Four things to watch during Serie A Matchday 23 after runaway leaders Napoli see off Sassuolo

Napoli's 2-0 win at Sassuolo - secured by goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen - was their latest victory in what looks like a fairytale procession to their first Scudetto for 33 years. 

The victory puts them 18 points clear ahead of second-placed Inter's match against Udinese on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Milan make the short trip to Monza - owned by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi - while Atalanta host Lecce, Lazio travel to Salernitana and Roma welcome Hellas Verona to the Stadio Olimpico. 

Read on for all the major Matchday 23 storylines, along with information on how you can watch EIGHT of the remaining games exclusively live on BT Sport. 

Rossoneri in reunion with Berlusconi

Having gone through an alarming slump at the start of 2023, successive 1-0 wins over Torino and Tottenham represent steady if unspectacular progress for Milan. 

The lengthy injury list that has dogged them throughout the campaign is also showing signs of abating, with Fikayo Tomori set to return to the bench for the short trip to Monza (as well as, potentially, both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ismael Bennacer). 

However, long-term absentees Mike Maignan and Alessandro Florenzi aren't yet ready for a return, along with Sergino Dest. 

Monza's debut top-flight season got off to the worst possible start with five straight defeats, but following the arrival of Raffaele Palladino, the team's fortunes have been transformed and they incredibly now find themselves 10th, having done the double over Juventus and drawn at home to Inter. 

They are currently on an eight-match league unbeaten run - the best in the division - and could move as high as seventh if they beat their more illustrious Lombardy neighbours and other results go their way. 

Captain Matteo Pessina, on loan from Atalanta, has led by example, along with the indomitable Pablo Mari, who made a full recovery from being stabbed in October and has since remarkably returned to the starting XI. 

Patrick Ciurria and Gianluca Caprari have really stepped on the goalscoring front in the last few weeks, while only four goalkeepers in Serie A this season have kept more clean sheets than Michele Di Gregorio.

The word that underpins this Monza team is "spirit". In four of their last eight league games, they have trailed - including falling behind twice against Sampdoria and Inter - before roaring back to claim a draw. 

Don't be surprised to see that never-say-die attitude on full display at Stadio Brianteo. 

An interesting sub-plot to this match is Silvio Berlusconi, Milan owner for 31 years, now occupies the same role at Monza. 

Despite the Rossoneri's title win last term, the halcyon days for the club during extended spells of the Berlusconi era are now a distant memory. 

Will the former Italian prime minister's current venture triumph over his old one? Tune in on Saturday evening to find out.

Salernitana finally move on from Nicola

Davide Nicola's time at Salernitana looked to be over last month following an 8-2 defeat at Atalanta. 

He was sacked, but only before being dramatically reinstated two days later after the Campanians failed to find a suitable replacement, with Rafael Benitez reportedly one of the managers they had spoken to. 

Following his reprieve however, things didn't dramatically improve as a 2-1 win at Lecce proved the only bright spot in four games

Nicola was dismissed on Wednesday after a 1-0 loss at 18th-placed Hellas Verona - for good this time (it seems) - and his successor will be a name familiar to many watchers of English football.

Paulo Sousa took charge of Queens Park Rangers, Swansea and Leicester before building what can only be described as an eclectic CV that has taken him to Hungary, Israel, Switzerland, Italy, China, France, Poland, Brazil and now back to Italy. 

The brief for Sousa is to keep Salernitana up - and that is eminently achievable given that they sit four points above Verona in 16th. 

They also have good memories of the reverse fixture against upcoming opponents Lazio having come from behind to secure a memorable 3-1 triumph at the Stadio Olimpico in October, Antonio Candreva's lob proving a particular highlight. 

The Granata, as Salernitana are known, may also benefit from the fact that Lazio faced CFR Cluj in a gruelling Europa Conference League knockout play-off first leg on Thursday and played the majority of the contest with 10 men after Patric's early red card. 

That said, Ciro Immobile's sumptuous volleyed winner against the Romanian was a timely reminder of just how deadly he is. Sousa is certainly set for a fiendish opening test at his new home. 

Spezia have Gotti get better

Nicola was not the only manager to be handed his P45 in Serie A this week. 

Luca Gotti's reign at Spezia, which began in July last year, ended on Wednesday following the fractious 2-2 draw at Empoli in which the Little Eagles threw away a two-goal lead. 

The sacking of Gotti seems to have occurred not just because of the team's four-game winless run - which isn't especially bad - but because it comes in conjunction with Hellas Verona's significantly improved form under new boss Marco Zaffaroni. 

The Spezia board are no doubt hoping for a new manager bounce of their own, but in the meantime, assistant manager Fabrizio Lorieri, who has never previously held the top job, has stepped up to fill the position on a caretaker basis.

His first task is to prepare the Ligurians ahead of Sunday's clash with Juventus, who will arrive at Stadio Alberto Picco wounded and with a point to prove after frustratingly drawing 1-1 with Nantes in the first leg of their Europa League knockout play-off. 

Lorieri may well be handed a boost if top scorer M'Bala Nzola can prove his fitness, but his defence has a job on their hands trying to shackle the likes of Angel Di Maria and the newly returned pair of Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic. 

Spezia's last home league win was way back in mid-September. A first in five months here would be the shock of the weekend. 

Who will win the Derby dell'Arno?

Although certainly not among Italy's fiercest derbies, the Derby dell'Arno is one that has a distinct hierarchy to it, given Fiorentina's illustrious history and Empoli's more modest track record. 

However, in recent years, the Azzurri have given as good as they've got and have made Stadio Carlo Castellani a tough place to go for their Tuscan neighbours. 

This Sunday's game though is at Stadio Artemio Franchi, and Vincenzo Italiano's men will certainly be in buoyant mood after crushing 10-man Braga 4-0 in the first leg of their Europa Conference League play-off. 

Both Luka Jovic and Cabral scored twice - the latter with a spectacular piece of close control for his first - and Italiano will hope the pair can translate that form to the league, where they haven't won since 7 January. 

Empoli haven't tasted victory in three, but sit 12th - three points above Fiorentina - and are quietly impressing under Paolo Zanetti, most recently coming from 2-0 down against Spezia to earn an impressive draw.

New Viola signing Josip Brekalo is touch and go for the weekend due to a muscle problem, while Riccardo Sottil could make a long-awaited return following more than four months out with a herniated disc. 

The one fresh absence for Zanetti is that of left-back Fabiano Parisi, who was sent off on 20 minutes against Spezia and must now serve a one-game ban. 

Victory for Empoli could realistically take up to ninth if other results working in their favour. 

A first finish in the top half of Serie A for seven years is looking a distinct possibility. 

Your Serie A weekend on BT Sport

Saturday

Monza vs Milan (5.15pm on BT Sport 2)

Inter vs Udinese (7.30pm on BT Sport 2)

Sunday

Atalanta vs Lecce (11.30am on BT Sport 3)

Fiorentina vs Empoli (2pm on BT Sport 5)

Salernitana vs Lazio (2pm on BT Sport 2)

Spezia vs Juventus (5pm on BT Sport 2)

Roma vs Hellas Verona (7.45pm on BT Sport 1)

Monday

Torino vs Cremonese (7.30pm on BT Sport 1)