As Serie A kicks off, Inter sit in pole position but the chase to catch them could have some surprises
• 5 min read
The 2024-25 Serie A season is about to get started and Simone Inzaghi’s Inter will try to defend the title after winning their 20th Scudetto in the club’s history. All the big rivals changed their managers over the summer. Juventus appointed Thiago Motta, AC Milan brought in Paulo Fonseca and Napoli decided to appoint former Inter and Juventus coach Antonio Conte to start a new cycle at the club. Meanwhile, AS Roma and Lazio went through some big changes, while both Bologna and Fiorentina changed their managers as well. Let’s take a closer look at the Power Rankings of the twenty Serie A sides:
| RANK | TEAM | CHANGE | ANALYSIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inter | — | The Nerazzurri are still the leading candidates to win the title. Unlike summer 2023, Inzaghi’s side didn’t change the core part of the roster and added players such as former Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski and Mehdi Taremi who can only improve the current squad. It’s never easy to repeat, but Inter have the potential to make it happen. |
| 2 | Juventus | — | Juventus went through a big revolution this summer that started with the appointment of former Bologna manager Thiago Motta. The Bianconeri signed many new faces, including former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram from Nice. For what they’ve done this summer, they have to be in the race for the title this season. |
| 3 | AC Milan | — | The Rossoneri also had some changes this summer, after the end of the cycle under Stefano Pioli. AC Milan appointed former AS Roma Paulo Fonseca as the new manager. United States men’s national team star Christian Pulisic will be one of the main faces of his side, one which also added Spanish striker Alvaro Morata to replace Olivier Giroud, who joined LAFC in MLS as a free agent. |
| 4 | Napoli | — | One of the most interesting sides to look at this season. After a disastrous 2023-24 campaign, Napoli appointed Antonio Conte to rebuild the team in the shortest time possible. The fact that they won’t participate in any European competition this season, and also that they appointed Conte, puts them in the top four of our rankings. |
| 5 | AS Roma | — | Daniele De Rossi’s side need to be taken seriously this season, due to an exciting transfer window that’s brought players such as former Frosinone attacker Matias Soule and Girona’s Artem Dovbyk at the club. This duo will likely play alongside Paulo Dybala and will need to at least be in the hunt for a top four spot. |
| 6 | Atalanta | — | Atalanta are always a team to keep an eye on, especially after winning an historic Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen last season. However, the injury of Gianluca Scamacca, who will be out for the whole season, will probably have an impact on the team in the first part of the 2024-25 campaign. |
| 7 | Fiorentina | — | After losing two European finals in a row under Vincenzo Italiano, Fiorentina started a new era and appointed former Monza boss Raffaele Palladino and also made some great signings that make them one of the candidates for a Europa League spot this upcoming season. |
| 8 | Lazio | — | A difficult summer for the Biancocelesti, who changed another manager and appointed former Verona Marco Baroni. Also, they sold some key players such as former captain Ciro Immobile, Luis Alberto and Felipe Anderson. It’s difficult to imagine that they can fight for a top four place this season. |
| 9 | Bologna | — | Last season’s most surprising side, after ending up fifth in the league and qualifying for a Champions League spot, it’s difficult to imagine they can repeat themselves after selling two key players like Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United) and Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal). |
| 10 | Torino | — | Another team, another managerial change. Torino appointed former Venezia boss Paolo Vanoli after three seasons under Ivan Juric, who always ended up between ninth and tenth place. |
| 11 | Genoa | — | After a solid first Serie A season back in the top flight after their promotion, they will try to consolidate what they have done in the past year under Alberto Gilardino, who decided to stay at the club to grow as a manager where he started. |
| 12 | Udinese | — | After a difficult season where Udinese avoided the relegation only in the last fer games, the club surprised everyone and announced the appointment of Kosta Runjaic, a new face for Italian soccer. There are many questions around him, but the bottom line is Udinese can’t risk another season like the one that just finished. |
| 13 | Monza | — | Their third Serie A season will start with a new coach, as the club appointed former Italian legend Alessandro Nesta as the new head coach to replace Palladino, who joined Fiorentina. Monza lost a key player such in Michele Di Gregorio, who was named as the best goalkeeper in the past season and joined Juventus. |
| 14 | Lecce | — | Coach Luca Gotti decided to stay in charge after a great end of the past season and that was the best news possible for the Lecce fans, as Gotti was able to save the club quite easily after a difficult moment under coach Roberto D’Aversa. The expectations are that Lecce will fight, but survive, the relegation battle. |
| 15 | Como | — | Probably the most interesting promoted side to watch this year. Como are coached by former Arsenal legend Cesc Fabregas and signed some great names like Pepe Reina, Andrea Belotti and Raphael Varane. Will they be enough to avoid the relegation? Probably yes. |
| 16 | Parma | — | Parma are finally back in the Italian first division and this is great for such a historic team. The side owned by American businessman Kyle Krause have a talented roster and a manager, Fabio Pecchia, who wants to give it all in his first Serie A experience after six years. |
| 17 | Cagliari | — | Cagliari had an emotional end of the season after avoiding relegation under the legendary Claudio Ranieri, who decided to leave the club where he started his incredible career. It won’t be easy for Cagliari to survive again, but they appointed Davide Nicola, one of the best managers when it comes to avoiding relegation. |
| 18 | Empoli | — | After the incredible end of the past season when Empoli avoided relegation in the last minutes of their last game against AS Roma, it’s difficult to see them doing it again looking at their roster. |
| 19 | Venezia | — | Coach Eusebio Di Francesco will try to react after the disappointing relegation with Frosinone last season in his new club, but it definitely won’t be an easy one for him. |
| 20 | Hellas Verona | — | Lastly, Verona. They had another difficult summer but to be honest we said the same about them over the past three ones as well. Will new coach Paolo Zanetti be able to make another miracle? |
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