Rome (AFP)
Unbeatable since 2012, Juventus goes in search of a tenth consecutive title of champion of Italy during the 2020-21 season which begins on Saturday, but Inter Milan and his vengeful coach Antonio Conte are eager to spoil the announced party .
Italy, a country among the most affected in Europe by the coronavirus, is leaving with stadiums still closed.
But the clubs, exhausted financially, like the players, orphans of the atmosphere of the "real" matches, hope to see again tifosi in bleachers from the current October.
Without certainty.
Since June, the atmosphere has changed in the stadiums but on the pitch, however, everything has continued as before in Serie A with Juventus crowned again in July, for the ninth time in a row.
Juve, however, did not have the usual control - too often dull play, crumbly defense - and left a real space for competition.
But neither Lazio nor Inter were able to take advantage of it.
This title, the only one of the Turin season, was not enough to save Maurizio Sarri, thanked after only one season, the day after the inglorious elimination in the round of 16 of the Champions League by Lyon.
After Sarri, up to the bet: Andrea Pirlo, just graduated and without coaching experience, was propelled on the bench with the mission to keep the promises of good play not materialized last season.
The renewal on the bench is accompanied by a rejuvenation of the workforce.
Matuidi, Pjanic and Higuain left Italy, giving way to promising youngsters: the Brazilian Arthur, the Swede Kulusevski and the American McKennie.
- Pending transfers -
It remains to finalize the soap opera for September: a new center-forward, who could be FC Barcelona's Uruguayan Luis Suarez, if he obtains an Italian passport (because Juve is not entitled to another extra transfer). community) or the Bosnian from Roma, Edin Dzeko.
But neither one nor the other should be on the lawn for the first day on Sunday against Sampdoria, precisely the team against which Juve had validated the 36th title in its history in July.
Pirlo is offered a strong start, with then a trip to Roma then the reception of the ambitious Naples, who broke his piggy bank to revive, by offering himself the Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen for nearly 80 million d 'euros.
Faced with the stars of Juventus, Inter Milan seems the only one capable of responding.
With his attacking duo Lukaku-Lautaro who brought the Nerazzurri one point behind Juventus in the league and until the final of the Europa League.
Antonio Conte, having overcome his disagreements with his management, has finally stayed on the bench, but the goal is clear: the volcanic coach doesn't want a second year without a title.
The main reinforcement arrived from Germany with the Moroccan Achraf Hakimi (ex-Dortmund), responsible for energizing the right lane.
While waiting for the Chilean Arturo Vidal, former protege of Conte at Juventus, whose arrival seems written but still suspended from departures from Inter.
- Ibra, this tutor -
The other two Italian representatives in the Champions League, Lazio and Atalanta, have bet on continuity.
On the Lazio side, Ciro Immobile - renewed until 2025 - remains the offensive spearhead after his 36 goals last season, with the solid Kosovar Muriqi (ex-Fenerbahce) at his side.
Bergamasque side, the major unknown is the return or not (and in what time frame) of the Slovenian striker Ilicic, away from the field since July for personal and psychological problems.
The shock of the first day between these two outsiders was postponed to September 30, Atalanta having obtained, like Inter, a delay of one week because of the European matches in August.
Roma and AC Milan, in the role of underdogs, have the ambition to open a new era.
With a new owner (American businessman Dan Friedkin) at the Giallorossi.
With a new generation - embodied by the promising rookie Sandro Tonali (20 years old) - led by the totem Zlatan Ibrahimovic, so far flourished, soon to be 39 years old, in this role of tutor.
More than the title, it is the Champions League that the Milanese will be aiming for in this season over which the shadow of the coronavirus will still hover: "if the championship does not stop this year, it will already be necessary to be satisfied. We all know that we will have to make sacrifices, we would all have needed a normal preparation, but today there is nothing more normal ", summarized the captain of Juve, Giorgio Chiellini, at the beginning of September.
© 2020 AFP