The race for Serie A gets underway this weekend. Many think it’s already over, with Juventus “doing a Bayern” and buying their rivals’ best players, but let’s not forget that they had a dreadful start last season before they hit their stride just before Christmas.
The reality is though that Juventus are the strongest side in Serie A, but who are most likely to challenge them this season? Let’s take a look at the contenders.
Inter Milan
Major Signings: Antonio Candreva (Lazio, £18.7 million), Dodo (Roma, £6.6 million), Cristian Ansaldi (Genoa, £5.1 million), Marcelo Brozovic (Dinamo Zagreb, £4.25 million).
Pre-season form
Played 8, won 2, drawn 2, lost 4.
Key Fixtures
Inter Milan vs. Juventus (18th September)
Roma vs. Inter Milan (2nd October)
AC Milan vs. Inter Milan (20th November)
Napoli vs. Inter Milan (4th December)
Juventus vs. Inter Milan (5th February)
Inter Milan vs. Roma (26th February)
Inter Milan vs. AC Milan (15th April)
Inter Milan vs. Napoli (30th April)
Team Quality
Lots will be expected of both Milan clubs this season considering that they’re both under new ownership, but Inter are further ahead than rivals Milan. Manager Roberto Mancini was let go in the summer and replaced with Frank De Boer and there have been some exciting new signings as well. Ever Banega and Antonio Candreva have both arrived, hoping to add creativity and flair in what was a largely attritional team, reliant on their defence last season, whilst Mauro Icardi will be tasked with scoring the goals.
Prediction: 4th
AC Milan
Major Signings: Gianluca Lapadula (Pescara, £7.65 million), Gustavo Gomez (CA Lanus, £7.23million), Jose Sosa (Besiktas, £6.38 million)
Pre-season form
Played 7, won 4 (defeated Bayern Munich and Celta Vigo on penalties), lost 3.
Key Fixtures
Napoli vs. AC Milan (27th August)
AC Milan vs. Juventus (23rd October)
AC Milan vs. Inter Milan (20th November)
Roma vs. AC Milan (11th December)
AC Milan vs. Napoli (22nd January)
Juventus vs. AC Milan (12th March)
Inter Milan vs. AC Milan (15th April)
AC Milan vs. Roma (7th May)
Team Quality
Unlike Inter whose takeover has already been finalised, Milan’s won’t be completed until the end of the year, meaning that things are being done on a shoestring budget for now. The new owners have promised investment, but things could be tough for Vincenzo Montella and his team. He favours an expansive style of play and they’ll be exciting to watch, but the days of Shevchenko and Inzaghi are long behind them.
Prediction: 5th
AS Roma
Major Signings: Gerson (Fluminense, £14.1 million), Mohamed Salah (Chelsea, £12.75 million), Stephan El Shaarawy (AC Milan, £11 million), Edin Dzeko (Manchester City, £9.35 million), Diego Perotti (Genoa, £7.65 million), Antonio Rudiger (Stuttgart, £7.65 million), Alisson (£6.8 million)
Pre-season form
Played 5, won 5.
Key Fixtures
Roma vs. Inter Milan (2nd October)
Napoli vs. Roma (16th October)
Roma vs. AC Milan (11th December)
Juventus vs. Roma (18th December)
Inter Milan vs. Roma (26th February)
Roma vs. Napoli (5th March)
AC Milan vs. Roma (7th May)
Roma vs. Juventus (14th May)
Team Quality
This season will be special for Francesco Totti, as it’ll be his 25th at the club and looks likely to be his final one as a player. Teammate Daniele De Rossi is in his final year of his contract, but Roma fans can be positive about life under Luciano Spalletti, who managed the team to a successful, albeit late, charge last season. Miralem Pjanic has left, meaning that the Giallorossi will be relying on Stephan El Shaarawy and Alessandro Florenzi for attacking vigour. Fortunately Radja Nainggolan and Kostas Manolas have turned down approaches from elsewhere and the defence has been strengthened with the arrivals of Juan Jesus and Thomas Vermaelen.
Prediction: 2nd
Napoli
Major Signings: Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax, £27.2 million), Piotr Zielinski (Udinese, £11.9 million), Lorenzo Tonelli (Empoli, £8.5 million), Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland, £1.28 million)
Pre-season form
Played 5, won 5.
Key Fixtures
Napoli vs. AC Milan (27th August)
Napoli vs. Roma (16th October)
Juventus vs. Napoli (30th October)
Napoli vs. Inter Milan (4th December)
AC Milan vs. Napoli (22nd January)
Roma vs. Napoli (5th March)
Napoli vs. Juventus (2nd April)
Inter Milan vs. Napoli (30th April)
Team Quality
Napoli’s biggest problem will be finding someone to replace Gonzalo Higuain and his goals. Higuain broke the long standing Serie A goal scoring record last year, but has now left for Juventus. Arkadiusz Milik has arrived as his replacement and alongside Marek Hamsik and Piotr Zielinski should pose problems for the defences in Serie A. The future of Kalidou Koulibaly is up in the air, with Chelsea interested in his services, but Napoli will want to keep hold of their star defender.
Prediction: 3rd