Serie A expected to go to the wire

AFTER a close season dominated by financial problems and a row over television rights, Italy’s Serie A finally gets under way at the weekend with the northern trio of Inter Milan, AC Milan and reigning champions Juventus once again favourites for the title.

However, while the battle for top spot, which has gone down to the wire for the past four seasons, is again expected to be close, the league has much work to do if it is to regain its status as the top championship in Europe.

The recent departure of Ronaldo from Inter to Real Madrid comes a year after Zinedine Zidane and Juan Sebastian Veron left Italy for Real and Manchester United. On top of those losses Italian clubs have failed to make the last four in the Champions League for three successive years.

Better results are demanded in Europe but also a more attacking and entertaining brand of football is badly needed on a weekly basis to boost the image of a league that has been surrounded by scandal and crisis for the past two seasons.

The good news for fans is that the top clubs appear ready to abandon their characteristic caution for a more positive approach, with attacking line-ups promised by the main contenders.

“It is going to be an evenly balanced but also an entertaining season,” said AC Milan and Italy striker Filippo Inzaghi. “I think this will be a year of change for Italian football with a return to good football and we will find our way in Europe again.”

After the title went to Rome in 2000 and 2001, with Lazio and AS Roma enjoying rare success, normal service was resumed last term when Marcello Lippi’s Juventus brought the title back north by claiming their 26th “scudetto”. The Turin side spent heavily last season to strengthen their squad for that success and Lippi has been content to focus on adding to his reserve options.

The arrival of striker Marco Di Vaio from Parma and the return to fitness of Chilean forward Marcelo Salas give Lippi an abundance of attacking options for a strike force led so effectively last season by Frenchman David Trezeguet and Alessandro Del Piero.

Ronaldo’s departure, after three injury plagued seasons, may have caused much bitterness among Inter fans, but the Brazilian’s absence is not likely to be felt on the pitch. Argentine striker Hernan Crespo’s arrival ensures a strong partner for Christian Vieri in attack and with the talent of French attacking midfielder Stephane Dalmat and the occasional brilliance of Uruguayan Alvaro Recoba should ensure many chances for the front two.

Inter came close to ending their 13-year wait for a title last season and Argentine coach Hector Cuper is well aware that president Massimo Moratti expects honours this season: “We need to win something this year, I know that. There can be no more excuses”.

Inter’s local rivals AC Milan have invested heavily in a bid to extend Inter’s barren years and bring back the glory days of the early 1990’s when Milan dominated at home and in Europe.

Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo and Italy defender Alessandro Nesta are two top quality signings and with Portugal’s Rui Costa fit again and Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf brought from Inter, coach Carlo Ancelotti has by far the most improved and attack-minded squad in the league.

Roma coach Fabio Capello, who guided Milan to much of their earlier success, has been frustrated at his club’s failure to bring in Edgar Davids from Juventus, the only player Capello had asked president Franco Sensi to buy.

Although Francesco Totti, Vincenzo Montella and Argentine Gabriel Batistuta make up a formidable front three, there appears to be a lack of real quality in midfield and there are question marks over a defence over-reliant on Argentine centre-half Walter Samuel.

Lazio have lost their captain and central defender Nesta and their main source of goals, Crespo, and while they retain a strong squad they will find it hard to compete with the northern trio and Roma.

Parma have also lost the heart of their squad with the departure of Di Vaio and Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro, who has moved to Inter, but coach Cesare Prandelli has some talented young players at his disposal.

As always it will be a tough battle at the foot of the table.

The promoted sides Como, Empoli, Modena and Reggina will all hope to emulate the achievements of Chievo who finished fifth last year in their first season in the top flight. Statistics show that a battle for survival is much more likely for those arriving from Serie B.