3 Talking Points Ahead of the 2024/25 Serie A Season

It's that exciting time of year when everything feels bright, and every football fan is buzzing with optimism for the season ahead. The European football season is about to begin, with the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 all kicking off this weekend. It's an exciting moment for fans everywhere!

While most football fans will focus their attention on the Premier League, the Italian top-flight could be the most interesting this season. Serie A has garnered a reputation for being one of the toughest leagues in Europe, with European giants like Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma, Napoli and many more plying their trade in the division. Furthermore, with several interesting plot points to unfold during the season, fans should keep a keen eye on Serie A. So, here are my three talking points ahead of the 2024/25 Serie A season. 

1) Can a new-look Juventus challenge Inter Milan? 

Juventus have been the dominant force of Italian football in the 21st century. But in recent years, Juve have fallen off their perch. Juventus’ fall has directly coincided with Inter Milan’s rise back to Italian and continental prominence. Since the 2020-21 season, Inter have won the Scudetto on two separate occasions. Furthermore, the Nerazzurri advanced all the way to the Champions League final during the 2022/23 season. Under the leadership of Simone Inzaghi, Inter look indomitable.  

Last season, they won the Scudetto by accruing 94 points, 19 more than second-placed Ac Milan. Inzaghi’s fluid 3-5-2 formation has worked wonders for Inter. Besides this, Inter have further strengthened their squad by adding the likes of Piotr Zielinski, Medhi Taremi and Josip Martinez. With a stacked roster, the Nerazzurri are primed for another title charge. However, Juventus would look to end Inter’s dominance. The 2024/25 season marks the start of a new era for Juve, as Thiago Motta takes the Juve hotseat.  

It has already been a summer of huge overhaul for Juventus. Players like Adrien Rabiot, Matias Soule, Dean Huijsen, Samuel Illing-Junior, Moise Kean, Alex Sandro and many more have already left the club. Furthermore, players like Federico Chiesa and Arkadiusz Milik have been told that they are surplus to requirements. In their place, the Old Lady have made several new signings, with the likes of Douglas Luiz, Khephren Thuram and Michele Di Gregorio.  

Apart from them, Juve are also linked with a 59-million euro move for Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners. Wholesale changes have taken place in Juventus’ squad. And with a completely different style of play, Thiago Motta’s men could end Inter Milan’s dominance. 

2) Will the Antonio Conte experiment work in Naples? 

Let’s get one thing out of the way—Antonio Conte is an elite manager and a serial winner. His tumultuous stint with Tottenham Hotspur shouldn’t discredit all the good work he has done before. He has won trophies at every club he has managed (except Tottenham). In Italy, he led Juventus to their most successful period in the 21st century, winning three successive Serie A titles. Moreover, it was Conte who kickstarted Inter Milan’s dominance over Italian football by winning the 2019-20 Scudetto.  

No one would argue that Antonio Conte isn’t an elite manager. However, he’s a volatile character, who wears his emotions on his sleeves, which can sometimes create tension with players and club chairmen. Napoli’s chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis is also a volatile character, with a short fuse. And that's why Conte's time in Naples is a potential powder keg—he might win the Scudetto only to be sacked afterward, or he could be dismissed before getting the chance. Either way, this partnership seems destined to be a short-term affair. 

But let’s look at the positives. Napoli possesses a squad who as recently as the 2022/23 season won the Scudetto. However, key players like Piotr Zielinski, Kim Min-Jae and Leo Ostigard have all left the club. Furthermore, Napoli’s prized asset Victor Osimhen is angling for a move out. Despite this, the Partenopei have a squad stacked with talented players like Khvicha Kvaratshkelia, Stanislav Lobotka and Di Lorenzo.  

Besides this, Di Laurentiis has acquired the likes of Alessandro Buongiorno, Rafa Marin and Leonardo Spinazzola. Furthermore, Napoli are also trying to acquire Romelu Lukaku to replace Osimhen before the transfer window shuts. Although Napoli's squad might not be strong enough to challenge for the Scudetto right now, they have the potential to secure a Champions League spot. From there, Antonio Conte could build on that foundation in his second season, which is often when he delivers a league title. 

3) Can Como 1907 survive a relegation dogfight? 

Before 2023, many people knew Como as a picturesque Italian holiday destination for the wealthy and elite. The most recognizable thing to come out of Como were postcards, with a picture of Lake Como in the background. However, that all changed after Como 1907 achieved a historic promotion from Serie B to Serie A. Como’s meteoric rise to Italy’s top footballing ladder has attracted the attention of several football fans. 

They were in Serie D as recently as the 2018-19 season, However, investment by Indonesian businessmen duo Robert and Michael Hartono instantly made Como 1907 one of the most well-funded lower league clubs. Further investments by Arsenal legends Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas increased the profile of the club as they climbed the Italian football pyramid. Fabregas even took on the role of head coach at Como, but since he lacked the necessary UEFA license to manage, he stepped into the assistant coach position under Osian Roberts instead. 

Como 1907 completed their incredible rise to the very top of Italian football by clinching the promotion to Serie A after finishing second during the 2023/24 Serie B season. However, Serie A is a massive step up from Serie B, and Como’s squad looks thin for the season ahead. On top of that, the 2024/25 season will be Cesc Fabregas’ first season as a head coach. Even for a seasoned Italian manager like Claudio Ranieri, keeping Como in Serie A would be a daunting task—let alone for a rookie like Cesc. 

Having said that, the Indonesian owners have invested heavily this summer. Como 1907 have completed the signings of 13 separate players. However, what’s truly remarkable is their free agent signings. Somehow, they’ve managed to lure Rafael Varane away from Manchester United to join Como. They've also added big names like Alberto Moreno and Pepe Reina to the squad. It will be a baptism of fire for Cesc Fabregas and Como 1907 when they take to the field on Monday against Italian giants, Juventus. 

Also Read: 3 Talking Points Ahead of the 2024/25 La Liga Campaign