There were several surprises in Serie A last season. Napoli’s unexpected implosion would have been difficult to predict, whereas Bologna’s unlikely assault on the top four under Thiago Motta, completely defied the ante-post betting markets. With Lazio and Fiorentina missing out on the top six altogether and Sassuolo suffering relegation to the second tier, it was a campaign which kept football fans truly entertained with its numerous twists and turns.
Inter were the deserving winners of the Scudetto last season, finishing 19 points clear of the chasing pack. Their city rivals AC Milan couldn’t keep up with Simone Inzaghi’s men and their fans were dealt a further blow when the Nerrazzuri clinched their success at the San Siro in April’s intense Milan derby.
Although the bookies hadn’t forecast Inter’s triumph at the beginning of the season, they quickly became wise to their much-improved form, and their outright odds shortened substantially throughout the campaign.
This time around, betting sites aren’t taking any chances with most operators pricing them up as odds-on favourites to repeat the feat. They have maintained the nucleus of their squad and unlike some of their biggest rivals, they have retained the services of their manager. Continuity could be key for the 20-time Scudetto winners.
Nobody has managed to go back-to-back since Juventus’ dominance ended in 2020, however, this appears to be Inter’s best opportunity to secure consecutive triumphs for the first time in almost 15 years.
The New Inter Milan Signings
Inter’s squad has been bolstered by the arrival of Mehdi Taremi, who scored for fun in the Portuguese top flight.
Goalkeeper Josep Martinez arrives from Genoa, whereas Polish midfielder Piotr Zielinski has bags of top-flight experience despite only just entering his thirties.
Marko Arnautovic is an unpredictable and fairly unreliable player, yet he’s capable of producing moments of magic and will provide some competition for places in the final third.
Potential Challengers For Serie A Title
Naturally, last season’s runners-up AC Milan will be keen to dethrone their bitter rivals.
Paulo Fonseca has taken over at the club and although he began this tenure with a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Torino, expectations remain fairly lofty.
Summer signing Alvaro Morata got off the mark in his Serie A debut, although the Spaniard has subsequently picked up an injury which could keep him on the sidelines until the first international break of the season.
Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana and Spurs’ Emerson Royal join the ranks and add some depth to Fonseca’s squad.
The Rosseneri must fix their away form if they are to challenge for the title this season. They conceded an average of 1.68 goals per game on their travels last year and dropped points at Lecce, Salernitana and Sassuolo.
The Juventus Factor
It’s all change in Turin with Juventus appointing the aforementioned Thiago Motta to replace the outgoing Massimiliano Allegri. Juve are back in Europe this season and that is likely to have an impact on their performance, however, their squad looks strong and they have made some savvy additions this summer.
They began this campaign with a rudimentary 3-0 victory over newcomers Como and have an exciting youngster in Samuel Mbangula, who claimed a goal and an assist in the season opener.
Last season, the Bianconeri conceded an average of just 0.58 goals per game at the Juventus Stadium, and with Motta’s Bologna outfit having become virtually impenetrable at home last year, the 36-time Scudetto winners are unlikely to give much away in front of their own fans.
The Rest Of The Serie A Field
Atalanta have lost a number of key players, although they have kept hold of experienced head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and his side opened the campaign with a convincing away victory.
Bologna aren’t expected to challenge for the title, yet they may still threaten the top seven. The loss of Motta is a seismic blow to their hopes, and with Joshua Zirkzee and Riccardo Calafiori both swapping Serie A for the Premier League, their new-look squad may take time to gel.
Roma will be desperate to improve on a disappointing sixth-placed finish last season, although an opening-day draw at Cagliari with an xG of just 0.94 hardly inspires confidence.
There will be no distractions of European football this time around, and the arrival of striker Artem Dovbyk is likely to help their cause.
Paulo Dybala has also committed his future to the club, rejecting a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia to remain in the Italian capital.
Fiorentina are likely to fall short once again and European football may provide enough of a distraction, whereas Lazio, under new coach Marco Baroni should be highly entertaining, but they’re unlikely to challenge just yet.
Conclusion
Although Inter are the favorites to retain the Scudetto this season, Juventus could be worthy challengers this time around.
Motta worked wonders with a smaller budget at Bologna and Juve are unlikely to throw away many cheap points this year.