Inter and Juventus both failed their test at the top European level over the week, with fairly comprehensive losses to the likes of Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.

This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who note that Napoli are the only one of the four Italian teams in the Champions League to have secured a positive result this week.

The Partenopei’s surprising 4-1 demolition of last season’s Champions League finalists Liverpool was certainly a bright spot for the fortunes of Serie A teams in Europe’s top competition.

However, Italian champions AC Milan could only manage an unconvincing draw against Red Bull Salzburg, whilst it was even worse for Inter and Juventus.

In the Bianconeri’s case, second half improvements were not enough to avoid a 2-1 defeat at the hands of PSG on Tuesday, and in truth the Parisians could have scored more goals in either half.

Meanwhile, for the Nerazzurri it was perhaps worse of all, as they faced very clearly the gulf in quality between themselves and one of Europe’s genuine elite in the form of Bayern Munich, and the 2-0 scoreline does not flatter the Bavarians for their performance.

The questions about the relative quality of Italy’s top flight compared to Europe’s other biggest leagues were hardly given a positive response by Inter’s and Juventus’s displays, whilst Lazio’s impressive 4-2 win over Feyenoord contrasted with the other team from the Italian capital falling to a bitter 0-1 defeat to Ludogorets.

Fiorentina’s disappointing home draw with Latvian team FK Rigas Futbola Skola capped off what was, with a couple exceptions, a pretty uninspiring showing by Serie A teams on their maiden outings in Europe this season.