Italy internationals have proven to be a key factor in the Serie A title race between Inter Milan and Juventus so far.

This is highlighted in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews.

It is not as though Inter and Juventus are the only two teams with a chance of winning the Serie A title.

The like of AC Milan and Napoli are a couple results back from the top places in the table. And even teams like Atalanta and Roma can always boast dark horse status.

But the last few weeks have certainly set the narrative.

The Nerazzurri and the Bianconeri are the teams at the top of the pile. Just a couple points separate the pair.

Then, there is the chasing pack.

And as the Gazzetta note, it has often been Italian internationals making the difference.

Italians Make The Difference For Inter & Juventus In Serie A

Milan and Napoli both have an Italian right-back as their captain.

Davide Calabria and Giovanni Lorenzo wear the armbands for the Rossoneri and the Partenopei respectively.

And then players like Alessandro Florenzi, Tommaso Pobega, Giacomo Raspadori, and Matteo Politano have their roles to play for Milan and Napoli.

But the two most recent champions of Serie A have exemplified the trend towards more cosmopolitan squads.

The Rossoneri’s key men have been Portuguese Rafael Leao and French duo Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan.

Meanwhile Napoli won the title last season with Nigerian Victor Osimhen as their top scorer. And a trio of foreign players dominated the midfield engine room – Piotr Zielinski, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and Stanislav Lobotka.

Of course, Inter and Juventus have plenty of non-Italian players.

But the feeling is increasingly that they have a core of Azzurri players.

This is particularly the case for Inter.

Nicolo Barella, Federico Dimarco, Alessandro Bastoni, Francesco Acerbi, and Matteo Darmian are all key starters.

Meanwhile, Davide Frattesi arrived as a major midfield reinforcement in the summer.

For Juventus, just two of their most important players are Italian. But it’s worth noting that both Manuel Locatelli and Federico Chiesa are absolutely vital for the Bianconeri.

And then in terms of depth options, Max Allegri has four important Italians.

There are Moise Kean, Federico Gatti, Daniele Rugani, and Andrea Cambiaso.

All four have played big roles in Juventus’s recent run of wins and clean sheets.