Italian football is still in a state of flux after the national team’s humiliation at the World Cup this summer and the country’s fall below Germany in the UEFA coefficients ranking, which means that they will only have three Champions League spots from this year on. There was a players’ strike called off at the last minute, (yet another) Cassano meltdown, a record breaking start to the season by Edy Reja’s Lazio and Bologna have been in trouble with the authorities for failing to pay their players’ wages, which could lead to the club being sued by its playing squad.
AS Roma blew open an already intriguing title race with a surprise 1-0 win on Saturday night against AC Milan at the San Siro. The league has been wildly unpredictable to date so far this season, with champions Inter Milan 13 points adrift of their city rivals at the turn of the year. A number of teams are still in contention for the title, with Juventus, Napoli, Lazio, Roma and Palermo between the Milanese sides.
Lazio were the early pace-setters in the league, setting a record breaking pace to move clear in the opening rounds, before AC Milan powered ahead of the chasing pack, thanks largely to the form of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic has arguably been the player of the season so far, leading the resurgence of the Rossonneri, though Lazio’s Hernanes and Juventus’ Milos Krasic have been similarly influential in the respective fortunes of their sides. Luigi del Neri has made an encouraging start in his role at the Old Lady as they seek to recapture the glory days of years past. With Juve on a 13 match unbeaten run in the league, who would bet against them returning to the top of the pile under the tutelage of former Chievo and Sampdoria coach del Neri?
It would be foolish though, to write off Inter Milan, particularly after Rafa Benitez’s ill judged comments after lifting the World Club Championship on Saturday. The Spaniard’s ‘back me or sack me’ plea is unlikely to resonate well following a disastrous campaign to date with a squad that won the Champions League last season, and an owner who has insisted on patience this season from a relentless media barrage on the future of the former Liverpool coach. A new coach could spark a revival in the strongest squad in Serie A. That would possibly spark an old-fashioned and more interesting title race than has been seen in recent times, with the two Milanese sides and Juve all in with a shout of the title. With Napoli – the only Italian side still in the Europa League – Lazio and Roma all comfortably holding their own in the chasing pack forming behind AC Milan, it is likely to be the most exciting second half to a Serie A campaign since the days before Calciopolli.
