz lit up the first day of Serie A with his class on the field, while behind the scenes, significant market offers were coming in (the 70 million offered by the Spurs and rejected).

Como couldn't have started the championship better, overwhelming Lazio, dominating possession, and showcasing technical quality to sell: an important statement for a potential outsider this season.

And it was the Argentine who lit up the evening by the lake, with a perfect free kick and especially with the spectacular way he invented the assist for Douvikas' 1-0.

9 - Inter's five-goal haul

A dominating performance by Inter, opening their championship with a heavy 5-0 against Torino. Sučić and Barella were on display with two exciting assists.

The real good news is the return of the ThuLa: it had been since January that the two Nerazzurri forwards hadn't scored in the same match, since March if we consider the Champions League as well. And the new signing Bonny also scored.

In short, positive signals for Chivu's first in the championship with Inter, especially after a season where offensive production had been a problem in some phases of the championship.

8 - McFrat'm and KDB, what a duo

Among those who resumed in the best way, we cannot fail to mention Antonio Conte's Napoli. The reigning champions secured three points and especially enjoyed two very important goals.

The first was from Scott McTominay, the great protagonist of last year's Neapolitan season. In May, he finished by scoring the championship-winning goal, and today he marked the first goal of the championship.

Above all, however, Napoli enjoys the class of Kevin De Bruyne, the new and much-anticipated arrival from Manchester City, who marked his Italian debut with a stellar free kick.

7 - Cremonese, an upside-down reality

The big surprise of the first day was certainly Davide Nicola's Cremonese: they were supposed to be the sacrificial victim of Max Allegri's first championship game on Milan's bench, but instead, they stole the scene.

First, with Baschirotto's muscles and his header. Then, with Bonazzoli's spectacular bicycle kick, who as an Inter fan, took satisfaction in scoring the goal of a lifetime against the Rossoneri rivals and on the most coveted stage, San Siro.

And speaking of San Siro, it had been almost 100 years since the Grigiorossi had won at the Scala del Calcio: it was October 4, 1925.

6 - Gasp convinces in the debut

Starting with a win was not a given, especially against a competitive team like Bologna under Italiano. Gasperini's debut on Roma's bench exceeded expectations.

Roma impressed with intensity (putting Bologna under pressure for the first half-hour) as well as with understanding: it helps that Ranieri had set up a game somewhat similar to Gasperini's, but it was reasonable to expect that the new coach's instructions wouldn't be so well assimilated already in the first championship game.

5 - Viola, what a struggle

Luperto's late strike nullifies Mandragora's goal but earns a deserved point for Cagliari. A fair result for what was seen on the field: after the success in the Conference League preliminaries, Pioli's Fiorentina stumbles in the debut.

The numbers speak clearly: 6 shots on target for Cagliari against one, 7 to 2 shots off target. Pisacane's team would have deserved more than the 1-1 that matured at the end.

Kean is never in the game, and the Viola doesn't take off: an unexpectedly slow start for Pioli's men.

4 - Immobile, a return to forget

A much-anticipated return, that of Ciro Immobile in the Italian championship. With curiosity to see if Bologna, capable in the past of enhancing champions at the end of their careers like Baggio, Signori, and Di Vaio, can give the striker a new lease on life.

At the moment, the answer is no: the four-time Serie A top scorer had to wave the white flag after just half an hour of play due to a muscle injury and will be forced to stay off the field for at least two months.

3 - Cambiaso's folly

The slap to Lovik risks costing Andrea Cambiaso dearly. With the result practically secured, the Juventus winger commits a blunder that someone like him, who called himself a 'leader' after the Dortmund friendly, must avoid.

Cambiaso risks missing the first big match of the season, a Juventus-Inter that always means a lot not only for the standings, due to a real blunder.

A reaction foul that the Bianconeri player should have avoided and a lesson to learn.

2 - No more Sarriball

Does the student surpass the teacher? Sarri's Lazio was decisively outclassed by Como's play under Fábregas, who as a player had won the Europa League under the orders of the Tuscan coach.

Lazio seemed decidedly in trouble, and the beautiful play we were used to seeing from Sarri was nowhere to be found. Was it due to the market block, a much stronger opponent, or simply a night to forget?

1 - Torino between five-goal haul and boos

The debacle at San Siro ends with the ironic 'olés' from Torino fans directed at their own team. After the boos at the official debut in the Coppa Italia against Modena, Baroni's team is targeted by their supporters who came to Milan for the first championship game.

It's hard to criticize the fans' attitude, very disappointed by a performance without appeal from the Granata. A match never in question, a defense that leaks everywhere, construction from the back with glaring errors, and a team never dangerous.

A performance to forget immediately.

0 - Milan, boredom and protest

Decidedly negative weekend for the Rossoneri: a historic defeat against Cremonese, against the backdrop of fan protests and a frantic transfer market due to the Boniface affair.

Defense in disarray, midfield still to be adjusted, and uninspired attack. The evening was only awakened by Jimenez's outburst (negatively) and some flashes of class from Luka Modrić on his Serie A debut (positively).

Very little can be saved from Saturday's evening, with Allegri already on the hot seat and with one last week of the transfer market that must be capitalized on to complete the squad and make up for the misstep.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

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