EXPLAINED: Why Inter Milan and Napoli Will Play Their Final Serie A Matches of the Season Simultaneously on Friday

Most top football leagues around Europe have been settled by this point as the season is winding down to a close - but that isn't the case with Italian football's top flight, Serie A. 

There are two teams in contention for the league title with just one week to go, as both Inter Milan and Napoli are in with a chance of being crowned national champions. 

Antonio Conte's Napoli will take on Cagliari in their final league encounter whereas Simone Inzaghi's Inter Milan, who also have a chance to be crowned UEFA Champions League winners, will face Como. 

However, the Serie A organisers have made a surprising call - both teams will play their final league game of the season on Friday (May 23) at the exact same time. 

Why The Change in Schedule? 

The reason for the change is two-fold - the first, of course, is to ensure that both teams start at the same time so as to ensure neither of their opponents can take it easy. 

The other has to do with a unique rule that is present only in the Italian football top flight - and makes it something of an outlier in that regard. 

That reason? The play-off match that may well be needed to decide the winners of the title! 

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The league are braced for a one-off match since if both teams finish level on points, the winners will be decided via the play-offs and not by goal difference as is the norm. 

If Napoli lose to Cagliari and Inter draw vs Como, it will ensure that the teams finish with the same points and will need the one-off game. 

Has The Play-off Ever Been Used? 

Yes, on one occasion prior - and it wasn't a fond day for Inter Milan fans. 

Inter and Bologna accumulated 54 points each in the 1963-64 season and thus a play-off was organised at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. 

And it was Bologna who ran out 2-0 winners on the day, leaving Inter fans to think about what could have been.