Gong. There's no more time, the transfer market is over. Now, Lega Calcio - AIC disputes permitting, it's time to play football. The field will judge the work of the companies, which will no longer be able to hide behind phrases such as "The market is still long". What's done is done, or as the French croupiers say “Le jeux sont faits”. And so, by making a small change to our usual habits, this time we won't be voting for the big names in Serie A, we'll simply establish a starting grid, as if we were on the eve of a Grand Prix. Because in fact the championship will be a race in which, like every year, there will be spectacular overtaking and sensational twists.
MILAN 8
The Italian champions start as favorites over all to reconfirm themselves. The squad, already strong and reliable, has been confirmed en bloc (resisting the mega offers from Barcelona and Chelsea for Thiago Silva and Pato) with some targeted and quality tweaks. An important centre-back was needed in defense to ensure a turnover for the award-winning Nesta – Thiago company, and Philippe Mexes arrived, moreover on a free transfer. The Frenchman has slipped into oblivion, either because he is injured (he will return in October) or because he was announced in early June, when the others still had to choose a coach, but he is a reinforcement of absolute quality. Taiwo remains a mysterious object, but while waiting to see if Milan have made a hit or a flop, Allegri will be able to count on Zambrotta, not exactly a kid, but absolutely reliable. In midfield, the Rossoneri chose to give up Pirlo, then replacing him with Aquilani. There are perplexities, but it is good to make some reflections. Aquilani is 5 years younger than Pirlo, will earn less than Andrea would have expected and seems more suited to Allegri's game. The Rossoneri coach prefers players who move without the ball, with intelligent insertions that often lead to goals (see Boateng) and who try the shot from outside the area without fear. Pirlo is an exquisite player, but his characteristics are completely different. The Brescian gives his best in front of defence, a role in which Allegri prefers a bouncer like Van Bommel rather than an orchestra conductor like him. In short, we understand the perplexities of the fans (who expected Fabregas or Hamsik), but the Aquilani deal convinces us, both technically and economically (7 million loan with redemption). Furthermore, Nocerino, young (26 years old) but experienced, has arrived to reinforce the midfielder. Here too, an economically advantageous operation, indeed very advantageous. Not to forget the confirmation of Cassano, who has been on the market for a long time and the purchase of El Shaarawy, one of the most promising young players on the Italian football scene. In short, on balance perhaps this Milan will not be fully competitive for the Champions League (to catch up with Barça, Real and the English side, a 50 million euro coup was needed, which is impossible for an Italian team), but it starts as the absolute favorite to win the scudetto.
INTER 7
The vote does not refer to the market, but to the quality of the squad. Which certainly decreased with the sale of Samuel Eto'o (irreplaceable), but still remains of a high level. The Nerazzurri still have a solid and quality frame, even if compared to the past they lose their role as favorites for the Scudetto. There are unknowns, as well as certainties. Gasperini is a good coach, who will only be able to do well if he has the support of the club. The former Genoa coach is proving to have courage in trying to change the game system of a team that has been used to a certain way for years (with excellent results). In this sense, the first results will be fundamental, which could definitively compact the club, coach and players, or dangerously break everything up. The market, with the purchases of Forlan and above all of Zarate, has given the signal that Gasperini wanted: Moratti is with him, at least for the moment. The unknown Sneijder remains, perhaps the biggest of this Inter, together with the midfield. In fact, the Dutchman still doesn't have a precise tactical position in Gasperson's eleven: outside attacker? attacking midfielder? Central midfielder? Or even free, as indicated (jokingly) by Moratti? Seriously, Wesley has to play by force, so a solution will have to be found and in this sense the availability of the player will be fundamental. Some doubts Inter also brings about in midfield, reinforced with only Poli (in fact, Kucka will only be discussed again next year). Cambiasso, Stankovic and Thiago Motta are not eternal, so something more had to be done. For now, the Nerazzurri remain the most credible alternative to Milan, while for Europe, the feeling is that we will have to talk about it again in a year or so.
NAPOLI 7
Same vote as Inter. Napoli has certainly strengthened more than the Nerazzurri, but to be honest they certainly needed it more. In fact, the Champions League is an absolute novelty for Mazzarri's men, who could pay for the stress more than they should. That's why De Laurentiis has done everything to flesh out a squad that until last year had very few credible alternatives. Now, however, there are many, in all departments. The midfield is of an excellent level (Inler and Dzemaili can guarantee the leap in quality) both in terms of starters and reserves. The attack is also excellent, with the (indispensable) confirmations of the three tenors Hamsik – Lavezzi – Cavani and the addition of a big shot like Goran Pandev, one who, it should be remembered, raised the Champions League to the sky as a protagonist with Inter in 2010. In short, an excellent Napoli, which has some shortcomings only in the backlog. Mind you, it's not the club's fault that Britos was injured and will have to be out for two months, but the signing of Fideleff is an unknown factor: wouldn't it have been better to retain Victor Ruiz? Apart from this, however, Napoli can be considered ready to grow. Which means that near Vesuvius they will have to start saying the magic word: Scudetto.
Juventus 6,5
Difficult to evaluate Juventus. The market has alternated excellent blows with strange operations, bordering on the incomprehensible. Result? On paper, the bianconeri improve a lot on last year's squad, but the level, compared to the Milanese and Napoli, remains lower. Of course, some Juventus signings are real bets (Giaccherini, Estigarribia, Elia himself): if won, the bianconeri could also be the surprise of the championship. At the moment, however, we share the opinion expressed by Giorgio Chiellini: “Milan are superior to us, as are Inter. And Napoli has also strengthened a lot. Our aim? Getting to the Champions League, if we miss it again this year then it would be a failure." Returning to the Europe of the greats is Juventus' real challenge. Doing so won't be easy, given that the places have been reduced to three (and the third means preliminary against teams of the highest level), but the Champions League represents the only possible way to become truly great again. The cup with big ears means higher revenues, as well as greater attraction towards the big players, or "top players", as Marotta likes to say. By the way, have these “tops” arrived or not? Pirlo certainly belongs to that category, Vucinic has everything to enter permanently. Had they arrived on August 31st, the press would have talked about great Juve. Unfortunately for Marotta however, the last day of the transfer market was the failure to buy a defender, a real flaw in this transfer market. In fact, the defense is a big unknown: the Chiellini - Bonucci central couple is not convincing, Lichtsteiner is an honest full-back, but nothing more, while the purchase of Ziegler is incomprehensible, given that Conte really doesn't see him. Marotta guarantees that a centre-back will arrive in January, probably because he thinks Juve can get away with it even like this. On the other hand, the outgoing market was bad, but here the blame must be divided between the current and previous management. Because if it's true that people like Motta or Pepe were taken by Marotta, the same cannot be said of Amauri, seventh (!) choice for attack with a number one salary.
ROME 6,5
We've been criticizing Roma all summer, and we believe the results have also proved us right (unless someone considers their early elimination in the Europa League a success). Now however, the judgment needs to be reviewed, because the market has raised the level of the squad. Pjanic and Gago turn the Giallorossi midfield inside out, now full of alternatives and quality. Sure, Luis Enrique will have to assemble the nerve center of the pitch in a few days, but now the means are in his hands. Provided that the former Barça B does not decide to hurt himself, something in which (at least up to now) he has proved to be very good. The war with Totti is the most harmful thing that the new Roma coach can do, especially if the results don't prove him right. That's why the real unknown factor of the team seems to be him, the coach with the iron jaw, already alone against everyone. For the rest, Roma can really be the loose cannon of the championship. Bojan and Lamela are two indisputable talents, Kjaer and Heinze form the right mix between youth and experience. The only (big) doubt we have left concerns Osvaldo: but won't 17 million for someone who failed in Florence and Bologna be a bit too much? And then the former Espanyol, isn't he a double of Marco Borriello? Maybe we might as well bet more on the former AC Milan player, hastily put on the market with a mess worthy of Laurel and Oil. In short, Sabatini spent three months in total confusion, to then come out at the photo finish in glory. Risky strategy, but in this case effective, for a Rome that could really undermine everyone. Sadly, even herself.
LAZIO 6+
The vote drops with the sale of Zarate, and the non-arrival of an extra defender and midfielder. Of course, Lazio remains more than competitive for a place in the Europa League, but perhaps something more needed to be done to dream of a sensational qualification in the Champions League. For example, better managing Mauro Zarate, whose sale risks definitively splitting the relationship between the fans and the club. Then Reja is already on the gridiron: at the first mistake, the Lazio broadcaster will reproach him with the sale of Zarate with the insistence of a pneumatic hammer. For the rest, Lazio are a good team, which started the season with the commendable goal of doing well in the Europa League (finally an Italian who does this reasoning!). Klose and Cissè are international forwards of absolute value, Hernanes has one more year of experience. The Brazilian can be devastating this year, as well as Mauri and Ledesma, who by now know each other by heart. Even in goal the biancocelesti make a considerable leap in quality: after the inconstant Muslera (capable of miracles like clamorous ducks) has been sold, Marchetti has arrived, in addition to the midfielder Cana (who has not convinced so far). The feeling is that Lazio can have an excellent season, even if the environment in perpetual boiling (it must be a Roman vice) won't help. But Reja has tough skin, as does Lotito. They already know that every time the Olimpico scoreboard announces a goal from Zarate, boos will rain. It's up to them to make the fans think again.
