We head into Matchday 10 of Serie A this weekend and so far, it’s fair to say the Italian top flight hasn’t disappointed. This week alone we had penalty controversy in a battle between the top two, Juventus sacked their manager at the earliest point since the 60s and small provincial teams keep tearing up the form book. So has there been a star of the season so far?
Christian Chivu was building a strong case until his side lost 3-1 in Naples at the weekend in the aforementioned battle at the top. After a little blip in September, Inter had managed to win 7 on the bounce in all competitions before McTominay, De Bruyne and Anguissa put them back in their box. Their housemates silent but strong start has been sandwiched by two awful results against promoted teams, losing at home to Cremonese on Matchday 1 and then drawing with Pisa on Friday at the San Siro.
Bonazzoli scored a ridiculous opening day goal at the San Siro.
Milan had slowly been building some momentum under the radar including a credible draw at Juve, only prevented a great win with Pulisic’s missed penalty. He had been their star of the season until that point, scoring and assisting in a superb home win over champions Napoli. The two Milan clubs aren’t the only Lombardy clubs enjoying their start to the season (overall)… Como and Cremonese are surprising everyone.
Alright, Como might not be a particular surprise, everyone tipped them to improve on last season’s impressive showing by challenging for Europe. Cesc’s team appear to be pushing the envelope though and sit 5th going into Matchday 10, five points off the top of the league and one point ahead of the Old Lady. Yes, more on Juventus later, but Como and their star boy Nico Paz have been wowing audiences across Italy and Hollywood and are right in the hunt for Champions League football.
Nico Paz is this season’s star boy, no doubt
Two points behind them and having a party is everyone’s favourite to be relegated, Cremonese. The Lombardy side came up in the play off last season and were widely tipped to be enjoying Serie B again next season. The side from the home of violins were playing the World’s smallest ones when they won 2-1 at Milan on their first outing, then promptly beat fellow newboys Sassuolo in Matchday 2. Just when things couldn’t get any better, they signed former Premier League winner Jamie Vardy.
Cremonese have only lost once this season, a 4-1 hiding at the San Siro against Inter, but Jamie Vardy scored his first goal recently and they sit in 8th place above Lazio and Atalanta.
Atalanta, the other Lombardy side in this year’s Serie A, have started slowly. They dominate games as you’ve come to expect of the side from Bergamo but having lost Retegui to Saudi Arabia, had a Lookman who was on strike all summer and with Scamacca perenially injured, they’ve struggled to convert their dominance in matches into goals. In fact Atalanta are the only side still undefeated in the league, but 7 draws and 2 wins tells its own story.
Speaking of steady, a team steadily getting the job done every week is Bologna. Unspectacular, unnoticed and unsurprising – 4 wins and 3 draws have propelled the side from the home of Spag Bol up into 6th and flirting with a return to Europe’s top table. As long as Orsolini stays fit that is. The Bear is joint top scorer in Serie A with Hakan Calhanoglu and has scored more than a third of Bologna’s goals himself.
Not far up the road in Emilia Romagna, Parma have picked up exactly where they left off last season. Superb kits, but unconvincing performances have left them sitting just above the drop zone. For that description, we can bunch in Cagliari and Pisa too. Take away the great kits and we can also class Lecce and Torino in that bracket.
Lazio have been in turmoil. Absolutely skint and banned from signing players by the league as a result things threatened to get away from them this season. Maurizio Sarri returned to the club and very nearly quit within a week, instead choosing to do a press conference moaning about how he wasn’t given the full picture. He steadied the ship, however, and Lazio are delightfully average with 3 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats.
Lazio put the final nail in Igor Tudor’s coffin. The Croatian who made over 100 first team appearances for Juventus was their interim manager last year and got them into the Champions League at the last moment. He then got the gig permanently. Well, for about 3 months. For the first time since 1969 Juventus sacked a manager before November. After a thrilling Derby D’Italia win over Inter, Juve embarked on an 8 game winless run which the rest of Italy found hilarious. Those in Turin were more stoney faced.
Igor Tudor was the first Serie A manager sacked this season
Tudor was sacked, replaced by former national team coach Luciano Spalletti. Spalletti left Napoli as a champion 3 years ago and proclaimed he’d never manage another club side in Italy. He didn’t address this at his unveiling. The Ultras made their feelings perfectly clear after Tudor was given the boot, a banner at the stadium read, “Tudor one of us always, the fish rots from the head”. A cleverly disguised dig at the board in Turin and a sign that there are deeper issues at Juventus.
Joining Tudor in the Job Centre soon could be Genoa’s Patrick Viera and Fiorentina’s Stefano Pioli. Both are winless and according to the fans of each club, massively outstaying their welcome. The San Siro was echoing with cries of “Pioli’s on Fire” on Wednesday night, but not the Milan fans who once sang his name, it was Inter fans mocking their old adversary as they ran riot, winning 3-0.
Roma, by the way, are behind Napoli on just goal difference. Their quietly studious start has been underlined by Gasperini taking over from Ranieri in the summer. Gasperini, a famously defensive coach, master of catenaccio. Wait. No he isn’t. He’s famously gung-ho and defensively irresponsible. In their nine matches so far, Roma have conceded just 4 goals. Five clean sheets in these games underline Roma’s strength despite boasting a forward line that includes Evan Ferguson, Artem Dovbyk, Leon Bailey and Paulo Dybala. In fact, for a team with those players and Gasperini as coach, 10 goals in 9 matches can be considered a poor return. Or will they ominously kick into gear and get better?
A picture of a brick wall
So who’s been the star of Serie A so far this season? It’s hard to choose. And that’s the beauty of the league this season, it’s imperfections. Even the best team has something wrong with it, has a ventilation duct on their Death Star, has a minor flaw. That has left the league wide open and at the (almost) quarter way through stage leaves us with a top 4 separated by only 5 points. The title race in Italy is wide open, and it’s because no one’s perfect.
Football Manager 26 is almost here — and if you’re planning your first save in Italy, you’re spoiled for choice. From fallen giants to modern rebuilds, Calcio is full of stories waiting to be written.
Whether you want a romantic lower-league project or a tactical Serie A test, here are 10 of the best Italian FM26 challenges to kick off your career.
1. Pro Vercelli – Return of the Originals
When football in Italy was still amateur, regional teams mixed with the big boys. Before Juventus or Milan, there was Pro Vercelli — seven-time Italian champions before the First World War.
Now buried in Serie C, they’re the ultimate “fallen giant” challenge. Can you restore the bianchi to their rightful place at the top of Italian football? They were the first to recognise the importance of a good youth academy, you’ll need yours to rebuild this empire!
A romantic, pure Calcio rebuild.
2. Parma – Back to the Glory Days
The club that gave us Buffon, Crespo, Thuram, and Cannavaro… and then collapsed under accusations of massive fraud!
Your goal? Easy… Rebuild the 90s magic at the Stadio Ennio Tardini and bring European nights and domestic trophies back to Parma.
I’ve done it again! Italian football travel man strikes! Inter Milan v Como 1907 at the San Siro, no time off work required, £175 all in. Just waiting for @Ryanair to steal this and post about it 🙄 #fyp#travel#sansiro#inter#calcio @Inter @Como Football Club @Lega Serie A @AngloItalianPod @theitaliansoccerreport @Rino Zaurrini @Luke talks Calcio 🇮🇹⚽️ @Destination Calcio @globalgroundhopper
Few clubs mix passion and personality like Palermo. Now back in Serie B with strong backing, the foundations are there — can you turn the rosanero into southern Italy’s biggest powerhouse?
The club previously uncovered South American gems such as Paulo Dybala, Edinson Cavani and Javier Pastore so get your scouts across to that continent to help your rebuild.
A Sicilian story worth telling.
4. Venezia – The Floating Project
One of world football’s most beautiful clubs — and one of its strangest. The city of canals, fashion, and chaos gives us the best looking kits every time.
Can you build a sustainable Serie A side in Venice while keeping the flair that makes them special?
Beauty and pragmatism collide.
5. Catania – Rise from the Ashes
Financial ruin couldn’t kill Catania’s spirit. They’ve climbed back to Serie C — and the Sicilian derby with Palermo is waiting for your return. Challenge Palermo’s island dominance before challenging Napoli to be kings of the South.
Rebuild, reignite, and reclaim the island.
6. Atalanta – From Underdogs to Empire
Gasperini’s former side have become the model of modern football: smart scouting, tactical flexibility, and flair.
You’ve seen them win the Europa League, can you bag them the big prize?
A masterclass challenge for tactical purists.
7. Bari – The Southern Sleeping Giant
A massive club stuck outside the top flight for too long. With a loyal fanbase and a modern stadium, Bari have everything except success.
Can you bring Serie A football back to Puglia — and maybe a Scudetto with it?
A long-term project with real potential.
8. Fiorentina – Purple Renaissance
A club with history, identity, and heartbreak.
Your mission: deliver their first Serie A title since 1969 and restore the pride of Florence.
Can you make La Viola beautiful and ruthless?
Romantic football meets real pressure.
9. Sampdoria – The Marassi Miracle
From Vialli and Mancini to Serie B despair — it’s been a long fall, much to the amusement of city rivals Genoa.
Bring back the swagger of the 1991 champions and rebuild one of Italy’s most charming clubs.
Genova’s blue half needs a saviour.
10. Como – Money, Lake Views, and Ambition
Scenic lakeside views, celebrity owners, and serious ambition.
With Cesc Fàbregas behind the scenes and investment flowing in, can you turn Como’s glamour into silverware?
Luxury meets legacy.
⚽ Bonus Challenges
Modena – rebuild Emilia’s pride.
Cesena – return a beloved name to the top.
Napoli – defend your crown
Inter – finally secure the Champions League title
Final Word
Football Manager 26 will introduce a new engine, a fresh matchday look, and the long-awaited arrival of women’s football. But some things never change — Italy remains one of the most rewarding and romantic places to manage.
From Pro Vercelli’s dusty trophy cabinet to Como’s modern ambitions, there’s a story for every kind of player.
So you’ve made it this far, you’ve decided you’re going to Milan to watch football. That’s great, you’ve made a fantastic choice. Not only are there two Serie A teams based there, the stadium they share is the most iconic in World football. There’s plenty of other options too, if you want to squeeze as much out of the trip as you can. Flights are cheap from London to Milan and there’s plenty of them available. So here’s the ultimate football fans guide to hanging out in Milan.
Getting Around
Couldn’t be easier in Milan. Depending on your airport there’s a few ways into town. From Malpensa just get on the train that goes from each terminal. They terminate at Centrale, but go through Porta Garibaldi too which is another of the main stations. Tickets are available at the kiosks in the terminal and the station, the machines change languages to make it easier. The train takes around 45 minutes and costs roughly €15.
If you’ve come in to Bergamo then you’re best bet is to take one of the coaches to Milan Centrale. For €10 you get 45-60 minutes sat on an air conditioned coach straight into the centre of Milan. You can also take a bus to Bergamo station, then an hour long train to Milan if you prefer but the coaches are easy enough. You can either pre-purchase tickets in the terminal or buy from the guys at each bus stop.
Taxis are available at both airports but cost around €150 each way to Milan, so I wouldn’t waste my time with them. There is a third airport, Linate, which is a bit like London City. Congratulations if you’ve landed here, you’re rich and flew BA. It’s on the main Metro network in Milan so very easy to the city centre from there.
Trams are clean, tidy and on time… mostly.
Speaking of the Metro, Milan has a really easy to use Metro system. It has 5 lines that all cross over with each other and connect to the vast Tram network too. You can buy an adult three day ticket for around €15 so getting around is so easy and so cheap. Just be a bit careful if visiting before the end of October, there’s major work being done to the tram lines so they’re running slightly odd routes at the moment.
The Metro is clean, well lit and efficient, used by everybody in Milan, it’s a safe and cheap way to get around the city.
Eating and Drinking
So the first thing to highlight is that Milan is really not a “party city” like places such as Prague, Budapest etc. but you can still have a pretty decent night out here. I would head to Isola where there’s a much younger vibe and the bars will be lively and loud. In the summer you can drink just about anywhere that has outside seating and have a nice chilled evening.
Speaking of chilled, in the evening before your meal, get to Navigli. The canal area is served by the M2 at Porta Genova station, and the canals are lined with bars and locals enjoying an aperativo before their dinner. Later at night this becomes a busy and very “cool” area.
Navigli is very chilled in the daytime, and comes alive at night.
Nightlife-wise, head down to Piazza Duomo after dinner. There’s some good clubs and bars in the vicinity of the Duomo, but be expected to pay a little more. More to the point, in the Piazza there will be crowds of people hanging out after a few beers, enjoying the night time views of the Duomo listening to street musicians, very nice vibes.
For food, you can’t really go wrong, this is Italy after all. However, one place we ALWAYS stop by in Milan is Piz! on Via Torino. The pizza place is a short walk from the Duomo and you should get a free glass of Prosecco while you wait as well as a limoncello to finish. The pizza menu consists of two pizzas and one “surprise” pizza. They won’t tell you what it is before it’s served, but you can tell them what you don’t want it to contain!
It’s ridiculously cheap for its quality and location, a plain margherita pizza will set you back around €9 – and it’s massive. Bring your football stickers, downstairs the walls are covered with them.
Piz!
The best advice on eating in Milan is to look a bit further than the end of your nose. If you like Italian food you can’t go wrong in Italy! Avoid eating in any of the major squares and Piazzas, if they have pictures of the food outside the restaurant it’s a red flag. If they have someone stood outside trying to get you in, it’s a red flag. Turn down the side streets, find the little family run place, it’ll be incredible.
It might seem an odd recommendation but if you like Indian there’s a great place near the San Siro which is smashing after a few beers at the football. Take the number 16 tram from the stadium to Via Dolci Via Ricciarelli and you’ll see it in front of you, Namaste Indian Restaurant. It says on Google it’s open until 10:30pm but I think that’s last entry because I’ve been in there after a 9pm kick off before! I know, you should be eating Italian food in Italy but it’s really convenient post match, open late and to be honest, is fantastic food.
Breakfasts are easy enough, again, look for any small family run cafe (there’s millions) and set yourself up with a Cappuccino and a pastry of some sort to experience an Italian breakfast like a true local. I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than €10 for this breakfast in Milan.
Football
So if you’re going to Milan to watch football, you’re probably going to the San Siro to see either Inter or AC. But there’s a million other options that are so convenient. Before we go into that, here’s some advice on doing a San Siro tour. Firstly, definitely do it, it’s well worth it. But secondly, be aware that you can’t do it the day of or the day before a match. The day after I think it’s open, but you won’t be able to get in there on match day or the day before.
So to the other teams, you want a full on Calcio weekender? Can’t go wrong in Milan. Starting in the city of Milan itself, as well as Inter and AC, you have several Serie C teams. Alcione Milan, Inter U23 and Giana Erminio all call Milan home. Well, Giana actually play in Gorgonzola (yes the cheese place), but it’s on the Milan metro at the very end of M2 line.
AS Giani Erminio
Slightly further afield in Serie C you have Lecco (1 hour train) with spectacular views over Lake Como and the mountains from the stadium. In Serie B you have Monza (20 minutes train) and Mantova (1 hour train) all local to Milan and then, of course, in Serie A you also have Como (45 minutes train) up the road. You also have Atalanta playing in Bergamo which is accessed by around 45 minutes from Milan. Interested in Jamie Vardy? Cremonese play in Cremona around an hour’s train from Milan.
You can also end up in Switzerland watching football, I’ve done it before, the train to Chiasso takes around 1 hour from Milan and from there you can either watch Chiasso or SC Balerna if you want to squeeze two countries into your trip.
If you want my recommendation, the trip to Switzerland is good, but be aware of train times, an evening kick off rather than night game is as late as you want to be there. I’ve been to Como and Lecco to watch matches. Both are on different shores of Lake Como and both spectacular. However, you’ll probably struggle for Como tickets and the price of food and drink there isn’t smashing. Lecco offers the same beautiful backdrop while being a more affordable alternative. The town is still really nice and you can have a sunset beer by the lake before walking up to the ground. They also have lively ultras so the atmosphere will be more what you’re looking for.
Lecco
Other than that, Bergamo is beautiful too, but I’d recommend giving that and Atalanta their own trip rather than squeezing it into a Milan trip. I went to Gorgonzola to see Giani Erminia, the stadium is small and quaint, the town quiet but it’s worth a little trip out if you’re a fan of cheese.
Day Trips
We’ve sort of already covered it above with the football but if you’ve had your fill of Milan (and in truth you can see what you need to in two days) then head out of town for a day. Como and Lecco are again going to be two of the more popular choices, given the lake and the beauty of it. However, if you can find your way to Bellagio in between the two you’ll have uncovered a hidden gem. It’s not the easiest accessed place, which is how it remains so uniquely Italian, but it’s accessible the easiest by boat from Como or Varenna.
If walking up hills is more your thing, you need to hit Bergamo. The city is split into the upper city and lower city. And you’ll see why when you’re there. There is a funicular train that goes up to the upper city and that’s where the best food and drink and sights are. It’s a much more chilled and cheaper version of Milan and is a great place to spend the day with less people surrounding you. The train here is around 45 minutes from Milan and costs €6.
What to do in Milan
When you’re actually in Milan if you’re looking for a bit of culture or something to do other than football and drinking, then your next best bet is shopping. Milan is the fashion capital of the World and you’ll find every single designers flagship store here. Head to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Piazza Duomo to marvel at clothes you can’t afford. The Ferrari store is cool if you like large F1 cars hanging from a ceiling.
Ferrari store Milano
Around here as well you’ll find more reasonably priced designers behind the Duomo and down Via Torino is your normal high street brands. My daughter tells me that something called Kiko Milano is around half the price in Milan that it is in the UK so if you have girls, stop off and get a gift!
Other than shopping, history is everywhere in Italy and Milan is no different. Firstly, in the Duomo, a spectacular old cathedral the interior is absolutely magnificent. But as well as going inside, you can go on top of it. The Duomo rooftop gives great views of the Piazza below and most of Milan, take the lift though, it’s worth the extra few euros!
Duomo rooftop
Brera is the neighbourhood to go to if you like things a little trendier than historic. Great food options here as well as nice buildings for a walk around. You can get here on the M2 to Moscova station. Isola as mentioned above is a cooler neighbourhood nearby, think East London. the Bosco Verticale buildings that split the neighbourhoods are worth a quick photo.
If religious artwork is your thing, The Last Supper fresco by Leonardo Da Vinci is at the Santa Maria Della Grazie church near Sant Agostino station. You want to see this, you need to book early. Tickets are released on a monthly basis and go immediately. So much so that after 8 trips to Milan, I’ve still never seen it. Tickets then get gradually re-released so just keep an eye on the website. There’s a number of other Da Vinci themed things to do here too, like his private vineyards.
If you take Via Dante from the Piazza Duomo and walk around ten minutes (plenty of watering holes to break this up) then you’ll end up by the largest Inter Store, but more importantly there’s a big castle and large open air park at the top there. Perfect for a romantic stroll and some Instagrammable pics if you’re combining the football with a trip for the other half!
See if you can spot the flamingos kept in a private garden in the “posh end” of Milan too. Head to Palastro on the Metro and walk to Via Cappuccini, they’re just sat there grazing in a garden there. Quite bizarre.
That’s really it, like I’ve mentioned before, Milan isn’t a party city, nor is it a particularly busy city for tourist attractions. Milan is there to self indulge. The food and drink is great, the shopping is wonderful and the football is the heartbeat. It’s a city I’ve been to many times and each time I come back much more refreshed than when I went, which isn’t true of a lot of city breaks.
Take some time for yourself, do a bit of shopping, a bit of sight seeing, then eat some great food and sip on a cold beer and watch the world go by. All before taking in a match at the San Siro.
There’s been some predictably good performances so far this season from certain players, but there’s been a couple that have surprised the league with their performances. So after 4 games, we’re breaking down the players who’ve put in a few statement performances – keep an eye on them for the rest of the season!
Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)
Probably zero surprise at his performances but the young Turkish star has been instrumental in Juve’s decent start this season. Four matches in the league with one (spectacular) goal and three assists as well as a goal and an assist in Juventus’ first Champions League match this season has started the rumour mill turning. Apparently Arsenal and Real Madrid are both “monitoring his situation” whatever that means.
Yildiz is the main creative threat for the Turin side, with 19 “Shot Creating Actions” in his 4 matches. Direct running, long shots and a keen eye for a pass, he scored a crucial goal against bitter rivals Inter in the Derby D’Italia turning and firing home from 30 yards out. He’s picked up the player of the month award for August and is a safe bet to do the same in September too. There’ll be a lot of money sniffing around Yildiz if he carries on this form.
Nico Paz (Como)
Again, no real surprise we’re talking about Nico Paz. The 21 year old Argentinian arrived in Lombardy from Real Madrid and looks set to return their next season for a paltry €10m(ish), thanks to a buy back clause. So vital is he to Como’s success that they turned down a €70m offer from Tottenham this summer just to keep him for one more year.
Paz scored a quite magnificent free kick in the season opening victory against Lazio and topped that with a filthy turn and through ball for his assist (check it out below). He also bagged in the 1-1 draw with Genoa and provided both assists in the 2-1 win at Fiorentina. Inter were interested in the summer but his future lies outside of Italy in a much richer league. Real Madrid seems the likely destination, just enjoy this lad while he’s still around.
Luka Modric (AC Milan)
Surely at 40 years old Modric was finished and wouldn’t be surprising anyone this season? Well, after a somewhat shaky start in the defeat to Cremonese – the team were worse than he was – Luka Modric has settled into a rhythm in Allegri’s team as they storm up the table. He provided his first assist in his second game, with a sublime corner nodded home by Loftus-Cheek and followed that with the only goal of the game against Bologna.
He didn’t provide any goals or assists in the 3-0 demolition of Udinese but was a reassuringly controlled influence in Milan’s midfield. Luka Modric is clearly still a top level talented playmaker averaging just over 72 passes per match with 92% completion rate.
Francesco “Pio” Esposito(Inter)
No goals or assists yet for the Inter Milan youngster but he’s here for a reason. For the oldest squad in the league again this season, his youthful exuberance is most welcomed in an Inter side trying to find an identity under a new coach. The 20 year old first impressed in the Club World Cup with a goal and assist and then frustratingly was limited to cameo performances at the start of this campaign.
Pio scored 20 goals for Spezia on loan in Serie B last season.
An injury to Lautaro, however, appeared to open the door to him and he was in impressive form against Ajax in the Champions League in his first start. Bullying an experienced backline, holding up the play well and creating for the players around him, he also could’ve scored twice himself. He followed this up with an impressive 77 minutes against Sassuolo in which he started the move that led to Dimarco’s goal and again could’ve scored twice – denied brilliantly on one occasion by Muric. He left the pitch to a standing ovation from the San Siro.
It’s only a matter of time before he scores one and then I’d expect to see a run of goals for the youngster, Inter fans should enjoy him while he wants to stick around!
Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)
English football fans may be surprised to see Pulisic here. Despite scoring fairly regularly at Chelsea he was never welcomed into the hearts of Chelsea fans. But in Milan he’s found a home and this season seems to be on a one man mission to drag Milan into a title race. Largely tipped to be outside the challengers this season, Pulisic’s 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 matches have helped to fire them up the table.
There’s no doubt Pulisic has possessed the talent to post these numbers, but has he had the mentality or mindset? He took a summer off from USA action, earning him heavy criticism at home but it’s paid off and if he takes that form into the World Cup next summer, I’m not sure the Americans will care about this summer.
He’s Milan’s main goal threat and will need to keep this up if they’re to challenge for a 20th Scudetto and join Inter with two stars on their shirt.
Nikola Krstovic
I think when Atalanta lost Retegui this summer and appointed Juric boss after his disastrous Roma and Southampton spells, many fans feared the worst in Lombardy. The replacement for Retegui was to be Nikola Krstovic from Lecce. He managed to bag 12 times in a poor team but expectation was low.
We didn’t see much of Krstovic on our trip to Bergamo but since then he’s managed to score twice and provide three assists including two in the 4-1 win over his former club Lecce. He’s among the leaders for combined goals and assists so far in Serie A this season and Atalanta fans will be hoping this out-of-the-gate form will continue!
So there you have it, that’s our players of the season so far, after 4 matches. Who have we overrated? Who have we missed? What have we got wrong? Let us know in the comments below!
In October 2024 I walked out of the San Siro after Inter had surrendered a 4-2 lead against Juventus to draw the Derby D’Italia. What had I just witnessed? The match was insane, two of the top teams in a top 5 league going hammer and tongs to win a game of football. And so early in the season. A stark contrast from the recent Premier League “big matches” we’ve seen, cagey 0-0 draws or scrappy 1-0 wins. The best league in the World doesn’t always deliver where its headline matches are concerned.
As I settled down after that match, I settled my mind on the opinion that this was just a great game. A one-off spectacular. We wouldn’t see it again would we?
Going into this first international break of the season as an Inter fan I was dreading the derby. Inter were too unpredictable, too fragile, they were playing a Juve team who seemed to start with a steely determination. The only thought in my head was meek defeat. A 2-0 or 3-0 had already been accepted in my head and the mood at Inter Club London – where I took in the game – was not much different.
And so it was in the 14th minute of the game when Lloyd Kelly – much maligned in his short Juve career – expertly steered home a half volley into the bottom of Sommer’s goal. Here we go again, Inter just aren’t up to it this season, is Chivu the wrong choice? But the fickleness of football fans – myself included – was exposed when Inter fought back into the game. Inter were looking for redemption and they found it through a man looking for his own redemption story in an Inter shirt. Hakan Calhanoglu had left the club in the summer. “Injured” throughout the Club World Cup in the summer while his agent touted him around Turkey looking for a return, he was the subject of Lautaro’s ire after defeat to Fluminense. He responded with his own angry statement, Milan fans said “I told you so” and he was to leave.
But after Galatasaray couldn’t agree a fee since signing Osimhen, Calha was going to have to stay put. Cue a statement professing his desire to work hard for Inter, some staged photos with Lautaro and he was integrated back into the squad. To his credit, there was no Isak or Wissa behaviour, he showed a willingness to play at Inter – now he was stuck here.
And so to the 30th minute on Saturday evening, he swept home decisively on his left foot, Di Gregorio probably could’ve done better but Hakan was back. Inter fans were in delirium and the summer antics were forgotten. This was suddenly a contest.
For a few minutes anyway. Kenan Yildiz is in my FantaCalcio team and he justified his selection with yet another outrageous goal. Smashing home into the bottom corner from around 25-30 yards out. Again, there’s a question mark over the goalkeeping, but wouldn’t that just be a bit of bitterness? Let’s take nothing away from a World Class strike from the young Turk, surely now on the radar of Europe’s top clubs.
When the half time whistle went, the fans at Inter Club London were breathless, but optimistic. “We’re playing well, it just needs to be better in both boxes” was the prevailing opinion. With the beers restocked for the second half, Inter drew first blood, the man on a mission Hakan Calhanoglu went and bettered his first strike with a stunning chest and volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Absolute pandemonium in the Inter Club. Not one mention of summer transfer sagas. I guess it goes to show, if you show up and do your job, most transgressions can be forgiven. Maybe when the dust settles there’ll be a conversation to be had, but at that moment, he was a god amongst men.
With Juve reeling, Inter stepped on the accelerator. A dominant spell had resulted in a goal, and they weren’t done. They could smell blood. Like the biscione that adorned their badge during the late 80s they bit back at Juve again.
Marcus Thuram rose highest from a corner and nodded into the net. Let me tell you, if Thuram’s own celebration was muted, the supporters at Inter Club London were not. This was the closest I’ve ever seen to a match atmosphere in a pub. Legs and arms were flying everywhere. Inter led their most bitter rival 3-2, there was only 15 minutes to play. Surely the most improbable of victories was beckoning. Surely?
Expectation is the enemy of joy isn’t it. It took 6 minutes for Marcus Thuram’s younger brother to equalise for Juve. A silly foul given away by Bastoni, an unmarked player in the box and Inter had handed the momentum back to their arch rivals. “Merda” cries all over the pub. What was an expectation of victory became the hope of a draw. Fingernails were being chewed to the bone. Hair being pulled out. Eyes covered.
As we entered stoppage time you can’t help but think, “well a draw isn’t so bad actually”. Sure it’s annoying to blow a 3-2 lead but a point away to Juventus, it’s alright. That is until teenager Adzic announced himself to Italy and the world with a remarkable strike from some 30-35 yards out. What on Earth he was doing shooting remains a mystery, the easy ball was out to the right to build a move. But for some reason the young lad, with next to no backlift, decided to send a powerful effort towards Yann Sommer’s goal. There’s a few questions for Inter stopper to answer given he gets a big hand to the ball, but again, you should just be applauding the spectacular strike. I’ve never been in a room as full as the one I was in Saturday night that was completely stoney silent. Not a sound. A single “Merda” broke the silence eventually.
There’s all kinds of analysis that can be done after a game like that. You can look again at both sides mentality, Worlds apart, you can study the decisions made in the Inter Milan defence. I’ll leave that to the football experts, I deal in emotion. Once I’d picked myself up from the floor, downed three more pints and then thought about the match I had one overriding thought. What a game.
It has everything. Redemption for Calha, world class strikes, brothers in opposing sides, two fairly novice managers battling with big clubs, end to end football, young players announcing themselves in the best way possible and one man’s march towards a definite future Ballon D’Or. This was the advert Serie A needed. Derided by some as a “has been league”, this game showcased the exact opposite. It was exciting, it swung both ways, the lead changed hands and it was the younger stars on the pitch who shone the brightest.
I haven’t seen a La Liga or Premier League that exciting in years. The next day I watched Man City easily despatch their city rivals United in a no contest. A week before I barely stayed awake as Liverpool edged past Arsenal 1-0. I know there’s more money at stake in England, it makes those games much tighter. I know they’re probably better “tactical battles”. But I’m not after that, I’m looking to be excited. I’m after Pazza Inter. And they’re back.
When Jamie Vardy arrived in Cremona, he probably had no idea of the Stradivari family and the musical instrument that bares their name. The Stradivarius violins are famous the World over for the quality of sound they produce but I would imagine the only Stradivarius that Vardy is familiar with is the racehorse that won three Ascot Gold Cups.
Maybe I’m doing Vardy a disservice, but the bemused way he posed next to a violin in his new Cremonese shirt leads me to believe I’m right. But Vardy isn’t here to sell violins, he’s here to score goals and save Cremonese from relegation. That statement might seem like an odd one to anyone looking at the current Serie A standings. Cremonese sit third with two wins from two, including a spectacular 2-1 win away to Milan at the San Siro.
Among the celebratory scenes and wild celebrations from the fans when Vardy arrived, there is one man not so keen for his arrival. Manuel De Luca wore the number 9 shirt for the first two games this season and despite his 93rd minute winning penalty against Sassuolo, he’s been cut from the Cremonese squad to make way for Vardy. There’s no suggestion this has caused any sort of rift behind the scenes at the Lombardy club, but it adds to the pressure to perform that Vardy will feel from the moment he takes to the pitch.
Pressure that he’s sure he can deal with. In his unveiling press conference (in the violin museum) he was defiant when asked about being just a marketing ploy, “It is up to me to disprove the predictions. Age is just a number. I always listen to my legs. At the moment I still feel great. During the summer I wanted to show on social media that I was keeping myself in the best possible shape and coming back to training with the team was incredible. Training is going very well.”
For the time being nothing can dampen the enthusiasm of the Grigiorossi fans, excited to see their new man in action. Expectation is high in Cremona for a striker capped 26 times by England and who scored 200 goals in 500 games, winning the Premier League and FA Cup. One thing I noticed watching Cremonese beat Sassuolo two weeks ago was the speed in which they got the ball forward in transition. Going from absorbing pressure to the other end of the pitch very quickly, they should have held more than a 2-0 lead when Sassuolo eventually started fighting back.
Vardy will provide the pace at the top end of the pitch that suits this counter attacking stance, but he’ll also provide clinical finishing that will be key if Cremonese are going to take more points off the big boys. They were wasteful against Sassuolo but got away with it thanks to facing another wasteful relegation candidate. They won’t get the chance to be so profligate in front of goal against the likes of Inter, Juventus or Napoli. Even the next block of teams like Roma, Lazio, Fiorentina will punish their profligacy.
Jamie Vardy is no stranger to the need for efficiency, last year Leicester were woeful, abject and well beaten every week. But the 38 year old still managed to bag 9 times during this disaster of a season for the Foxes. Whatever Serie A can throw at him, Vardy will think he’s seen it all before, this is a player that was playing in English football’s 5th tier at semi-professional level only 3 years before making his England debut.
The only “new one” on him will likely be lining up alongside a player who is the Great Grandson of the country’s former Fascist Dictator from World War Two. Yes, Vardy’s team mate on the right wing (yes, really) is Romano Floriani Mussolini. He goes by Floriani and insists that his name is only a distraction for other people and not himself, but the young winger on loan from Lazio is highly rated in Italy. His direct running and pace caused problems for Sassuolo when he was introduced and he won the penalty that De Luca tucked away before being promptly withdrawn from the squad to make way for Vardy.
Manuel De Luca isn’t the only thing gone from Cremonese though, season tickets have now sold out since Vardy signed with over 10% of the population of Cremona now having one. And don’t even try and get a Cremonese shirt for a few months, they’ve sold out too. You can still buy them online, but there’s no sign of a delivery date.
Vardy is a man known for his controversial and provocative celebrations and in this small corner of the Po Valley they’ll be hoping he can hit the right notes and play the World’s smallest violin to Cremonese’s opponents this season…
Last Monday as I walked out of the San Siro, I was relaxed about Inter’s season ahead. They’d just stuffed Torino 5-0, could’ve had many more and it looked as though the title race might actually be a race this season. Inter were dynamic, aggressive, purposeful and every player on the pitch wanted to be out there doing their best. Last night it all changed.
It seemed strange that Calhanoglu was instantly back in the team given his and his agent’s performance over the summer. There was a line drawn under all that apparently and he wanted to be here and fight for the team. Now, I should preface this with the disclosure that I’m not, in fact, a top level European Elite Coach. But one thing I do know about football, is that you don’t change a team that won 5-0 if you can avoid it.
The decision to drop Mkhitaryan – looking much rejuvenated last week – was an odd one, especially to shoehorn in a player who hasn’t had much of a pre-season (if any). It showed last night, from the off Inter were slower, much more passive in possession, lethargic and predictable. It brought back sudden memories of the Roma and Lazio matches at the end of last season.
Despite this they made the breakthrough, Denzel Dumfries firing home from a yard out after some good work by Marcus Thuram. Udinese to this point hadn’t offered much at all and it seemed like Inter may get away with it and slink into the international break with 6 points. Then Udinese woke up. They were very quickly awarded a VAR intervened penalty. For what it’s worth, for me, it seemed a harsh award. Dumfries’ arm is tucked in to his body and the ball comes from less than a yard away, I’m not sure what he’s supposed to do there, he’s not gaining an advantage. That said, the penalty is given and you have to deal with it.
Englishman Keinan Davis tucked it away and Inter immediately melted. They were outplayed, out thought and out fought for the rest of the first half that saw Davis assist a quite magnificent Atta goal. Inter looked shell shocked when the half time whistle went, they looked like the team that trudged off the pitch in Munich after a 5-0 whalloping by PSG.
Inter were better in the second half last night, but they didn’t do enough. Too many sideways passes, not enough movement in forward areas. Chivu tried to fix the issue with numbers, chucking players on the pitch in forward positions that seemed to just complicate things. Lautaro was quiet, both in his performance but also his voice. There was no rallying call issued on the pitch. In a stadium without the support and driving force of the Curva Nord, Inter needed leaders on the pitch, they were lacking.
The truth is, offside goals aside, they never looked like equalising let alone winning this match. They exposed their weaknesses for all to see, it’s their mindset. A supremely talented group of players, there’s no doubt about this. When things are going well, they go very well, but when they go wrong, they go very wrong.
There’s clearly a lot of trauma from that night in Munich, but also from the way they threw away an almost certain Scudetto. After Napoli limped towards the finish line, Inter only had to beat Lazio at home and Como away and they were over the line. Pedro’s late equaliser at the San Siro for Lazio handed Napoli an advantage that they clung on to.
During their 2024 title win they were “mentality monsters”. The Champions League Round of 16 defeat to Atleti seemed to galvanise the team, it hardened their focus as they went on a spectacular run in Serie A. They won 6 straight Milan derbies, they beat Juventus in a tense and tough battle at the San Siro and they only lost two games all season – both to Sassuolo – with an unbelievable defensive record to boot.
Where is that mindset now? PSG battered them 5-0 a mere week after they lost the Scudetto to Napoli and within a couple of days the Father of this Inter, Simone Inzaghi packed his bags and went to earn €30m a year in Saudi Arabia. Inter then scrambled for a coach and Chivu stepped in to the role of Step Dad to this team.
And that’s what Inter look like, a group of players who are still a little dazed. A little unsure. Are they able to trust again, do they want to allow themselves to love this new person in their life or will they be hurt again? They looked leggy and confused in the Club World Cup this summer, but it all seemed to go away last week.
Against Torino, Inter were exorcising their demons it seemed. Brilliantly passionate on the pitch, everything was going to be ok. One swallow doesn’t make a summer, however, and the win against Torino was swiftly followed by that massively disappointing second album against Udinese.
In the same way Inter fans shouldn’t have got too high after one game, this defeat shouldn’t get them too low, but we football fans are a fickle bunch and it’s easier to see the negatives than the positives in your own team.
These players will now travel the World for two weeks playing for their various national teams, before returning to Serie A action next Saturday against Juventus in Turin. Inter need to find some mental strength before that game, or it could be another blood bath…
The games come thick and fast at the start of the season, the last matchday was complete on Monday at 11pm and today at 5:30pm Matchday 2 gets underway. An international break follows this weekend so all the teams will be looking to go into the gap with points on the board. All twenty teams play before Monday and while there’s a lot going on, we’ve picked out three matches to keep an eye on…
Cremonese v Sassuolo – Friday 17:30 BST
After Bonazzoli’s spectacular winner at the San Siro last week, Cremonese are rightly buzzing right now. I don’t think anyone tipped them to stay up, despite the presence of survival expert and Italian Big Sam, Davide Nicola. However, they potentially can be sitting on 6 points from 6 by the time you tuck into your pasta tonight. Considering that from 2022 onwards, 31-36 points keeps you up, they’d have taken a big stride towards safety going into the international break.
Sassuolo on the other hand were the pick of the pundits (including myself) to stay up from the promoted sides. They were poor against Napoli, barely laying a glove on the Champions. Now, granted, Napoli were good – but they weren’t spectacular, barely getting out of second gear. Sassuolo will feel disappointed they couldn’t do more with home advantage in that game and suddenly the pressure is on this match. They don’t want to hit that break on zero points and an away match against a fellow promoted team might seem ideal on the face of it, but Cremonese will be pumped here.
You never can tell with Serie A, this one could end up a tense, nervy 0-0 – or it could be an all out punching match and finish 2-2. Either way, I’m predicting a fascinating, if not overwhelmingly brilliant affair.
Fancy a bet? I like both teams to score here at 4/5, I think there’s good value in that given Sassuolo have a strong attack but holes at the back.
Parma v Atalanta – Saturday 17:30 BST
This may seem like an odd choice on the face of it, but I’m still fascinated to see how these two new manager get on as the season goes on. Carlos Cuesta joined Parma this summer after spending some time as Mikel Arteta’s assistant at Arsenal. However, he didn’t demonstrate that controlled attacking game in Parma’s first outing. Ok, they were away at Juve but they were so negative it prompted Juve boss Igor Tudor to say, “Parma were quite old-fashioned in their tactics, almost Catenaccio defending”.
You’d expect them to be more open at home, especially against a side not considered as strong as Juventus. It’s going to be fascinating to see how they cope having lost Giovanni Leoni to Liverpool, Ange-Yoan Bonny to Inter, Dennis Man to PSV and Simon Sohm to Fiorentina.
Atalanta on the other hand, were dominant in their game against Pisa last week, attacking almost from the first whistle to the last, but ultimately failed to win thanks to an avoidable own goal and a combination of the woodwork and Pisa’s goalkeeper. They themselves lost big attacking talent this summer with last season’s Capocannoniere Mateo Retegui heading to Saudi Arabia and Ademola Lookman still on strike somewhere after trying to force a move to Inter.
They’ll be pleased, then, that Gianluca Scamacca (once of West Ham) is back fit and scoring. He took his goal well Sunday and was unlucky not to add more, Atalanta certainly suffered when he was withdrawn. Their own new man in the dugout Ivan Juric will be judged quickly after his last two jobs at Roma and Southampton were disasters, but he has proved himself previously with Verona and Torino.
If we see a winner in this game, that coach will be going into the break fairly content with the other already fearing the worst. A draw helps neither team.
Fancy a bet? I like Atalanta to win at evens, think they should have enough to overcome Parma.
Three matches to keep your eye on this weekend in @Lega Serie A! We’ve picked out the matches we’ll be following along with on Matchday 2. All are available on @DAZNFootball #calcio#cremonese#parmacalcio#pisa
Serie A football is back at Pisa after a short 34 year absence. The Garibaldi will be buzzing on Saturday night and if Pisa score it might just bring that tower down. Their fans need to make home matches a problem for any visiting teams if they’re to stand any chance of being in Serie A next season.
They were lucky to get away from Atalanta on Sunday with a point, although they worked hard and did have moments on the break. They’ll need to be significantly more clinical in future matches, including this one where they’ll come under sustained pressure from Roma.
Roma were fairly dominant last week in their opening day win over Bologna. Evan Ferguson impressed on his debut that some fans on X were suggesting they’d uncovered a Batistuta like forward. Perhaps a bit early for that, but he was a handful and would feel he should’ve score at least once with the chances he created. Leon Bailey is still injured, but with Dovbyk, Dybala, Soule and Kone all available they should have enough to see off a stubborn Pisa on Saturday night.
Watch this game for the atmosphere Pisa will create, it might just inspire the team to do something unpredictable, but it’s hard to see past a Roma win.
Fancy a bet? I fancy Evan Ferguson to get his first in Serie A and at 6/4 anytime scorer he has a bit of value too.
Fed up of trying to be sensible and predict some actual things that could happen, I’m allowing myself a bit of fun. Get ready, because it’s time for some HOT TAKES! The only issue is, this is Italy and it very well could end up happening anyway…
Roma and Milan in Scudetto tussle
Yes that’s right folks, these two have probably had the best window going this summer and I’m calling it now. Boniface and Ferguson will battle it out for the Capocannoniere while the two teams fight it out for the Scudetto. It’s happening, get on board, a titanic struggle between two teams determined to outscore each other. Both to score 80+ goals.
Conte doesn’t make it to November
He very nearly didn’t make it to June as Napoli manager and with his known history of tanking in European competition it’s going to take a poor start in Europe and Lukaku’s injury to see him combust. The inevitable clash of heads happens with De Laurentiis in mid-October and by November he’s gone. Might even back him as first to be sacked…
Inter finish 8th with three manager this season
I think Inter are slightly more fragile than most pundits expect. Everyone has us challenging the title again, but based on the last two months of last season and the inexperienced Chivu I don’t expect that. They’ll start poorly, Chivu goes, replaced by another cheap option “just to get through the next two months” and then guess what? They get worse and Mourinho is in place by the end of the season. A late derby win sees him shushing the whole stadium as Inter storm to 8th.
All three promoted teams stay up
Let’s face it, Cagliari, Udinese, Lecce and Verona are all in trouble and the grit and determination the promoted sides will show will see them ok. Then it’s a 4 way battle to see who goes down out of existing Serie A teams. I can’t call it, but I reckon we’ll see all three stay up, this isn’t England after all.
The rest of the Scottish national team sign for Serie A teams
Speaking of Britain, there’s now more Scots in Italy than there are in Glasgow. The remaining members of the national team start popping up in Serie A teams between now and the end of the window and during January. Remember at school when that one kid got his ear pierced and then everyone suddenly had a piercing? That’s what Scott McTominay has done to Serie A Presidents.
Calciopoli II breaks
Let’s face it, we’re only ever weeks away from some other form of scandal breaking, but this time it’s the FIGC colluding with all other Italian teams to make sure that Inter can’t buy anyone from other Serie A sides. How else can we explain the ridiculous pursuits of Lookman, Kone and Leoni and then the relative speed in which a deal was done with a French team. Can’t wait for the Netflix documentary.
Conclusion
Get ready for another bizarre and surreal season of Calcio in Italy. It’s why we’re all here, for the chaos. I’m sure that everything here sounded ridiculous when I wrote it, but when I reflect on it for next season I’ll be amazed by how much was correct!
Casual football fan? Love football but don’t follow it in Italy? Italy fan but not following football? There’s many reasons you might have for wanting to choose a Serie A team to follow this season, and with the season just 2 days away, here’s your guide to selecting what team to follow from now on in Italy’s top tier…
Atalanta
Were you a fan of Southampton’s feel good relegation? Where they just about avoided being the worst team in Premier League history? Well have a guess where the manager Ivan Juric is now… That’s right folks, Ivan Juric is in charge in Bergamo and all set to dazzle us. He was sacked from Roma last season too by the way, so don’t expect brilliant football or even results. Star man Ademola Lookman is on strike because he wasn’t allowed to go to Inter.
Atalanta did win the Europa League a couple of years back but that team is largely broken up now. You should follow Atalanta if you’re a fan of “almost” teams, given their propensity to threaten a title challenge without ever delivering. But they play in Bergamo, a beautiful city with an airport serviced by Ryanair from London for not a lot of money. Ideal for a quick weekend jaunt… Oh, and their away kit is magnificent.
Bologna
Bolognese fan? Then this is your team! But seriously, after their charge to the Champions League a few years ago people know a bit more about this lot. They then promptly lost the best players who got them there. Consider them the Aston Villa/Newcastle of Italy. They’re decent, will take points off the big boys here and there, but then the big boys will take their best players after a Top 6 finish.
Again, lovely city, great food, cheap flights from London. The kit’s alright too…
Cagliari
Ah the islanders… Cagliari is on Sardinia so it’s by the sea and often bathed in sunshine. If that’s your sort of thing then this article reached somewhere other than England. If you’re a fan of telling everyone about the legendary players that were produced at your club throughout history then this is your team. Current Azzurri star Nicolo Barella started here, right through to Azzurri legend Gigi Riva. Ramon Vega and Gianfranco Zola also played here. They’ll be in a relegation scrap for most of the season so only those with no heart conditions please…
Como
Billionaire? Film Star? Model? Then look no further. The richest club in Italy, probably top ten in the World, on the banks of the beautiful Lake Como. Italy’s Monte Carlo are stamping their authority on the league with a dynamic young coaching staff and even more dynamic and young players. They finished 10th last season and are eyeing Europe this time around. And if you go over there, you’ll definitely see someone famous in the stands. This is the team for you if you holiday in Dubai just to be seen. Get behind their project or don’t bother!
Cremonese
Remember when Bolton were in the Premier League? Enjoyed it? Then this is your team. Sneaking up thanks to a play off win over Spezia, managed by Italy’s answer to Big Sam – Davide Nicola. He has a phenomenal record of keeping teams up, having never been relegated despite several looking nailed on when he took over.
Cremonese beat Derby County in the 1993 Anglo Italian cup final. And further back in their history, they once had Italy’s best goalkeeper but Giovanni Zini lost his life in World War I and the stadium was named after him. Speaking of famous wartime names, Mussolini’s great-grandson plays here so if you’ve just signed up to Jeremy Corbyn’s new party, this might not be your team.
Don’t hold that against Romano Floriani Mussolini, he’s just here to play, his great-aunt is Sophia Loren, if that endears the Mussolini name any more?
They won’t be pretty, but they’ll be functional. Fans of Sean Dyche’s Everton great escapes and general underdogs, this is your team. Get stuck in with them!
Fiorentina
Nintendo fans of the World unite! The iconic 90s Fiorentina shirt sponsored by Nintendo makes this the team for the gamers. Europe’s nearly men, losing two Europa Conference finals in a row before losing a semi final a year later. Read any Dan Brown books? If so then most of what he talks about happened in Florence. Or maybe you’re a fan of viral sandwich shops, All’Antico Vinaio is here… Or maybe you just really like purple.
Fiorentina have had some great players pass through the doors including Gabriel Batistuta, they currently have the number one Italy striker Moise Kean and are perennial challengers for a European place. Man Utd fans would be pleased to see David De Gea enjoying a new lease of life here.
Genoa
English Calcio fans should be all over this one then. Genoa were founded by an English guy and are still called the Genoa Cricket and Football Club. Not only that but they have released a simply MAGNIFICENT away strip this season which is essentially a large St George’s Cross.
Do you need any other reason to support them? Ok well they were the first ever champions of Italy. In fact they won 6 of the first 7 Italian Championships. Oh, and Arsenal fans take note, Patrick Vieira is their manager. No brainer for the patriotic English Calcio fan.
Hellas Verona
What do you want me to say? I don’t think anyone in Italy even knows too much about Hellas Verona. I mean, Verona is a beautiful place, if you’re a fan of Shakespeare then you might know that Romeo and Juliet was set here. Ok then, there you go, if you’re a fan of nice cities, romance and need to take the Mrs on a romantic trip, be a Verona fan. You’ll get some brownie points by taking her here and you can see some football. If you are a woman, then just tell your man you want to go watch Verona, we do whatever women want mostly.
Inter
Only those with the highest footballing IQ. Alright fine, I’ll put my bias away. Fan of nearly being great but throwing it away at the last moment? Support Inter. Amazingly, Inter have the second most amount of titles in Italian history and are the second most successful team in European competition from Italy. They came second twice in the league in the last 4 years, came second in the Supercoppa and Champions League last season.
So there you have it, if you like a team that’s quite good but you don’t want to be an all out glory hunter, Inter Milan is the team for you. Some other reasons why I like them – cheap flights from London to Milan daily, easy to get tickets, iconic stadium, iconic kits, R9.
Juventus
Ok, now I need to keep my bias aside and not be horrible about Juventus. By far the most successful team in Italian domestic history. If you choose to overlook things like the Calciopoli scandal in which they were relegated then good for you. To be fair, during this time some true legends were born at the club when the likes of Buffon and Del Piero stayed despite their relegation.
Some of the World’s all time greats graced the turf in Turin, with Zidane, Nedved, Platini, Buffon, Henry, Del Piero and Pirlo all plying their trade in Northern Italy for a time. Support if you like Man City, successful but always with that whiff of “is this legal” about it…
Lazio
Romanticists for the early noughties “Calcio is king” era will remember their great Sven inspired team winning the Scudetto and UEFA Cup Winners Cup. The classic kits from that era worn by Vieri, Mancini, Nedved, Salas and Nesta are enough to inspire nostalgia in anyone.
Be careful going to Lazio games if you’re not a fan of very right wing politics though, their Ultras are… feisty… and one of the most famous images of Paolo Di Canio is from this school. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Google him, it’s like the 5th image. But this isn’t a political blog and I don’t really care about that, so head to Lazio if you like blue shirts, moderately successful nostalgia and you’re in Rome.
Lecce
Lecce lost a pre-season friendly to the United Arab Emirates national team. In 1976 they beat Scarborough in the final of the Anglo-Italian Cup. Antonio Conte and Graziano Pelle came through their youth academy to make it big (and fairly big). Yellow and Red stripes on their kit makes them a little hard to watch (personally) but they play their home games in Lecce, which is in the heel of the boot of Italy, which is gorgeous. So if there’s a chance of you doing some tourist stuff there, adopt them now as your team and end up at their games.
I expect they’ll be heavily in the relegation battle this season (again), so if you’re an underdog follower then get at it! Also, their left back is Irish, Corrie Ndaba has just moved to Lecce from Kilmarnock.
Milan
Hungry for more nostalgia? Milan had a bloody brilliant squad in the noughties. They had a few before that too, the 80/90s were magnificent there too, but for people of my vintage that team that Liverpool somehow beat in 2005 was ridiculous. Crespo, Shevchenko, Kaka, Pirlo, Seedorf, Maldini, Nesta, Cafu.. the list goes on.
Italy’s most successful team in Europe by some distance, and the third most successful domestically. Last season was a bit of a joke, but they’ve made smart moves this summer and I expect they’ll surprise a few people. American? Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic are here. General fan of beautiful football? Luka Modric is now here.
Truth is, if you aren’t already supporting Milan then you’re probably not going to now, but if you want to jump in to Italian football, this is one of the giants of the game, support them and you’ll get to celebrate trophies.
Napoli
Glory Hunter? They’re the current defending champions. Other than that, this is where pizza was apparently invented. Neapolitan pizza is still famous around the World and definitely did come from here.
If you’re English, probably not the team for you, Diego Maradona is a God here and the stadium is still named after him and we don’t like him after that time he cheated in 1986. However, if you’re a fan of pure, all out passion, then you can’t go wrong here. Scots will love it since Ballon D’Or nominee Scott McTominay is on his way to legend status here, and that whole Maradona connection.
Home to three beautiful kits this season, as well as Kevin De Bruyne and managed by Antonio Conte, there’s a lot to like in Naples. I just don’t because I’m an English Inter fan.
Parma
Love Oasis? Wear bucket hats? Right on board this 90s nostalgia train that’s coursing through the World right now? Then come to Parma. Not only will you be well fed with cheese and ham, but the 90s nostalgia is big here! UEFA Cup winners in 1995 and 1999, Cup Winners Cup winners in 1993, Super Cup winners in 1994, Coppa Italia winners in 1992 and 1999 and Serie A runners up in 1997. This club craves the 90s more than your Dad at the Oasis reunion.
There’s a whole history to this team, including their bankruptcy and revival in the noughties. Read that here.
Another one for underdog fans here. Or fans of towers built incorrectly. Pisa stormed through Serie B for most of last season before stumbling over the line in second. Their manager then promptly left for more money elsewhere. Yes, Pippo Inzaghi replicated his brother in leaving his club at the end of the season. They haven’t spent a lot, nor does anyone expect them to stay up. But strange things happen in Italy. Support them if you’re a fan of beautiful cities and lovely blue and black kits.
The fans are passionate here, so any matchday will provide a great craic.
Roma
The eternal city, the lovely retro kit, the magnificent third strip this season. There’s a lot to like about Roma this season. Ranieri left at the end of last season having rescued them from a potential relegation battle with 2 defeats in 25. He became a Director and the attack minded Gasperini is in charge here. They’ve signed Leon Bailey and Evan Ferguson from English clubs, so there’s some home interest to follow here too.
I expect they’ll shock a few people, but above all else, if you know anything about Italian football you’ll know Francesco Totti is one of the best to ever do it and he spent his whole career here. A great choice for the casual viewer to root for this season.
Sassuolo
Josh Doig moved to Italy when he was only a teenager and is about to start his 5th season over in Italy at Sassuolo, his second club there. Another reason for Scottish fans to pay an interest. Not just this though, but they launched easily the best kit this season (for me). They were perennial strugglers last time out in Serie A but having swept everyone in Serie B, I expect them to have a bit more about them this season, they’ll be down near the bottom but I don’t think they’ll go down. Sassuolo is the industrial centre of Emilia Romagna so it’s unlikely you’ll be visiting by accident, but it’s easily accessible by train from Parma or Bologna, so double match weekend could be on…
Torino
Grande Torino were one of the greatest teams in Italian history, providing 10 out of the Azzurri’s 11 players in the 40s and spending years unbeaten. They were tragically and abruptly stopped in their tracks, however, in the Superga disaster when their plane crashed and everyone on board died.
Remembered every year by pilgrimages up the mountain to the site, Torino and their fans offer a certain dignity to Italian football. One of the great teams of all time in Calcio came from Torino, and so did one of Calcio’s greatest tragedies. This is a club bursting with history and constantly threatening to challenge for Europe and some domestic trophies. See also, magnificent kits and Scottish players.
Udinese
Another team with Scottish talent. Lennon Miller has just signed here from Motherwell, a very highly regarded talent in Scottish and European football. Won the 1978 Anglo-Italian cup over Bath City. You may recognise them from early noughties European pursuits featuring Antonio Di Natale.
Fans of Black and White stripes will certainly appreciate their kit and their location in Udine near the Slovenian border will appeal to fans of the multi-country trip. Alexis Sanchez also played here for a time before Barcelona took him to Spain. Don’t expect any trees being pulled up next season, but they usually provide entertainment.
The Calcio Blog 