With the 2021/22 edition of the Serie A already underway, defending champions, Inter, began the new season as favourites. But their competition is set to try and stop them from winning the title again this year. After the return of Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus is also on the lookout to return to their dominance of Italian football. Napoli, on the other hand, is a surprise contender, having gained momentum since the last season as they promise to fight on for the trophy.
Let’s take a closer look at the main candidates to win the main competition in Italian football.
Inter Milan
Inter had a troubled transfer market window this summer. After winning their 19th Serie A title last season, Inter saw their head manager, Antonio Conte, leave the club following disagreements between him and the club’s management. However, as if that’s not enough, Inter would also go on to sell one of their key assets, Romelu Lukaku. Nonetheless, these unexpected events weren’t enough to hurt the team’s potential as, currently, Serie A outright football betting odds price I Nerazzurri as the favourites to win the main Italian title at odds of 2/1.
Every team needs a reliable scoreboard, according to this website, and Inter fans will be looking for some consistent results again this time. Going into the new season, Simone Inzaghi will have to make sure that the team’s pillars remain solid, with Nicolò Barella and the trio of defenders maintaining their control over the team’s game, while imposing his own identity. Additionally, recently arrived Denzel Dumfries, brought in to replace Achraf Hakimi, will also have to prove his worth, while Lautaro Martínez will need to be at his best to make fans forget about Lukaku.
If Inter can keep their motivation levels high enough they will have strong chances to win a back-to-back title in the Serie A, but also make a strong run in the Champions League.
Juventus
After nine consecutive Serie A titles, Juventus dominance finally came to an end last year after Inter won the trophy. La Vecchia Signora did not only fail to reach their 10th title in a row, but they also barely made it to the top four and into the Champions League.
To turn things around, Juve hired their previous manager and six-time Serie A champion, Massimiliano Allegri (the greatest Serie A winner in the active). However, just when things seemed to be getting better, Cristiano Ronaldo, the team’s biggest icon, left. This was a major blow for the squad, which has had a real impact on the team’s performance.
The team now relies on Chiesa and Locatelli, two of Italy’s national team’s best players in the Euro 2020, to help up the team’s morale. Allegri is also set to operate a rotational system, changing the team’s tactical structure in each game. Juventus midfield, criticized for its lack of creativity, is also expected to be reworked. In addition to Locatelli substantially improving the sector, it is worth noting that Bentancur had his best moments during Allegri’s past management.
Napoli
Napoli entered the 2021/22 season with a very similar team to the 2020/21 run, but with a major upgrade: Luciano Spalletti is the new head manager. Spalleti has a long history in Italian football and his beginning of the season left fans exhilarated.
With Spalletti, Napoli presents a well-defined game pattern, with a solid defence, lots of possession and quick passes in the last third of the field. In this system, Zielinski plays a big role, while Mertens will try to achieve double-digits in the Serie A scoreboard, which has not happened since 2019. Additionally, Osimhen, Insigne and Ruiz, will also continue to play key roles in the team.
On the other hand, the biggest vulnerabilities of the Gli Azzurri are the reduced number of options for the centre of defence. Although Mário Rui, Ghoulam and Juan Jesus do not give fans much reliance, the presence of Spalletti mitigates the risks.
While these teams are outright favourites to take home the Serie A title, AC Milan, AS Roma and Atalanta BC are also strong contenders to raise the trophy at the end of the season.