Inter Milan are hoping they can be the first team to successfully defend the Serie A title since the 2019-20 season.

Today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, highlight the difficulty of the Nerazzurri’s task in doing so.

It was Inter who first brought to an end a long string of Serie A dominance by Juventus.

The Bianconeri went on a remarkable run of nine straight league titles victories in the Italian top flight.

That sequence saw Juventus fend off title challenges from the likes of Roma and Napoli among others. And in the 2019-20 campaign, Inter pushed them all the way, though ultimately missed out.

In the 2020-21 season, though, Inter actually won the title.

The Bianconeri were unable to make it an entire decade of dominance. A run that saw them win the title under three different coaches came to a crashing halt.

Inter Milan Aiming For First Successful Serie A Title Defense Since 2020

Inter were unable to follow in the path of Juventus and go on a run of title victories themselves, however.

In the summer of 2021, Inter parted ways with coach Antonio Conte. They also lost several key players.

The Nerazzurri came very close to making it two title wins in Simone Inzaghi’s first season in charge.

But a spring slump saw Inter miss out to city rivals AC Milan on the final day of the 2021-22 season.

As Inter had been, however, the Rossoneri were unable to defend their title successfully.

Milan dropped off significantly in the 2022-23 campaign.

It was Napoli who were the dominant force in that season. They won the title for the first time in more than three decades.

But if Milan had dropped off in their own title defense, Napoli were in absolute free fall last season.

The Partenopei not only failed to defend their title – they did not secure any European football, slipping to a shocking tenth place in the table.

This time around, Inter will know the risks.

Both Milan and Napoli have made sweeping changes this summer to try and catch back up. As have Juventus, aiming to get back on top having failed to do so since the end of their run of dominance.

But this will make Inter all the more determined to make it two in a row.

The Nerazzurri will feel that a successful title defense would be no less impressive than winning it to begin with.