Serie A Is Back: Inter Begin Title Defence as Milan, Napoli and Juventus Chase Glory
The wait is over. Italian football is back, and the opening weekend of the new Serie A season already has plenty to get fans talking.
Inter Milan return as champions, but their title defence begins with a familiar problem: everyone wants to knock them off the top.
The Nerazzurri welcome Monza to San Siro on Saturday as new manager Cristian Chivu begins his first league campaign in charge. The former Inter defender knows the pressure that comes with taking over the champions and admits his team is still finding its rhythm.
“We’re the team to beat,” Chivu said, while acknowledging that Inter still have work to do before reaching their best.
That makes the opening game an interesting one. Inter have the status of champions, but Chivu’s first few weeks will be about finding the right balance and making his ideas work in a competitive setting.
Napoli Have the Summit in Their Sights
Napoli will also be looking to start strongly when they travel to Genoa.
After winning the Scudetto two seasons ago, Napoli will be eager to return to the top of Italian football. An away trip on the opening weekend is rarely straightforward, however, and Genoa will have every reason to make life uncomfortable for the visitors.
The result could provide an early indication of whether Napoli are ready to mount another serious title challenge.
Milan Start a New Chapter
Sunday brings one of the weekend’s most intriguing fixtures when Torino host Milan.
Milan enter the season with renewed expectations under Ruben Amorim, who arrives with plenty to prove after a disappointing previous campaign.
The Portuguese coach has already given Milan fans something to smile about after guiding the club to a 4-2 pre-season victory over his former side Manchester United.
For Amorim, there is no awkwardness about facing his old club.
“It’s a normal game,” he said, insisting that his focus is now firmly on Milan.
The real test begins when the points count. Milan will be expected to compete near the top of the table, and an away victory in Turin would be an encouraging way to begin.
Juventus Look to Make a Statement
Juventus also begin their campaign away from home, travelling to Frosinone on Sunday.
The Bianconeri remain one of the biggest names in Italian football and will be expected to challenge towards the top of the table.
Frosinone, however, will see the fixture as an opportunity to make an early statement. An upset against Juventus would immediately turn heads around the league.
Lazio Need a Response
Lazio head into the opening weekend with a very different mood.
Their competitive season got off to a difficult start after they suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Serie B side Mantova in the Coppa Italia.
Coach Gennaro Gattuso did not hide from the disappointment.
“We took a punch to the face,” he admitted, taking responsibility for the result.
Lazio will have little time to dwell on it, with a trip to Bologna awaiting them on Monday.
Roma and Fiorentina Meet in Early European Battle
Monday’s other major fixture sees Roma welcome Fiorentina.
Both sides have ambitions of challenging for European football, with the Champions League places likely to be particularly competitive this season.
An early victory could therefore prove valuable, even if the final league positions remain many months away.
Opening Weekend Fixtures
The first round also features Udinese against Como and Parma against Cagliari on Saturday.
Sunday sees Venezia take on Lecce, while Atalanta welcome promoted Sassuolo.
The weekend concludes on Monday with Bologna hosting Lazio and Roma facing Fiorentina.
The opening fixtures will not decide the Scudetto, but they could offer the first clues about who is ready for the long race.
Inter have a crown to protect. Napoli want it back. Milan are looking to rebuild their reputation, while Juventus will be hoping to return to the summit.
And with a full season ahead, Serie A is already promising plenty of drama.
Where to Watch in Kenya
All times are East Africa Time (EAT).
Saturday, 22 August
18:30 — Udinese vs Como
18:30 — Inter Milan vs Monza
20:45 — Parma vs Cagliari
20:45 — Genoa vs Napoli
Sunday, 23 August
18:30 — Venezia vs Lecce
18:30 — Frosinone vs Juventus
20:45 — Torino vs Milan
20:45 — Atalanta vs Sassuolo
Monday, 24 August
18:30 — Bologna vs Lazio
20:45 — Roma vs Fiorentina
Selected matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Africa 2, SuperSport Maximo 360 and SuperSport Variety.
