Despite the disappearance of the famous Italian defensive style "Catenaccio," which refers to a defensive method relying on a dense backline to close all spaces against opponents, as teams have opted for strong, tall players implementing formations like 5-3-2 or 5-4-1. Over time, the formation shifted to 3-5-2, yet solid and strong defense, resulting from the defenders' strength and proper positioning, remains a crucial element in the battle for the Serie A title this season.
The strong defense contributed to Juventus winning the Serie A title for nine consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2020, before Inter snatched the title last season using the same method with a strong backline. Statistics this season indicate that defense has also played a prominent role in determining the top teams still in the title race.
Italian football has long been renowned for its strong defense, which has become a "trademark" on the global stage, contributing to the fame of its clubs and the national team "Azzurri," leading to numerous domestic, European, and global titles.
The "Catenaccio" method relies on organized and compact defending against opponents while leveraging opportunities for quick counter-attacks to score goals. This style originated in Switzerland during the 1930s and 1940s but gained great fame through Inter Milan's significant achievements in the 1960s in Italy.
This style also played a role in the superiority of Italian football during subsequent decades before its reliance waned in recent years, although defense remains a fundamental element in shaping the competition in Serie A. This is evident from various statistics over the last two seasons and the current season.
In the current season, with four rounds remaining, statistics confirm the importance of strong defense in shaping the competition for the title as the teams with the best defenses occupy the top four positions in the standings, which are all contending for the title.
Milan leads the table with 74 points, two points ahead of Inter, with Napoli in third place at 67 points and one point ahead of Juventus. It's notable that the defenses of Milan, Napoli, and Juventus have each conceded 30 goals, while Inter has conceded 28, compared to Roma in fifth place, which has conceded 40 goals—ten goals more than the top teams.
Conversely, these four teams do not seem to be the best offensively, except for Inter, which has scored 72 goals. For instance, Lazio in sixth place has outperformed Milan, having scored 66 goals compared to Milan's 60.
Last season, the top five teams were also defensively the best in the tournament, in order: Inter Milan (the title winner with 35 goals conceded), Milan (41 goals), Atalanta (47 goals), Juventus (38 goals), and Napoli (45 goals). Notably, Atalanta was the top scorer with 90 goals, just ahead of Inter, which scored 89 goals.
