Hotseat changes add intrigue to Scudetto chase
THE Serie A managerial roundabout went into overdrive over the summer, with a batch of high-profile comings, goings and emotional returns.
The Azzurri’s march to the Euro 2020 title was a joyous boost for Italian football. Cue car-horn orchestras blaring out well into the early hours. Italian clubs are hoping the feelgood factor will filter through to the new campaign but for some, including Inter Milan, the anticipation is coupled with uncertainty.
Inter finally broke the nine-year Juventus grip on the title by lifting their first Scudetto since 2009 under Antonio Conte last season, but then saw him exit after a row with the club’s Chinese owners over calls to downsize his squad. Just as worrying was the departure of Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea for £97.5million. Muchneeded cash in the Nerazzurri coffers, but losing the Belgian’s goals (24 last season) and ace wing-back Achraf Hakimi to PSG, could be tough for Conte’s replacement Simone Inzaghi, parachuted in from Lazio.
Inzaghi will hope the recruitment of Edin Dzeko from Roma to partner in-demand Argentine Lauturo Martinez can help fill the Lukaku goal gap, while Hakan Calhanoglu, who has chanced a shock cross-city free transfer from arch-rivals AC Milan, should add midfield nous.
Undoubtedly, the most showbiz managerial change has been Jose Mourinho’s appointment at Roma. The Special One’s return to Italy certainly adds extra spice.
Mourinho, who won two titles and the Champions League with Inter from 2008-2010, will be desperate to prove he has still got it at a club who were seventh under Paulo Fonseca last term. He has brought in goalkeeper Rui Patricio from Wolves and Tammy Abraham from Chelsea, with the 23-year-old earning rave reviews after last weekend’s 3-1 win over Fiorentina.
Meanwhile, it is back to the future
for Juventus, who have pinned their hopes of recapturing the Scudetto on Max Allegri, who left in 2019 after a fifth-straight Serie A title and two Champions League finals.
Allegri ousts Andrea Pirlo – paying the price for a fourth-placed finish – and has lured Italy’s Euros midfield star Manuel Locatelli from Sassuolo. Whether icon and last season’s league top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo will still be in Turin by the time the ‘Calcio Mercato’ closes could have a major say in the title shake-up. Who replaces
Inzaghi at Lazio? Welcome back former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri, out of work since being axed by Juve in August 2020 after winning the title in his sole season in charge.
Napoli have also called a familiar name, with ex-Inter and Roma coach Luciano Spalletti succeeding Gennaro Gattuso after their fifth-place finish.
AC Milan challenged for much of last season but finished runners-up. Refreshingly, the Rossoneri have kept faith with coach Stefano Pioli and been boosted by the arrival of Olivier Giroud from Chelsea to partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front, while Chelsea’s Tiemoue Bakayoko is likely to arrive to bolster their midfield.
Atalanta may have lost defender Cristian Romero and keeper Pierluigi Gollini to Tottenham but more importantly hung on to their excellent coach Gian Piero Gasperini and should challenge for the top four again.
So, with a wide-open title race, top coaches and players desperate to enhance and salvage reputations and fans returning to stadiums, Serie A is set up nicely. A prediction? The two Milan clubs will challenge again but Allegri’s winning mentality could be just enough to get Juve over the line.