Any given Sunday, anyone can win.
Once the most prestigious and successful league in Europe, Serie A has lost much of its lustre and financial pull in recent years. It has not, however, lost any of its competitiveness. Although its teams are no longer the sought after destination for the world's top talents and their returns in Europe have dwindled, Italy is still a bastion for some of the best club football in Europe. Serie A is no longer the boring techniquefest it was with tactics, positioning, constant fouling and a morbid defensive mentality borne out of the reverence to Catenaccio. Since the Calciopoli eruption of 2006, which ironically preceded Italy's World Cup triumph, Serie A football has emerged as a vibrant, exciting product full of flair and talent, jostling for centre stage over the relegated notions of defense and stoic preservation. Subsequently the parity and spread of talent in the league is at an all time high and not since the mid nineties, has Serie A been as intriguing and open as it is right now. Parity is a good thing and Italy has it in spades.
The 2011-12 Serie A campaign is one of the most open competitions in Europe with any of four different teams capable of winning the title with at least two more looking in from the outside. Milan as defending champions are among the favourites along with a recharged Inter, a rejuvenated Juventus, as well as a vibrant Napoli. Ever since their epoch making win in 2002, Roma have challenged consistently and the capitolene side along with local rivals Lazio are the flag bearers for dark horse nation. At a pinch we can mention Udinese, currently locked i combat with Arsenal for a Champions' League spot, but their chances already peripheral, lessened notably with the departure of playmaking winger/support striker Alexis Sanchez.
So then, this season's Scudetto will devolve to the three usual suspects and one resurrected southern giant. The Milanese duo are first among equals but Juventus and Napoli should run them both close. The Turin side are slowly returning to their pre-Calciopoli levels of potential and Napoli are the most exciting team in the country who have recharged further. Expect a close race with plenty of twists and turns, with the neutral money and the romantics choice falling on the Diego Maradona's former club from San Paolo.
Max Allegri silenced the critics and proved doubters wrong with a clinical and eventually convincing win with Milan in his first season in charge. A bit like the Diavolo themselves, Allegri is a canny operator who mixes honest charm and no small dose of eccentricity with a clever understanding of the game and the machinations of player motivation, performance and rotation. Never afraid to do his own thing, he simultaneously returned Milan to the top of Serie A, as well as a knockout stage appearance in Europe and a deep run in the cup, while slowly turning the side over and building around youth. Once a retirement facility for Europe's oldest warhorses and under-performing talent, Allegri brushed away the cobwebs, got rid of parts that did not fit and gently ushered in a new generation of talent while slowly easing the elders closer to the sidelines, permanently. Milan's 2011-12 campaign featured two different teams, with the newer generation of players 27 and younger blending and slowly replacing the veterans over 30. As a result Milan is a step closer to becoming a younger more balanced side, but with a title wining season of experience behind them. A quite perfect state of affairs.
At the moment they are still the team to beat with the most balanced and at the front, potent team in the league. Although lacking wingers and somewhat suspect at full back, Milan's defence and spine are able, robust and experienced. Not only do they have the best front six, they also boast the best centre half in the league, in Thiago Silva. If they can keep their focus, and perversely, not get too distracted by Europe, Milan can repeat. However if Europe does insist on them extending their stay in continental competition, Milan's roster is deep and talented enough to negotiate both fronts with aplomb. The Rossoneri won't win the Champions' League but very well could win Serie A again.
Inter remain at the door-step to the crown and despite the loss of top scorer and attacking firecracker Samuel Eto'o to the newly moneyed upstarts at Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia, are still a force to be reckoned with. Despite last season's disappointments, Inter took home the Italian Cup and ran Milan close till the last few rounds. With a steady hand at the tiller this year and bereft of the machinations of club owner versus coach that saw Rafa Benitez preside over an underachieving and dysfunctional autumn last year, Inter could rise to the top again. One forgets that bar a few key departures, the playing corps are basically the same that stormed to the treble in 2010. They team has youth and experience, depth and ability, stars and squad players, all united in the belief that anything but the title is a disaster and determined to upstage their red and black shirted rivals from across the town.
New manager Gian Piero Gasperini is a well respected and extremely accomplished coach, one that understands the political stylings of both league and club and possesses the local street smarts required to succeed in Serie A. Having spent four very commendable years at Genoa, Gasperini could return Inter to the very top of Serie A, for the fifth time in seven seasons. He certainly has the tools at his disposal, and casting one's eyes over the Inter roster, one wonders how many other clubs can boast such riches. Strong in defence and at the time of writing, still possessing the midfield triumvirate of Dejan Stankovic, Wesley Sneijder and Esteban Cambiasso, Inter's one weak link could be the lack of a tearaway striker. However in Gianpaolo Pazzini, Goran Pandev and Diego Milito, their strikers are above competent, if not superstars. Inter are still at large and only the foolish will write them off.
Just to the west of Lombardy, don't look now, but Juventus are slowly rebuilding. Extremely active in the summer, they have retooled and refreshed a stale outfit. Despite possessing practically the entire national team's strike corps, it was their loan signing from Cagliari, Alessandro Matri, one whom their main striking hopes fell on. And it this Matri who leads the Juve attack for the new season, having made his move from the Sardinian club permanent. A flurry of signings of players who debuted for the national team over the last four years has now added ballast to Juventus's roster and their squad is a who's who of nascent Italian talent mixed in with league fixtures and living legends like Gianluigi Buffon and Alessandro Del Piero, evergreen, even at 36.
The acquisition of Leverkusen's Chilean playmaker Arturo Vidal is a shrewd acquisition and allows a degree of Latin flair to be added to the technique and sweat of players like Milos Krasic, Simone Pepe and ex Milan legend Andrea Pirlo, who at 32, brings acres of experience and ability to the team. At the back, Juventus boast five full Italian internationals with a smattering of youngsters who are ready to step up. Never the most popular club amongst the neutrals, Juventus period of penitence is over. The Bianconeri are back and could spring the cat among the pigeons in 2011-12.
Finally, but hardly an afterthought, stand the challenge of South Italy, centered around the prospects of Serie A's most exciting club - SSC Napoli. The blues have steadily built on their finishes over the past five years and 2011 was their best vintage yet, finishing third. Their attack pairing of Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi is the most electric in the league and when on fire, can reduce opposing defences to smouldering ruins. A creative and effervescent midfield unit has been strengthened with the addition of defensive midfield anchor Gorkhan Inler, from Udineses, this summer as the wizardry of Marek Hamsik and Manuel Santana will be backed up by the snarling Walter Gargano and Inler.
Napoli's defence is still led by the brother of the 2006 World Cup winning captain, and Paolo Cannavaro looks to be following in his brother's footsteps as a potential Serie A winning defender. Manager Walter Mazzarri is the best man for the job as he mixes in his experience with a canny understanding of motivating the lesser lights into achieving great things. Napoli's one weakness is their lack of depth and compared to the above three, have a paucity of options beyond their first 15. But if they stay fit, focussed and retain their players, Napoli may, just may, emulate their predecessors of 1990.
On an historical note - Napoli were playing in the third division in 2005, having declared bankruptcy in 2004, after a few seasons' yo-yoing between Serie A and B. Thereafter, they won back to back promotions from Serie C1 to A and have never looked back, going from a record 51,000 supporters in 2005 to third in the league in 2011.
Trivia alert - which other club in Europe, also playing in light blue, was recently breaking attendance records in its country's third division in the last 15 years, but is now a title contender.
One small difference - Napoli has done it the hard way, on its own merit. And for that, they deserve our attention and respect
Projected standings with keynotes for each club:
1 - Inter - Gasperini will recenter and rejuvenate Inter's misfiring squad while taking them back to the summit. Pazzini will come alive after Christmas.
2 - Juventus - Very strong and will start like a house on fire, with no continental distractions to worry about. But will fade over January as they lose their nerve over the home straight.
3 - Napoli - Despite leading the league over December and January, the lack of rotation and sheer numbers will mean a drop in performance in the spring.
4 - Milan - They will focus a bit more on Europe and take the foot off at home with away defeats to lesser lights in March and April, condemning their run in.
5 - Lazio - What Lazio lack in talent, they make up in their manager Eddy Reja. Dynamic, bold and resourceful, he will harness the powers of Hernanes and the guile of Miroslav Klose.
6 - Udinese - A Europa League distraction will see them reach the last 16 in Europe but drop off the pace at home. Also, without Sanchez, Antonio Di Natale will score fewer.
7 - Fiorentina - The Viola are irrepressible and only a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot has prevented a higher finish last year. Will not make the same mistake
8 - Roma - Totti's final year and one in which the no striker, revolving midfield, 4-6-0 formation will finally stop producing, despite the efforts of Luis Enrique and Bojan.
9 - Parma - A surprisingly solid campaign to build on an encouraging one last season as Sebastian Giovinco and Jonathan Biabiany prove pivotal in mid-table.
10 - Palermo - Despite a young, technically gifted squad, the loss of Javier Pastore will come with the loss of at least spots in the table.
11 - Bologna - Last season was an aberration and an embarrassment. Captain Marco Di Vaio will have Roberto Acquafresca and the poor man's Sanchez, Gaston Ramirez to help him out.
12 - Genoa - Sans Gasperini, sans effective leadership, sans top half finish. A decent midfield aside, the lack of consistent goalscoring will cost them dearly.
13 - Chievo - One of those clubs that just does enough to stay somewhat competitive without looking terribly impressive. A bit like a 13th place finish. More like Sergio Pelissier.
14 - Atalanta - Despite a six point deduction, they will survive due to, whisper it quietly, the lower half's best midfield in Edgar Baretto, Ezequiel Schelotto and Carlos Carmona.
15 - Catania - Serie A's Argentine holding house will punch above their weight at season's start before fading over the winter to just hold steady above the drop zone.
16 - Novara - Plucky and feerless, as any team with successive promotions under their belt is, but will find Serie A a step too far for its squad of talented youngsters and loanees.
17 - Cagliari - A long season ahead as both main strikers are gone. Andrea Cossu is a legend but can only do so much. Roberto Donadoni's guile will see them just avoid the drop.
18 - Cesena - Second season syndrome, a failure to strengthen and meager resources can only end the cinderella story of 2011-12 when they finished a heady 15th.
19 - Lecce - Luigi Di Canio's miraculous work at the helm and Sampdoria's surprise implosion saved the division's poorest team last year. No such luck this time.
20 - Siena - Porous, parched and possessing little talent an no weapons. An eventual and swift return to Serie B after an encouraging start, beckons.
Don't miss out on the Serie A meet and greet, coming later this month.
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