Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Lazio - San Siro, Milan, Italy - May 19, 2024 Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez and teammates celebrate with the trophy after winning the Serie A REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo
(Reuters) - While Inter Milan aim to retain the Serie A title and Juventus and AC Milan seek to close the gap, other Italian sides are determined to prove the league is more than a three-team contest, all while balancing increased European commitments.
Inter are favourites to lift the Scudetto again but Juve and Milan, with new coaches and players, will try to mount a challenge while the lesser lights hope to join the party.
With eight teams in Europe, the workload will be more demanding than ever for Italian clubs, especially teams that rely on a few key players for success.
SUCCESS HANGOVER
Bologna and Atalanta defied expectations with their success last season. The former stayed in the top three for much of the season before ending the campaign fifth while Atalanta produced a solid fourth place finish and won the Europa League.
Progress has brought challenges for Bologna though as their coach and several key players have left in the transfer window.
Talented manager Thiago Motta has moved to Juventus, while forward Joshua Zirkzee and defender Riccardo Calafiori have joined Manchester United and Arsenal respectively.
Fiorentina manager Vincenzo Italiano has taken over, banking on recent signing Thijs Dallinga and Riccardo Orsolini to lead the attack.
Atalanta also face early complications due to injuries and transfers.
Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is dealing with serious injuries to Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca along with the likely transfer of key midfielder Teun Koopmeiners to Juve.
While the recent signing of forward Mateo Retegui from Genoa offers some relief, Atalanta's resilience will be tested when they face Champions League winners Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in Warsaw on Wednesday.
A TALE OF TWO CAPITAL TEAMS
Daniele De Rossi's stint at AS Roma sparked enthusiasm among the fans and players, proving his coaching abilities when he stepped in for the sacked Jose Mourinho last season.
Though Roma narrowly missed a Champions League spot, De Rossi's strong performance earned him a contract extension through 2027, with a mandate to reshape the squad.
Strategic signing's like Matias Soule and Artem Dovbyk have made Roma a formidable attacking power on paper.
In contrast, city rivals Lazio face uncertainty. Marco Baroni, formerly of Hellas Verona, has replaced Igor Tudor, who left abruptly amid rumours of disagreements over the club's direction after less than three months in charge.
Baroni must rebuild without veterans Luis Alberto, Daichi Kamada, Felipe Anderson, and Ciro Immobile. Despite retaining some key players, Lazio supporters may see a generational shift as the team's resilience is tested under new leadership.
START ANEW
Last season was a tough ride for Fiorentina and Napoli. Defending champions Napoli faltered early, cycling through three coaches and finishing 10th, while Fiorentina faced heartbreak with their second consecutive Conference League final loss.
Both teams are ready for a fresh start. Fiore have hired former Monza coach Raffaele Palladino and the experienced Antonio Conte is now in charge at Napoli.
Despite interest from top clubs, Napoli have so far retained key players Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen.
With no European fixtures, the Naples side could benefit from a lighter schedule, while their rivals juggle domestic and continental commitments.
Fiorentina, on the other hand, have reinforced their squad with goalkeeper David De Gea and striker Moise Kean, aiming to turn their fortunes around and make it third time lucky in their new Conference League campaign.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris)
