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.