Three Wise Men: Pretenders to the Bianconeri Throne

The title belongs in Turin
Juventus have secured four straight Scudetto and are a good bet to make it 5 in a row. Last Sunday’s 2-0 win over Lazio in the Super Cup held in Shanghai was both symptomatic of their winning mentality and evidence that despite the sale of a number of key players, this squad is still a cut above the rest.

This summer, firepower has been added to a team that often needed goals to come from all areas of the field. Mandzukic will replace Tevez’s graft and Dybala of-the-cultured-left-foot, his panache. The defence is a year older and slightly creaking but remains one of the best in Europe. In midfield, the big question is Paul Pogba. The French prodigy has asked for the No10 shirt, emulating his countryman Michel Platini, as well as Alessandro Del Piero and Omar Sivori, all Bianconeri legends. The stage is set for him to have a career-defining season before completing the expected record-breaking move after Euro2016.

This wise man expects Juventus to retain their title, with a strong challenge from a strengthened chasing pack and the champions only pulling ahead in the final stretch. Here’s a look at the 7 pretenders to the Bianconeri’s throne:

The Roman Empire – United we stand, divided we fall
Roman football is enjoying its most successful period since the turn of the century. Back then, Totti was just cementing his status as Il Bimbo d’Oro (The Golden Boy) and Sven-Goran Eriksson was still a respected football manager. If Lazio defeat Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League qualifiers, there will be two Roman representatives in the group stages for the first time since the 2007/2008 season.

The two coaches are starkly different. Roma’s Rudi Garcia (who De Rossi apparently had to google two years ago when he found out he was the new Roma coach) was a title winner in France and as a foreigner, is bucking the trend towards Italian born managers amongst the top teams.

Lazio’s Stefano Pioli is a Parma-born journeyman whose success at Lazio has been notable for his ability to manage a talented but enigmatic squad that more experienced hands were unable to handle. Both build their teams around strong, technical midfielders and dangerous wingers, and both feel they have something to prove.

Despite consecutive 2nd place finishes, Rudi Garcia is under pressure to sustain a credible challenge to Juventus’ throne. Roma’s form tailed off considerably in 2015 as injuries and tactical predictability caught up with them. The challenge this year is to show that they can establish themselves as a domestic powerhouse once again and the signings of Edin Dzeko and Mohamed Salah show that they mean business. On their day, the trio of De Rossi, Nainggolan and Pjanic are a match for Europe’s best and they will still form the fulcrum of the team, supplying and supplementing an inconsistent attack. The evolving role of Francesco Totti is likely to assume the spotlight at some point this season. Roma’s greatest ever player needs the team to be built around him when he plays yet is probably no longer good enough to warrant that. A bit-part role beckons – or perhaps the unthinkable will happen and Il Re di Roma (The King of Rome) will follow the likes of Xavi and Steven Gerrard and embark on a globetrotting farewell tour.

For Lazio, the aim is showing that last season’s 3rd place finish – when they dramatically edged out Napoli right at the death, was not just a flash in the pan. The talent is there: Felipe Anderson is one of the most exciting Brazilians around, Candreva remains grossly underrated and the likes of Parolo and Biglia bring energy, tenacity and drive in midfield. Yet there is a lack of quality depth, especially upfront and at the back. The likes of Miroslav Klose and Lorik Cana are unlikely to form the basis of a title challenge. The problem is that while rivals have spent freely, Lazio have been frugal in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Ravel Morrison(!). Also, uncertainty surrounding new captain Lucas Biglia (this wise man agrees with the more popular choice of Candreva for the captaincy) and talk of unrest among the squad have dampened spirits as they approach the qualifier against Leverkusen.

The verdict?  Roma will remain in the top three – their injury problems CANNOT be as bad as last year’s while Lazio will do well to secure a Europa League place, but expect them to play some exciting football nonetheless.

 The Milan Renaissance – Money, lots of money
Just how did he do it? Baseball star Lefty Gomez once said, “Better lucky than good”. Well Silvio Berlusconi must be lucky. He somehow managed to convince Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol to buy 48% of Milan for €480million – effectively valuing the club at a billion euros! Meanwhile, the eccentric Sinisa Mihajlovic of set-piece folklore has replaced Pipo “born-offside” Inzaghi after a fantastic season at Sampdoria. Milan’s major signings have been expensive: Carlos Bacca (Sevilla, €30m), Luis Adriano (Shakhtar, €8m), Alessio Romagnoli (Roma, €28m), Andrea Bertolacci (Roma, €20m) but for once, recruitment has focused on young, exciting players. Milan even managed to sign the highly rated Jose Mauri from Parma on a free transfer. There have been the usual Milanese quirks – El Shaarawy was let go to Monaco, Romagnoli’s fee and the ongoing rift between Galliani and Barbara Berlusconi but generally, the mood in the camp is optimistic. The question now is how exactly Milan will line up and how Mihajlovic will ensure that a bloated squad gets enough minutes given there is still no European football in Milan. After a dark couple of years – who can ever forget a midfield trio of Muntari, Essien and Poli, it seems like the only way is up for Milan. Write off Berlusconi at your own peril.

Inter’s ownership and manager have changed recently too. Albeit a while ago. In 2013, long-serving president Massimo Moratti stepped down and in late 2014, Roberto Mancini was reappointed as manager. He spent the latter half of last season assessing the squad (and generally criticising it) but now pressure will be on the Nerazzuri favourite to deliver. Inter fans, typically bullish, want the title.

Miranda, Stevan Jovetic, Jeison Murillo, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Martin Montoya and Jonathan Biabiany… Matteo Kovacic, Mauro Icardi, Macelo Brozovic, Hernanes, Freddy Guarin, Gary Medel, Juan Jesus, Samir Handanovic. The first list is Inter’s summer signings. The second is a list of some of the stars the new signings can expect to line up alongside. A glance through those names justifies the fans expectations. Chastised by missing out in Europe, Inter revamped the squad through a mix of creative accounting and bold-faced risk-taking.

The team has a good blend of youth and experience. However, there is a worry that Mancini will not employ personnel effectively. Club captain Ranocchia has fluctuated between average and terrible during his time at the club yet continues to play. Murillo, Miranda and Juan Jesus are all better options (the less said about Vidic’s Italian adventure, the better). Also, Matteo Kovacic has the potential of Modric and Rakitic but has found himself shunted around midfield to accommodate other players. Mancini must help him discover his best role (this wise man reckons it is as a classic Trequartista). Finally, getting the best out of Jovetic might be the difference. The forward struggled in England but is likely to be devastating back in Italy.

The verdict? Both teams look strong but internal politics and over-sized player egos have caused the two Milan teams to struggle in recent times. Both squads still seem built for European participation so keeping players happy – or trimming the squad, would be important.

The combination of Jovetic and Icardi makes the eyes water and you can expect Inter to challenge for the final champions league place. They are a bit short of the title but will challenge Juventus alongside Roma and Napoli. For Milan, a return to Europe can be expected but only to the Europa league. Also, don’t be surprised if Mihajlovic throws his toys out of the pram before the end of the season and Milan need a new manager.

Napoli’s Benitez hangover
When the league of the world’s luckiest men assemble this summer, the seat beside Berlusconi is likely to be occupied by Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard fails to get a strong Napoli team into the Champions League group stages two years running and is rewarded with the Real Madrid job. Go figure.

For Napoli, the Benitez cleansing begins with the hiring of Maurizio Sarri. Last year, his Empoli team played refreshingly progressive football and he has already brought with him his lieutenant, Mirko Valdifiori. Valdifiori is a conductor in the Pirlo-mould and if he starts, you can expect Sarri to give him the keys to the team.

Napoli’s team remains very strong, especially if they manage to hold on to Higuain, who despite his high profile slip-ups has been a very good centre forward for the team. Napoli should be around the top three again this season, the quality and depth of the side will just be enough but their title challenge is likely to fade away early.

Smaller budgets, smaller dreams
At Fiorentina, one handsome manager (Paulo Sousa) replaces another (Vincenzo Montella). Over the last past few seasons, Fiorentina played a possession-based game centred around the talents of Borja Valero. Montella showed tactical flexibility – often switching between 3 and 4 defenders during a game, and his influence will be greatly missed. The good news is that Guiseppe Rossi makes yet another return from injury and if he is kept fit and firing, Fiorentina will fancy their chances of a Champions League spot.

At Sampdoria, the most interesting new face is Antonio Cassano who begins his third(!) spell at the club. Cassano’s career has been incredibly polarised – the highpoints (Euro2004, his breakthrough at Bari, his first two spells at Sampdoria, his seeming renaissance at Parma) have been balanced out by definite lowpoints (his failure at Real Madrid, his falling out with Totti and the acrimonious way he left Sampdoria the last time). The only certainty with Cassano is that there is bound to be entertainment and debauchery while he is at the club but new manager Walter Zenga will not want him to upset the balance of a squad that looks impressively well-rounded. Emiliano Viviano (Goalkeeper), De Silvestri and Matias Silvestre (Defence), Roberto Soriano and Angelo Palombo (Midfield), Luis Muriel and Eder (Attack) means there is quality throughout the side. Also, watch out for 21-year-old Joaquin Correa, who looks a fine attacking midfielder.

Both teams have new managers, neither of whom inspire too much confidence. The way the Milan clubs have strengthened this summer will make it difficult for these two to repeat the heroics of last season. Expect Fiorentina to just sneak into Europe, Guiseppe Rossi to get crocked (again) and Sampdoria to drop out of the top 10 altogether as they juggle European football with their domestic commitments.

Top 8 Prediction
1st – Juventus
2nd – Roma
3rd – Inter
4th – Napoli
5th – Milan
6th – Fiorentina
7th – Lazio
8th – Genoa

Tin Cup Winners – Inter