Championship time, judgment time. Serie A has just restarted its engines and the race, as always in this period, is still too long to be certain, but the first day and the market (still ongoing) have already given some interesting indications. To better understand the matter, FIRSTonline turned to Roberto Beccantini, one who definitely knows about championships in his long and bright career in sports journalism. Team by team, passing through the market and the World Cup, Beck gives us an unprecedented point of view on what could happen from now on: after all, judging Serie A is fresh water for those who, like, for many years, have covered the role of Italian juror for the Ballon d'Or.
Maestro, the first day gave us so many goals and no draws: what kind of championship have you found again?
"The usual. A day - even more so, the first - remains too weak an indication to favor suggestions. Last season, just to give you an idea, there were only two draws, Cagliari-Spezia and Udinese-Juventus, and even more goals: 36 to 34. So: let's not confuse the statistics with a change of gear or philosophy. It is still early".
Let's try to make a grid and start from reigning champion Milan: do you think they can reconfirm themselves?
"Certain. Even if the 40 years and the scars will force Ibra to an increasingly sparing job, he who was the totem of the Scudetto, and the Champions League commitments will divert energy. Stefano Pioli has forged a team that plays as a team. Origi and De Ketelaere are targeted, precious reinforcements. Yes, there is the risk of a full belly, but he is a young, hungry Devil, on the hunt – like his cousins – for a second star. If he ever has to abdicate, he will do it because he won and not because he was unconvinced".
Inter, meanwhile, has recovered Lukaku and promises battle, even if the corporate situation never really leaves you calm…
«In my grid he occupies the pole. With Lukaku he has regained weight and power in attack. The Belgian broadens the range of solutions. And watch out for Dimarco: he was expected to reserve for Gosens, Gosens is making it for him. In Lecce, Inzaghi won with changes. No genius. The changes. Since they are five, the gap between big and small has drastically widened. In summary: given how Suning is doing, the problems are more budgetary than on the pitch. Proof of this is the Skriniar case».
Juventus wants revenge and has signed important players, even if for now it is still incomplete: where can we place it?
«For now, behind Inter, Milan and Rome, in line with Napoli. They say Madame has the strongest rose. On paper, maybe. But if Pogba stops immediately, Di Maria after his debut, Chiesa who knows when he will return and the left-back is always Alex Sandro, I suggest a shred of caution. Without forgetting Allegri: five championships as a great manager but "only" a fourth place as a creator. He has to do another job: he doesn't necessarily succeed. There is talk of Paredes, of Depay. All wizards, these coaches, from the Premier League to Serie A: but as soon as an employee has the bua, hell, they resort to the nursery, like they used to; they throw themselves on the market. Convenient, isn't it?"
It's hard to blame her... Speaking of the transfer market, after the summer signings many think that Roma can even enter the Scudetto race...
"I think so too. The spark from the Conference League, the Mourinho effect, high-level signings (Dybala, Matic, Wijnaldum, probably Belotti), the confirmation of Zaniolo and zero painful transfers. Not to mention a people never so in heat. Either it explodes or it implodes."
We come to Naples, which has let go of a large part of the "historic group" to insert several new faces, making a real revolution ...
«Yes, but an intelligent revolution. Kim is not (yet) Koulibaly, let's give him the time we gave the Senegalese; Kvaraetcetera impressed me with his dribbling. Simeone, Raspadori, Ndombele are co-owners rather than reserves. Sure, Mertens was Mertens and Insigne, Insigne. I have faith in Spalletti, provided De Laurentiis doesn't set fire to the pulpit and he, Luciano, doesn't let himself be seized by the shadows that often lead him to sniff out conspiracies everywhere. The last Napoli lost the scudetto (also) for having scored zero points out of nine between Spezia and Empoli at home, and Empoli away (from 2-0 in the 80th minute) ».
It is clear, however, that this will be an unusual championship, interspersed with the World Championship in Qatar: what effect will it have on the race for the title?
“It's the mother of all questions. For the first time in history, the championship will be broken up for two months by the Autumn World Cup. There are no specific, direct references. The winter break is quite another thing: it involves and levels all the teams. This time we will have players who stay and others who go (to Qatar): teams, therefore, "levelled". It will not be easy to find a permanent center of gravity like Franco Battiato. Fifteen rounds until November 13 plus Champions Leagues and various cups: a third of a marathon at the pace of an 800. Whoever can save himself».
