How the Serie A league table shakes out is far from just a question of who'll be Italian champion - it also decides whether clubs get a spot in European competitions and whether they're relegated down to Serie B.
In a normal season:
Although cup results can tweak the allocation a bit - the league table position is always the main pathway.
As a result, the number of teams that can make the European party can stretch to as many as 6 depending on what happens in the domestic cups
It's not impossible for a club to bounce straight back up to Serie A after relegation, but it's far from a guarantee. The financial gap between Serie A and Serie B is massive, which means getting relegated can be a costly business. In many cases, it takes more than one season for a relegated club to begin to rebuild. Some of the biggest names in Italian football have even had to endure extended absences from the top flight after getting relegated.
In general, the Serie A table looks a bit like this:
Weirdly, Serie A is a league with a relatively high draw rate - it's around 26%+ in recent seasons. Because of that, the table often stays mathematically open for longer than you might expect in a league with fewer draws.
Goal difference is often the thing that decides who makes it into Europe or stays up, though.
When it comes to the all-time title table, there are a few clubs that really stand out:
While Juventus has got the most titles through the years - and a long way ahead of the rest - things have been much more competitive in recent years, with Inter, Milan and Napoli all having a go at the title.
Serie A tables are all about:
It's a table that's shaped by a mix of tactics and long-term consistency rather than just a few flash moments of attacking brilliance.