Which of Serie A's big names looking likeliest to end wait for an Italian Champions League winner?

The Champions League opening phase reaches its final two rounds as the competition resumes following a break over the festive period. 

At the top of the table, Arsenal and Bayern Munich have arguably been the two most impressive teams in the competition's league phase, with the Gunners boasting the only perfect record so far. 

A few places down and you'll find Inter, who were keeping up with the chasing pack before a couple of disappointing results have seen them fall behind the leading sides. 

However, Inter should qualify for the knockout stage, and their performances in Serie A have once again raised the notion of an Italian side lifting the trophy this season, ending a 15-year wait for an Italian winner since Inter last triumphed in 2010. 

Ahead of the final two matchdays of this season's Champions League group phase, DAZN News assesses how each Serie A team has fared and what they need to in their final games. 

Inter 

Once again, the Nerazzurri were the poster boys for Serie A in this season's competition, quietly going about their business and racking up four wins from their first four to sit alongside the Gunners and Bayern at the top of the table. 

They began their campaign with an away win in Ajax, defeating the Dutch giants thanks to two Marcus Thuram goals and have rarely needed to get out of second gear since.

Comfortable victories over Slavia Prague and Union Saint-Gilloise followed before conceding their only goal of the league phase so far in the 2-1 victory over Kairat at the San Siro. 

However, things have since taken a downward turn for Cristian Chivu's men. They came unstuck in Madrid as Atletico bested them in a 2-1 win, before suffering a home defeat to an out-of-sorts Liverpool. 

Those results mean they need one more win to absolutley make sure of qualification for the next round, but games don't get much tougher for them as they resume their Champions League campaign. 

Inter will welcome unbeaten Arsenal to Milan, in what is the tie of the round. If they fail to get something from the Gunners, they then have an awkward trip to Germany and Dortmund to secure a knockout berth. 

Games to go 

• Arsenal (H) - Tuesday, January 20 2026
• Borussia Dortmund (A) - Wednesday, January 28, 2026 

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Napoli 

Title winners in Serie A twice in the last three seasons, what Napoli have failed to do thus far is really make a mark on the Champions League, and it's the same story in 2025-26.

Antonio Conte's men opened their campaign at Manchester City, but the standout fixture was quickly ruined by the sending off of Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and they went on to lose 2-0 to the Premier League side. 

Napoli did bounce back with a win over Sporting, but were then embarrassed on Matchday three at the hands of PSV. The Dutch side thrashed the Italian champions 6-2 in one of the shocks of this season's competition. 

A goalless draw with Eintract Frankfurt and a win over Qarabag steadied the ship, but then they suffered another surprising defeat at Jose Mourinho's Benfica. 

The results have left the current Serie A champions struggling to to even make the play-offs right now, sitting 23rd, ironically one place above their next opponents Copenhagen. 

Nothing less than a win is required from their trip to Denmark, even with their injury-hit squad, because they finish at home to Conte's old side, Chelsea, where they'll probably still need something to get them over the line. 

Games to go 

• Copenhagen (A) - Tuesday, January 20 2026
• Chelsea (H) - Wednesday, January 28 2026

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Juventus 

The Old Lady gave their season a reboot by replacing Igor Tudor with Luciano Spalletti after a disappointing start to both their domestic season and in Europe. 

In fact, Juve went into Matchday 5 still looking for a first win in this season's Champions League. Which doesn't say much about their credentials to win the competition. 

They began this season's league phase with the thrilling 4-4 draw with Borussia Dortmund and have also shared points with both Villarreal and Sporting, as well as suffering a narrow defeat to Real Madrid. 

They did finally get a victory before the break, chalking up back-to-back wins against Bodo/Glimt and Pafos, and although they are one place outside the play-off spots, you'd back them to at least stay in the competition. 

Final games against two strugglers in Benfica and Monaco shouldn't present too many problems for a side who have dramatically improved their league form since the last European matchday. 

Games to go 

• Benfica (H) - Wednesday, January 21 2026
• Monaco (A) - Wednesday, January 28 2026​

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Atalanta 

They may be an outside bet for an Italian win, but Atalanta are well placed to qualify for the next stage, thanks to a run of four wins out of their six matchdays in the Champions League. 

Forgetting the opening day pasting at the hands of European champions PGS, the Italians have beaten Club Brugge and won away at Marseille, before a change in manager was made due to their dismal league form. 

Raffaele Palladino took over for the second half of the league phase, where they continued that momentum by comfortably winning away in Frankfurt before beating Chelsea at the New Balance Arena. 

Their final two games look as though there are points to be had for the 2024 Europa League winners, and they well could be a banana skin to avoid in the knockout round. 

Games to go 

• Athletic Club (H) - Wednesday, January 21 2026
• Union Saint-Gilloise (A) - Wednesday, January 28 2026

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