Serie A Kicks Off: Who Will Win the Scudetto and Qualify for the Champions League? AI Weighs In
The 2026–2027 Serie A season kicks off on Saturday in the midst of the summer transfer window, which has already reshaped the ambitions of the top clubs but still promises a few last-minute moves right up until September 1. Some teams in Italy’s top flight have solidified an already strong project, while others have undergone a radical transformation: to try to predict who will win the Scudetto and who will qualify for Europe’s premier competition—the Champions League—we asked artificial intelligence to render its verdict.
The algorithms are clear: Inter leads the pack thanks to technical consistency, a deep roster, and targeted signings. The arrivals of John Stones, Djed Spence, and—in goal—Ivan Provedel guarantee quality, while Lautaro Martinez, despite being heavily courted by Barcelona, remains the team’s technical and emotional leader. Cristian Chivu’s team is the most well-rounded, with fewer unknowns than its rivals.
Right behind them, according to the AI, is Ruben Amorim’s revamped Milan: much is expected of Gonçalo Ramos, who is called upon to do in attack what he failed to do last year, nor could Santi Gimenez (currently still on the roster but on the list of players set to leave) and Niclas Füllkrug, who was sent back to his club after a disappointing second half of the 2025–2026 season. There is also great curiosity surrounding Diego Moreira, the new addition on the wing; there are a few more doubts in defense, however, even though the Rossoneri have invested 25 million in Mario Gila.
Third place goes to Massimiliano Allegri’s Napoli, which lost Romelu Lukaku but added Rasmus Hojlund to the roster in exchange for 44 million. The transfer market has yielded little to nothing (defender Favasuli arrived from Catanzaro, while Alisson Santos and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic were permanently signed), and compared to last season, in addition to Lukaku, the team no longer has Gutierrez—who was sold to Leipzig— and Juan Jesus, who became a free agent. The potential remains high, however, and the team is well-established: the overall quality is still Champions League-caliber.
For fourth place, despite the official Conference League debut (a 0-0 home draw against Hapoel Tel Aviv) raising more than a few questions, artificial intelligence picks Atalanta: Scamacca, Samardzic, De Ketelaere, and Gaetano guarantee quality and consistency; Sarri’s system creates chances, and if the team gains confidence, it has everything it needs to finish in the top four.
Juventus is outside the top four: the AI seems skeptical of the Bianconeri’s project, which—despite key additions like Vicario, Zeki Celik, Lucumí, Alajbegovic, Kolo Muani, and Ekhator—is ranked fifth. The absence of a top-tier center forward (Milik is an option, but he’s coming off a very long string of injuries) and uncertainties about how the new arrivals will fit in have led the AI to conclude that the Bianconeri aren’t ready for a return to Europe’s top competition.
As for the other contenders, the AI ranks Fiorentina and Roma first: The Viola have undergone a major overhaul following last season’s disappointing campaign and boast players in their ranks who, on paper, are ready to lead the team—most notably Mastantuono, who arrived on loan from Real Madrid, and Atta, snatched away from stiff competition. It remains to be seen what will become of Moise Kean: if he leaves, the outlook could change—and not just slightly.
Finally, there’s no room among the top teams for the Roman clubs. The AI considers Roma’s project solid but lacking depth, while Lazio’s—burdened by fan protests (with just 4,000 season tickets sold) and a technical project that got off on the wrong foot with the sensational elimination from the Coppa Italia at the hands of Mantova—leads the AI to place the Biancocelesti no higher than eighth place.
Final 2026–2027 Serie A standings according to artificial intelligence (top 8): Inter 86; Milan 81; Napoli 78; Atalanta 74; Juventus 69; Fiorentina 66; Roma 63; Lazio 59.
