Italian game shrouded in scandal
OFF-SEASON SHAME: Match-fixing and accusations of racism dominate the storylines
MILAN, Italy — The Serie A season kicks off on Saturday and matters off the field are once again overshadowing the game.
For the third consecutive off-season, match-fixing has dominated the headlines, with Lazio captain Stefano Mauri suspended for the first six months for his role in the scandal.
Lazio, which was fined, and Mauri are appealing but so is prosecutor Stefano Palazzi, who asked for more than a four-year ban for Mauri and that Lazio, along with Genoa and Lecce, be docked points.
Lazio will be without Mauri for its opening match against Udinese on Sunday. It will also be without one of its main sectors of support after its Curva Nord was closed for one match following racist chanting during the Italian Super Cup loss to Juventus. That is also under appeal. “We heard it. They’re ignorant,” Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba said. “What could I do? I was alone against 30,000 fans. They do that even though there are blacks on their team: It’s also a lack of respect towards their own players, too.
“It’s really not nice to come to a football match and hear those sort of things. But I’m a player, I remain focused on my job.”
Pogba scored the opening goal in the 4-0 victory, less than three minutes after coming on as a substitute for the injured Claudio Marchisio.
The young Frenchman was a revelation last season after signing from Manchester United and is likely to be a key player this season as Juventus goes for a third straight league title.
New signing Carlos Tevez also scored in the Super Cup triumph in his debut, and fellow striker Fernando Llorente — who joined on a free transfer from Athletic Bilbao — will be looking to do the same if he makes his first official appearance against Samdporia on Sunday.
Sampdoria narrowly avoided relegation last season, but Juventus will be wary, knowing it was the only team to beat the champions twice in the league.
AC Milan, which is expected to once again challenge Juventus after a season of transition, has what appears to be an easier match as it travels to newly promoted Hellas Verona in the first game of the weekend on Saturday.
The other teams which came up from the second division are Livorno and Sassuolo.
Livorno hosts Roma on Sunday, while Sassuolo visits Torino for its first ever top-flight match.
The team will be hoping for better headlines after being part of another racist episode during the off-season. Sassuolo was fined $40,000 after fans racially abused AC Milan midfielder Kevin Constant during a friendly tournament.
Meanwhile, Napoli fans will be eager to see how their new look team fares in its first match, at home to Bologna.
Tickets are almost sold out for new coach Rafa Benitez’s first official match.
There will be a tinge of sadness at being without Edinson Cavani, following his departure to Paris SaintGermain, but that could be swiftly forgotten if the new signings such as Gonzalo Higuain gel quickly.
Napoli finished as runner-up last season and is likely to be one of Juve’s main rivals again this year.
Previous coach Walter Mazzarri left to take over at Inter Milan, which hosts Genoa on Saturday.
Also on Sunday, Cagliari welcomes Atalanta, while Chievo Verona visits Parma. On Monday, Fiorentina, which could be a dark horse for the title after some shrewd signings, hosts Catania.