🇮🇹 Everything you need to know about the new Serie A season

The 2024/25 Serie A season gets underway this weekend and we look at what lies in store for the upcoming campaign.

Who are the title contenders? 🏆

Defending champions Inter are the team to be shot at after a fantastic campaign last time out. They’ve finally secured their second Scudetto star and the road to a third begins here – Simone Inzaghi’s men are big favourites for a reason.

After some disappointing recent seasons, don’t be surprised if Juventus rebound this year under Thiago Motta to pose the biggest threat to the Nerazzurri’s crown. It has been an unusually understated transfer window but their business looks good.

It is difficult to know what to expect from Paulo Fonseca’s Milan in his debut campaign but a title fight isn’t beyond them and as for Napoli, can you ever write an Antonio Conte side off?

He’s a serial winner and crucially at the time of writing, he still has Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen at his disposal.

Who are the newly promoted clubs? 📈

Second division champions Parma are back in the big time and doesn’t Serie A just feel right when the Crociati are in it? Maybe don’t get too attached though. Without much star power in their squad, Fabio Pecchia’s men are likely to struggle.

But much of the newly-promoted buzz centres around last season’s second placed finishers Como. As you are no doubt aware, the idyllic Lombardy location’s representatives are coached by Cesc Fàbregas (feel old?) and have some big names in their ranks, including Raphaël Varane, Pepe Reina, Andrea Belotti and Alberto Moreno.

Finally, every kit fan’s favourite fashion icons Venezia gained promotion via a nervy play-off win over Cremonese. Highly-rated USA midfielder Tanner Tessmann will be one to watch for the Lagunari this season.

Have there been any managerial changes since last season? 👔

In Italian football? We’re assuming that is a rhetorical question. Only six teams competing in Serie A this season did not make a change this summer!

Deep breath, and…

As mentioned above, Juventus and Milan have both shaken things up in the dugout with the additions of Motta and Fonseca respectively, while Roma handed Daniele De Rossi the job permanently this summer after he impressed in an interim capacity.

Across the city, Igor Tudor walked out on Lazio after just three months in charge after reported disagreements with the club on their transfer strategy and he’s been replaced by Marco Baroni of Hellas Verona, who in turn snapped up Paolo Zanetti.

Champions League qualifiers Bologna have filled the Motta void with Fiorentina’s Vincenzo Italiano, with the Viola responding by bringing in Raffaele Palladino from Monza, who have called on an Italian football legend and old Adriano Galliani favourite Alessandro Nesta to make the step up.

After Ivan Jurić’s Torino departure, they have recruited Paolo Vanoli from Venezia, who then hired Eusebio Di Francesco for their top flight return, while relegation specialist Davide Nicola takes over at Cagliari after Claudio Ranieri’s retirement (Empoli replacing him with Roberto D’Aversa) and Kosta Runjaić is the new man on the bench at Udinese.

Biggest transfers? 🤑

• Artem Dovbyk (Girona to Roma, €30m)

• Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa to Juventus, €51m valuation)

• Álvaro Morata (Atlético de Madrid to Milan, €13m)

• Piotr Zieliński (Napoli to Inter, free)

• David de Gea (Fiorentina, unattached)

Young player to watch out for 👶

If you haven’t been paying attention to Empoli recently then you have missed the emergence of a very exciting midfield talent in 21-year-old Jacopo Fazzini, who looks primed for a breakout year under Roberto D’Aversa which will likely earn him a big move next summer.

An honourable mention should also go to Adrián Bernabé. Does that name ring a bell? It wasn’t long ago the Spaniard, aged 23, was also being touted for huge heights while in the youth systems of Barcelona and Manchester City. Things didn’t quite go as planned but he has found his groove again in Parma and is set to impress on their top flight comeback.

Best new kits 👕

Home: Milan

Clean and classic. Sometimes simple is best.

Away: Parma

Does this not just invoke memories of Crespo, Zola, Verón and the rest of those iconic Seven Sisters Parma sides?

Third: Juventus

Very stylish from the Old Lady.