Exhilarating Serie A and B see no 0-0 draws after first 40 games
Italian football leagues Serie A and B have seen no 0-0 draws in the first 40 games of the season, marking a historic shift in scoring trends. This change is attributed to new refereeing approaches that prioritize flow and reduce stoppages.
Why it matters
The shift demonstrates how regulatory changes in sports can directly impact the entertainment value and statistical outcomes of professional leagues.
Italian football is silencing the usual cliché of boring Catenaccio style tactics, because for the first time in history there have been no 0-0 draws in the first four Serie A or Serie B rounds.
There have been quite a few changes over the summer in a bid to make Calcio more entertaining, but also bring up the general tempo of the sport to match that of European competition.
That is mainly a different refereeing approach, letting the play flow a lot more, with fewer free kicks, cards and general stoppages.
TURIN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 14: Donyell Malen of AS Roma scores his team's first goal during the Serie A match between Torino FC and AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on September 14, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
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