Could Serie A title be decided by a play-off?

Bologna's stoppage-time winner against Inter Milan on Sunday has teed up the prospect of a play-off to determine where the Serie A title could go this season.

"Our championship does not end here," Inter manager Simone Inzaghi said after the loss.

Inzaghi is right - leaders Inter Milan and second-placed Napoli, who are separated only by goal difference, still have five games left as they battle it out for the Scudetto.

However, the potential of a sixth fixture hangs on the horizon if they remain deadlocked after the 38-game campaign concludes.

Serie A re-introduced a rule in 2022 stating that if two teams competing for the title, or fighting relegation, finish level on points then they are required to meet in a play-off.

Goal difference would still play a role though with the team boasting the better record earning the opportunity to host the one-off tie.

If the play-off ends in a draw after 90 minutes - and both meetings between Inter Milan and Napoli this season have finished in that fashion - then the game goes straight to penalties.

Inter Milan have spent most of the season playing catch-up with Napoli and they finally reached the summit of Serie A on February 22.

A win against Genoa before Napoli lost at Como opened up a three-point gap for the defending champions.

Inter and Napoli played out a draw on 1 March, allowing Inzaghi's side to maintain their advantage.

That slim lead was wiped over the weekend when Scott McTominay's strike earned Napoli a 1-0 win at Monza while Inter conceded in the 94th minute to lose at 10-man Bologna.

It is rare and some may suggest harsh that a 38-game season could potentially come down to a penalty shoot-out.

That might have been why Serie A did away with the rule after the 2004-05 season.

However, some might suggest that one winner-takes-all tie between two inseparable teams is the fairest way to do it.

Serie A opted to bring back the prospect of a play-off for the start of the 2022-23 campaign, but the title has been claimed comfortably in each of the last two seasons - Napoli won by 16 points before Inter took last season's title with a gap of 19 points.

Only once before has the title been awarded via a play-off victory in Italy and Inter fans will not need reminding of that occasion back in 1964.

Inter finished second to Bologna on goal difference after both sides accumulated 54 points across the 34-game term.

Bologna ran out 2-0 winners in the play-off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Relegation has been decided via a play-off more recently, with Hellas Verona beating Spezia 3-1 in 2022-23 to avoid dropping down to Serie B.

Inter Milan and Napoli have identical records across 33 games this term - winning 21, drawing eight and losing four.

Will that remain the same during their respective run-ins?