With the Euros and Copa America nearing their conclusions, all eyes will turn back to domestic football pretty soon and Serie A will once again be tuned in by millions.
The Italians are passionate about the game, sometimes to the point of madness, and the top Serie A clubs are among the royalty of Europe; none more so, in current times, than Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan.
I Nerazzurri won the Scudetto for the second time in four years last May, to take their tally to 20 league titles, one more than AC Milan and behind only Juventus, who have racked up 36 top-flight titles.
The early Serie A 2024 betting odds say Inter are the team to beat, with Juventus second in line.
There are a handful of clubs scheming to knock the champions off their perch, and the coaching teams are working furiously on their strategy with a limited number of stars to work with until the summer tournaments are over.
But the 17th of August will be here before we know it, and on the opening weekend, Inter Milan visit Genoa, who finished 11th last term in the curtain-raiser. Whilst last season’s third-placed team, Juventus, host newly promoted Como who are back in Serie A for the first time in 22 years.
AC Milan, the 2022 Scudetto winners and last season’s runners-up are at home to Torino, whilst Lecce host Atalanta, who finished fourth last season after a late and successful run in Italy and in Europe.
Bologna, who were hugely impressive in fifth last season, are at home to Udinese in their opener, whilst 2023 Scudetto winners Napoli are away to Hellas Verona.
Cagliari host Roma, whilst Venezia are back in the top flight after spending two seasons in Serie B, and they have a mouth-watering opener away to Lazio.
The other promoted team, Parma, back after a three-year absence, are at home to Fiorentina, while the opening weekend fixtures are rounded off by Empoli and Monza —last season’s 17th and 12th placed finishers.
Milan Derby on Matchday Five
Every team wants to start with a strong set of Serie A 2024 results, but certain fixtures stick out, and one of the blockbusters arrives early on when the Derby di Milano takes place on 22nd of September.
And it will be a first for AC Milan boss Paulo Fonseca, who has just joined I Rossoneri on a three-year deal after leaving Ligue 1 club Lille.
The 51-year-old has experience in the Italian top flight, managing Roma between 2019 and 2021. He’ll make himself very popular on the red side of Milan if he can win this first city derby.
After some Inter players came under criticism from Italy boss Lionel Scaloni after the Azzurri’s poor performance at Euro 2024, they will be keen to get back to domestic business, and the fans of both clubs will be targeting this one.
Let’s take a look at the other eye-catching fixtures; we’ll be watching here at SBOTOP over the opening weeks.
On 25th of August 2023, Scudetto winners Napoli are at home to Bologna, and they too have a new boss in former Inter Milan and Italy manager Antonio Conte.
After a tenth-place finish last term, I Partenopei have a point to prove, whilst I Rossoblu will hope to match their fifth-place finish with a new manager at the helm in former Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano.
A week later, Inter Milan are at home to 2024 Europa League champions Atalanta, and that promises to be a cracking clash.
While there have been plenty of managerial changes in Serie A, Gian Piero Gasperini carries on with La Dea after another successful campaign, finishing fourth and winning in Europe.
Striker Ademola Lookman will hope to kick on after his man-of-the-match performance in the Europa final.
On the 31st of August, Lazio, now managed by Marco Baroni—who has switched from Hellas Verona—host AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico.
Baroni will be tasked with improving on last season’s seventh-placed finish, whilst veteran striker Ciro Immobile will try to have a tilt at an incredible fifth Capocannoniere after a difficult season last term.
And a day later, Juventus, now managed by Thiago Motta—who led Bologna to their remarkable fifth place—will host Roma, a team still under the guidance of Daniele De Rossi after he took over I Giallorossi midway through last season. There’s a feast of Italian football on the way, so get ready, folks; it’s going to be another great season!
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