The day after the return of La Liga, Serie A resumed its rights. The reigning Milanese champion opens the ball, with the reception of Udinese, Saturday August 13. This particular season, since cut by the World Cup in November and December, will it lead to a new coronation of the Rossoneri? Overview of the issues.
The Scudetto: Milan-Inter, towards a new duel for the title?
To keep their crown, the Rossoneri favored stability. Only Franck Kessié left a ship reinforced by striker Divock Origi (Liverpool) and attacking midfielder Charles de Ketelaere (Bruges). For the rest, the innkeepers Mike Maignan, Fikayo Tomori, Théo Hernandez and Rafael Leao are still there. One of the challenges for Stefano Pioli will be to make his team competitive in Serie A and C1. He will have to compose without the veteran Zlatan Ibrahimovic, absent at least until the winter.
The interist neighbor should represent the main threat. The Nerazzurri have recorded the return on loan of Romelu Lukaku, idol of Meazza but in a situation of failure at Chelsea. His excellent duo with Lautaro Martinez will be one of Simone Inzaghi’s major assets. The former Lazio technician will also count on André Onana, doorman who arrived from Ajax. Departures mainly concerning additional players (Vecino, Vidal, Sanchez, Perisic), Inter are armed.
Romelu @lenovitalia @Lenovo #InterXLenovo#ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/egoe3lGISD
— Inter (@Inter) July 30, 2022
Will the two Lombard cadors fight alone? Third last year, Napoli start from further away. The historic Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Kalidou Koulibaly have left the club. To supplement them, the Neapolitans have essentially bet on bets. Under the leadership of the experienced Spalletti, the mayonnaise can take. But as it stands, the Partenopei are no better off than Roma or Juve.
The return: Paul Pogba and Juventus in search of a new breath
After two pitiful fourth places, Juventus is looking to revive. That’s good, Paul Pogba is running behind the same goal. Six years after leaving Manchester United, “la Pioche” is back in Piedmont. Mined by physical glitches, he has not had a full season since before Covid.
Pogba will be chomping at the bit for a few weeks. His refusal to operate to preserve his chances of World Cup ruled him out for five weeks. On the downside, the risk that his injury drags on is real. In addition to the French, Juve enlisted Angel Di Maria and Bremer, best defender in Serie A last year.
Paul Pogba pic.twitter.com/rJPFiKqYlP
— Juventus FC (@juventusfc) July 9, 2022
Dusan Vlahovic, ex-nugget of Fiorentina, will guide the attack for his first full season. But Juventini have also cashed in the departure of Matthijs De Ligt, in addition to numerous end of contracts (Aaron Ramsey, Giorgio Chiellini, Douglas Costa or Paulo Dybala). Either way, the Turinese will need a Pogba fuoriclasse to get involved in a title race that is difficult to imagine at the moment.
The player to watch: Paulo Dybala awaited by the Romanista people
The “Joya” fed the pages of Italian daily newspapers dedicated to the essential calciomercato. AS Roma finally had the favor of Paulo Dybala. In the Eternal City, the Argentinian received a welcome worthy of an emperor. 10,000 people gathered for his presentation, and the Stadio Olimpico was sold out during his friendly premiere. Dybala will play in support of the attacker, in a 3-4-2-1.
That’s it!
Welcome to the big family of#ASRomaPaulo Dybala! pic.twitter.com/sQ9qQzQ4L7
— AS Roma French (@ASRomaFRA) July 27, 2022
He is the figurehead of a flashy transfer window. Georginio Wijnaldum (PSG), Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) and Zeki Çelik (Lille) have also signed, with the aim of bringing La Louve back to C1. Add to that a trophy cabinet dusted off by victory in the Europa League Conference in May and the grip of the charismatic José Mourinho, you will get the cocktail of a particularly awaited team.
The attraction: Monza, Berlusconi’s last bend
Silvio Berlusconi is the owner of a Serie A club and a candidate for senatorial elections. Rest assured, this article does not date from the 1990s. The “Cavaliere” team is no longer AC Milan, but Monza, fifteen kilometers further north. Better known for its Formula 1 circuit, the city is for the first time represented in the elite. “And you want to know? We want to win the championship and go to the Champions League”smiled the former Prime Minister as soon as the climb was acquired.
At almost 86 years old, Berlusconi has lost none of his whimsical phrasing. His ambition is also intact: Monza has offered Andrea Ranocchia (Inter) and obtained the loans of Stefano Sensi (Inter) and Matteo Pessina (Atalanta). Sure values to aim better than maintenance? “Goal tenth place”launched President Adriano Galliani, loyal to Berlusconi.