Serie A Matchday 3 Preview: Key Players, Teams, and Storylines Ahead of Juventus-AC Milan Clash

The 2026-2027 Serie A season is back this weekend around Italy with some of the biggest clashes of the season. On Saturday, Inter will host Napoli at San Siro (you can follow the match live on CBS) while AS Roma will meet Atalanta at the Stadio Olimpico. The following day, on Sunday, Juventus will host AC Milan at the Allianz Stadium in Turin for one of the biggest matches of the early league season. Let's now take a closer look at what to watch for on Matchday 3: the player, the team, and the storylines you need to know.

Player to watch: Goncalo Ramos

The Portuguese striker was the most expensive striker in the history of AC Milan, as he signed for the Rossoneri in the summer from PSG. Last weekend he scored his first Serie A goal with his new club during the 2-0 win against Venezia at San Siro, immediately making an impact in the first home match of the season played at San Siro. Ramos needs to learn to live with the pressure that comes with being AC Milan's number nine, a role that has proved far from easy for many of those who have worn the shirt before him. Many struggled, but he can count on the confidence of his coach Ruben Amorim, who insisted on signing him in the summer. Speaking to DAZN ahead of the big game against Juventus that will take place on Sunday, the Portuguese striker confirmed the importance of the manager in his decision. "Amorim called me while I was at the World Cup, and I will remember it forever. But I was already convinced that I wanted to come to Milan."

Team to watch: Juventus

AC Milan will face Juventus, as the side led by Luciano Spalletti also won their two opening matches of the season against Frosinone away and against Parma last week in Turin. Same as Amorim's team, Juventus also had some struggles in the first part of the season and then there's also two disappointing pieces of injury news ahead of the weekend. Both Kenan Yıldız and Khephren Thuram underwent surgery and will be sidelined for approximately three months in the case of the Turkish striker and four months for the French midfielder. A big setback for Spalletti, who has to find a way to cope their absences. Juventus made some key signings in the summer and in the last days of the summer transfer window: The Bianconeri signed Pape Mate Sarr from Tottenham on loan with an option to buy and German striker Nick Woltemade from Newcastle on loan for one season. Spalletti specifically asked for an additional striker after Randal Kolo Muani's signing from PSG earlier in the window, and the club decided to sign Woltemade on loan.

Story of the weekend: AS Roma hopes

AS Roma have made a strong start to the season, with two wins, eight goals scored, zero conceded, and arguably the two best team performances we have seen in Serie A so far. Their striker, Donyell Malen, scored a hat-trick in the opening game against Fiorentina and a brace in the second match away to Lecce. This weekend, Gian Piero Gasperini will face his former club Atalanta at the Stadio Olimpico. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gasperini didn't want to stop the fans dreaming after a positive start of the season: "Dreams should never be stifled. The important thing is to know that, when the alarm clock rings, reality is something else. Then, if you live reality in the right way, you can even make it match your dreams. But these aren't conversations for the beginning of September."

Stat of the weekend: AS Roma have achieved two wins, both by at least four goals, in the first two matches of a single Serie A season for the first time in their history. Source: Opta.

How to watch Serie A Matchday 3

All times U.S./Eastern.

Friday, Sept. 4

Genoa vs. Como, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)

Saturday, Sept. 5

Fiorentina vs. Torino, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)

Inter vs. Napoli, 12 p.m. CBS

AS Roma vs. Atalanta, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)

Sunday, Sept. 6

Parma vs. Monza, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)

Frosinone vs. Venezia, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)

Lazio vs. Genoa, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)

Bologna vs. Sassuolo, 12 p.m. CBS

Juventus vs. AC Milan, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)