An Inter spurred on by the return of Romelu Lukaku, a Juventus that also recovers Paul Pogba, however, injured, and a Roma that has been reinforced with the arrival of the Argentine Paulo Dybala, will try to dethrone AC Milan from its title of champion of Series A from Saturday.
The ‘Rossoneri’ will wear their new shirts with the green-white-red shield of Italian champions on Saturday against Udinese (16:30 GMT) in a San Siro stadium that is expected to be packed.
Milan, which will be hampered by the absence of Swedish Zlatan Ibrahimovic, out until 2023 due to a left knee injury, kept intact the squad with which they won the Italian league for the 19th time in their history, but they will have with the reinforcements of the Belgians Divock Origi, coming from Liverpool and Charles De Ketelaere, from Bruges.
The Lombard club’s coach, Stefano Pioli, hopes to have the same enthusiasm that allowed the team to snatch the Scudetto from 2021 champions Inter in the last leg of the championship.
“I see the players even smarter, better prepared, more meticulous. I am convinced that the cycle has just begun,” assured the ‘rossonero’ coach, who tattooed the famous champion’s shield on his forearm.
Like Milan, the ‘Nerazzurri’ dream of winning their 20th title, synonymous with a second star in the jersey, at the start on Saturday against newly promoted Lecce (18:45 GMT).
Despite losing Croatian Ivan Perisic to Tottenham, the Interistas signed Belgian striker Lukaku a year after his move to Chelsea for 115 million euros ($118 million).
– ‘Pogback’ delayed –
“Lukaku is really looking forward to it,” confirmed his coach, Simone Inzaghi. “We already had the best attack last season; with Romelu, we will have some more solutions,” added the coach, determined to regain the title he let slip away in May against his great rival Milan by just two points.
The legendary former AC Milan manager, Arrigo Sacchi, also sees Inter as a favorite for their “great squad, great experience and quality players”.
“They have two players for each position and therefore have the means to remedy any injury,” Sacchi told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.
Can Juventus, who host Sassuolo on Monday (18:45 GMT), prevent this new head-to-head announced between the Milanese clubs?
“After a season without titles, for the first time in more than ten years, we have a duty to win the Scudetto,” proclaimed his coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose return last summer did not really live up to expectations, finishing fourth in the championship. .
To recover, the ‘Vecchia Signora’ will try to recall with the return of Pogba the Frenchman’s successful period when crowned with four consecutive titles (2012-2016).
Due to a right knee injury, the “Pogback” will be delayed until mid-September. Until then, Juve are counting on their other summer signings, mainly Argentine Ángel Di María and Brazilian defender Gleison Bremer, to fill the void left by the departures of Giorgio Chiellini, Dutch Matthijs de Ligt, Spanish Álvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala.
– Captain Ribery –
Dybala, released by Juve, now embodies Roma’s new ambition, at the request of Portuguese coach José Mourinho.
Roma, who are aiming to return to the top four after missing out for the last four seasons, have been bolstered by experienced players, attracted by “Mou’s” reputation: Serbian Nemanja Matic, from Manchester United, and the Dutchman “Gini” Wijnaldum, on loan from Paris SG.
The team from the capital will make its debut on Sunday (6:45 p.m. GMT) at the Salernitana field, owned by Frenchman Franck Ribéry, who will play one more season at 39 years old.
This weekend, in which the championship will kick off, will also allow us to learn more about Napoli, third last year after having fought for the title and forced to renew themselves, after important exits in the market such as the Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly , Lorenzo Insigne and the Belgian Dries Mertens.
Attention will also be focused on a promotion: Silvio Berlusconi’s Monza, for the first time in Serie A.
The Lombard club, after making important signings (Pessina, Sensi, Crago, Caprari), will receive Torino on Saturday (18:45 GMT) at the start of an atypical season, marked by a break of almost two months (between November 13 and January 4) on the occasion of the World Cup in Qatar (November 20 – December 18).
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