Italian coach and former midfielder Fabio Liverani believes that Inter remain the strongest team in Italy, and believes that they are Scudetto favourites ahead of rivals Juventus and Napoli.
Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published in today’s print edition, the 45-year-old gave the view that the Nerazzurri have maintained enough of their strength to successfully defend last season’s Scudetto crown.
Liverani, who played for the likes of Lazio and Fiorentina among others before going on to coach Lecce and Parma in Serie A most recently, believes that the Nerazzurri will come out ahead of the Bianconeri and the Partenopei as well as Atalanta and AC Milan.
After two matches, the Nerazzurri are one of five teams to have taken six points from six, demonstrating that they are a formidable outfit under Simone Inzaghi, and they look to be ready to go the distance against their major rivals.
“Inter have maintained a high level,” Liverani said. “They have lost two absolutely big names, but have maintained their quality and their great competitiveness, without changing in some departments.”
Of their main rivals he said, “Juve are always there, they have a large and strong squad. Napoli kept all their best players and entrusted them to a valuable coach like Spalletti. Atalanta also kept the good squad they had.”
“The cups play a very important role for everyone,” he said of a factor that could separate the sides at the top, “in particular for Milan, which is the team that has signed the most players of all the big clubs. But they must understand how much energy the Champions League in which they are back will take away from them.”