It has taken Thiago Motta just six years to progress from the bottom of the coaching ranks to one of the most sought-after tacticians in Europe: here’s how the ex-Italy international has taken the Rossoblu to the Champions League and became the leading candidate for the Juventus job.

The 41-year-old’s appointment at Bologna was not greeted with universal approval yet the former Italy international has led the Rossoblu to the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.

It is a monumental achievement for a coach who was belittled for suggesting the merits of a 2-7-2 formation when he transitioned from the pitch to the dugout with the Paris Saint-Germain under-19 squad.

Motta’s pathway to qualification for Europe’s top competition has been unconventional.

Sacked after just 10 games at the helm in Genoa the ex-Inter midfielder had to wait patiently before leading Spezia to safety in the 2021-2022 season. Drafted in when Bologna relieved Sinisa Mihajlovic of his duties in September 2022, the Brazilian-born coach was not greeted by hordes of cheering Rossoblu ultras.

Yet Motta guided the club to its best-ever points tally in the modern era—matching the 54 recorded by the 1963-1964 championship-winning team—as he steered the Emilia-Romagna club to ninth in the table.

Nobody foresaw such an improvement this term.

The benefits of a full pre-season as coach and excellent player recruitment, especially in defence, yielded spectacular results.

Motta’s willingness to adapt different strategies within a flexible formation while utilising every talented squad member produced a formidable team that was undaunted to duke it out with the Serie A heavyweights.

The young tactician ostensibly lined up his side in a 4-3-3 configuration with an emphasis on the flanks. It has also been interpreted as 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 depending on his starting XI. Yet there has been consistency in the deployment of a back four, a holding midfielder, two wingers and a lone forward.

Motta favours an advanced press to suffocate the opposition and retrieve possession rapidly. A calculated build-up from the back aims to manipulate occupied areas, as the widemen rarely stray from the touchlines.

Everyone tracks back as Bologna resembles two blocks of four and five when defending their goal. It is a mixture of pragmatic and creative, as Motta’s side’s fitness and physical tenacity have proved the difference in several big games.

An animated and motivational presence on the sidelines, the former Inter treble winner clearly has the respect of a committed player pool. Before an extremely unfortunate season-ending injury, Lewis Ferguson established himself as one of the leaders in a side with multiple match winners.

The Scottish midfielder’s link-up play with Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee had been a hallmark of a Rossoblu side which patiently dictates from the back.

Motta transformed former full-back Riccardo Calafiori into a ball-playing central defender with a license to roam forward. The ex-Roma youth product now looks certain to be part of Luciano Spalletti’s Italy squad at the European Championships after an outstanding campaign.

Although there are reliable mainstays—Austrian full-back Stefan Posch, Colombian stopper Jhon Lucumi, and Dutch centre-back Sam Beukema in defence, Swiss midfielder anchor Remo Freuler, and Zirkzee upfront—Motta has often rotated his squad, leaving key players out.

Even star winger Riccardo Orsolini has not been guaranteed a starting place as the coach has tweaked his team with surprising regularity.

It is a testament to Motta’s decision-making and man-management that no schisms have emerged in the 24-strong squads despite the changes.

His ability to keep fringe players fresh and focused should not be underestimated either.

Motta has not left anyone on the bench permanently.

Italian under-21 cap Giovanni Fabbian, Moroccan international Oussama El Azzouzi and versatile Danish forward Jens Odgaard have all made vital contributions when called upon. Backup goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia has also played his part in place of regular first-choice Lukasz Skorupski.

Without such a unified effort the Rossoblu’s advance up the standings would not have been possible. Success inevitably attracts admirers and Motta might be coaching a different club in the Champions League next term.

It has been widely reported for weeks that Juventus, who travel to Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Monday night, want the Brazilian-born coach to replace Massimiliano Allegri.

Regardless of where he ends up, the innovative young tactician can look back on a milestone campaign that will be remembered for years to come in Bologna.

@SKasiewicz

Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron could be the next Scot to feature in Italian football as his agent has met both Cagliari and Sassuolo.

Relegation-threatened Sassuolo and Cagliari are both tracking the Scottish under-21 international with a view to a permanent summer transfer, sources confirm to Football Italia after reports emerged in the UK.

The 21-year-old is set to leave the Scottish Premiership club after coming through the youth ranks at the Dons with Italy a possible destination.

Both Sassuolo and Cagliari have sent scouts to monitor Barron this term, with the midfielder available for a €585,000 training compensation fee, according to Scottish football transfers expert Scott Burns.

The versatile midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of this season, has played 12 times for the Scotland under-21 side including once as captain.

Barron would join international team-mate Josh Doig at Sassuolo, although any potential move could be dependent on whether the second-bottom Neroverdi avoid the drop this season.

Cagliari, who sit four points clear of the relegation zone in 14th place, will hold an advantage in the race to sign the midfielder if they manage to retain their top flight status.

Only seven Scottish players have featured in Serie A – including Denis Law (Torino), Joe Jordan (Milan and Hellas Verona), Graeme Souness (Sampdoria) and Aaron Hickey (Bologna) – with Doig and Lewis Ferguson (Bologna) currently playing at the highest level of Italian football.

Ferguson, who will miss the rest of the Rossoblu’s season after sustaining a cruciate ligament injury in last weekend’s goalless draw with Monza, also made the move from Aberdeen to Italy in the summer of 2022. The 24-year-old has been targeted by all of Italy’s top clubs after playing a pivotal role in Bologna’s rise to fourth place in the table this term.

@SKasiewicz

There has been a takeover, four seasons in the second tier and two promotions since the last time Bologna played in Europe. Few will even remember the club’s run to the final of 2002 Intertoto Cup as the Rossoblu target a Champions League place in the final stretch of a remarkable campaign.

From financial ruin and the depths of Serie B there is now the genuine prospect of Bologna competing against the continent’s elite next term. The Emilia-Romagna club can round off an exceptional season if they remain in fourth position with just nine games left.

From the steady leadership of owner Joey Saputo, expert recruitment of technical director Giovanni Sartori and Thiago Motta’s masterful coaching, the Bologna revival has been a collaborative union built on a model of financial prudence.

Canadian businessman Saputo – who assumed control of the club in October 2014 – has made numerous off the field changes without plunging the Rossoblu into debt with lavish signings.

Instead Sartori, who worked wonders at Atalanta, has scoured the globe to bring value for money buys and cost-effective loans to Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

In his first full season in charge Motta has moulded a multi-talented squad into an unremitting, industrious unit. There was a degree of risk when Saputo appointed the former Inter midfielder in September 2022 after mixed coaching spells at Genoa and Spezia. Yet the 41-year-old has managed to turn his fault-finders into admirers with a spirited charge into the top four.

The Brazilian-born former Italy international was known for his tenacity and perseverance in a glittering playing career and has shaped a team with a never-say-die attitude.

Bologna have come back from losing positions to earn points on seven separate occasions – including impressive draws at the San Siro against both Inter and Milan – and scored five goals beyond the 90-minute mark this term.

The Rossoblu have conceded the third fewest goals in Serie A as Motta has fostered an all-encompassing approach to defending. It is just one part of a methodology which emphasizes a swarming press to win possession while patiently building from the back via the flanks.

Motta has utilized almost every member of a multi-faceted player pool, frequently switching wingers and making late impact substitutions.

There is no disputing the collective effort in Bologna’s rise up the table which has prompted pundits to label them as a team without any star players.

Whether Scottish midfielder Lewis Ferguson and Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee deserve top billing is a moot point, both have been outstanding throughout the campaign.

It is difficult to imagine the Emilia-Romagna club in such an exalted position if they were deprived of a duo who have combined for 16 goals and six assists in 29 Serie A games. The attacking interplay of Ferguson and Zirkzee has been a notable feature of Bologna’s final third activity, especially their ability to generate openings in enclosed areas.

It is a mark of Ferguson’s improvement under Motta that he was rewarded with the club captaincy after consistently delivering excellent performances.

The 24-year-old is comfortable anywhere in the middle of the park and has already struck six times, while the quick footwork and finishing of Zirkzee have made Rossoblu fans forget all about the departure of veteran striker Marko Arnautovic last August.

How Bologna copes with the injury enforced absence of the 22-year-old Dutchman, who has 10 league goals for the season, could be a vital factor in their quest to reach the Champions League.

Other key contributors include former Roma full-back Riccardo Calafiori, who has flourished after moving into central defence, skilful winger Riccardo Orsolini and on-loan Inter midfielder Giovanni Fabbian. Italian international Orsolini (9) and under-21 cap Fabbian (5) have both registered crucial goals in a team which contains one of the most dependable backlines in the division.

Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, Dutch centre-back Sam Beukema and experienced Swiss midfield anchor Remo Freuler are among those who might not make the headlines. Yet they have all played essential parts in making the Rossoblu one of the hardest teams to beat in the Italian top flight.

Motta’s strength in numbers strategy indicates that everyone will have a role to play as Bologna enter the concluding phase of the campaign, starting with games against relegation candidates Salernitana and Frosinone.

Trips to fellow Champions League contenders Roma and Napoli, and a penultimate home meeting with Juventus await in what has already been a season for the ages.

For one of the most historically successful clubs in Italy – the Rossoblu have won seven Scudetti and the Coppa Italia twice – any kind of success is long overdue.

It has been 22 years since Bologna finished in seventh place and qualified for Europe.

The next two months will determine whether Motta’s side can finally consign both achievements to the record books by clinching a coveted spot in the Champions League.

@SKasiewicz

Napoli limped out of the Champions League after an error-filled 3-1 defeat at Barcelona: here are three talking points by Stephen Kasiewicz.

The Partenopei failed to advance beyond the last 16 of the competition on a night to forget at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Catalonia. Barça surged ahead through a quickfire brace from Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo as the La Liga side consistently exploited huge gaps in the Napoli defence.

Central defender Amir Rrahmani finished off a brilliant move to give Francesco Calzona’s team hope before the break.

Yet after an encouraging second-half spell, Barca eventually took control, as veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski struck a third late on to end the tie.

Here are three talking points from Napoli’s Champions League exit.

Two minutes of madness

Napoli’s Champions League ambitions all but ended in a ruinous spell of 120 seconds.

Overwhelmed on the flanks and wide open in the middle Barcelona plundered two goals on 15 and 17 minutes as the link between the Partenopei rearguard and midfield completely disintegrated.

Defensive calamities were common as the Campania club faltered under previous coaches Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis attempted to stop the rot with the appointment of Calzona yet it looked as if nothing had changed as Napoli capitulated again on the big stage.

Although Rrahmani’s excellent strike provided a glimmer of positivity the Gli Azzurri collapsed as Barca burst through the lines at will after Napoli began the second period purposefully. Despite the onslaught, substitute Jesper Lindstrom failed to convert a huge chance to equalise just before Lewandowski netted Barca’s third.

Napoli made history by qualifying for the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time last season. Now there is the distinct possibility they won’t clinch a place in the revamped version of Europe’s top competition next term. As if things weren’t bad enough the loss also ensured that Napoli missed out on a place in the 2025 World Club Cup.

Star duo lack sparkle

Neither attacker Victor Osimhen nor winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia dazzled when Napoli needed them most.

Osimhen registered just a single shot in what was probably his final Champions League game in a Napoli shirt, while Kvaratskhelia went close twice on a disappointing evening for the scintillating forward tandem.

While it would be unfair to question the application of the stellar pair neither of them could provide any kind of magical spark to ignite the Partenopei in yet another dispiriting chapter of a dismal campaign.

Osimhen had a legitimate claim for a penalty ignored after Barcelona teenage defender Pau Cubarsi made contact with the Nigerian striker’s foot early in the second period.

Yet the 25-year-old was starved of supply as in-form Kvaratskhelia couldn’t reproduce his excellent recent Serie A form.

Osimhen will almost certainly depart Napoli when the season ends, while the ever-present President De Laurentiis suggested he would also sell Kvaratskhelia if the club received a high enough bid. Regardless, it was an undignified end for the Partenopei partnership in Europe’s premier club tournament.

The case for a new defence

It’s no secret that a major backline overhaul is required as a youthful Barca side speedily outmanoeuvred the one-paced Napoli defence.

The Partenopei back four were static observers as the home side repeatedly weaved and slalomed a path towards Alex Meret’s goal, particularly in a worrying opening half.

All of the Napoli outfield defensive starters were 30 years old and over, as Calzona resisted the urge to give Natan, 23, and Leo Ostigard, 24, any playing time. Whether the relatively young pair would have been able to do anything to stem the tide is another question entirely.

Rrahmani scored a superb goal on a rare forward advance and while Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mario Rui were both intermittent offensive threats, a lack of rearguard mobility again proved Napoli’s downfall.

There is a legitimate argument that President De Laurentiis needs to spend money on at least two new central defenders in the summer—and not cut price bargains for unknowns. Napoli will not progress quickly if they stick with the same defence next term.

@SKasiewicz

When Napoli put five past fierce rivals Juventus in January 2023 in front of a euphoric Stadio Diego Maradona it accelerated their charge to a milestone title: Stephen Kasiewicz explains how things have changed for the defending Serie A champions since.

The rout that reverberated around Italy marked a stunning high point in Napoli’s historic third Scudetto success.

The Old Lady eventually sank to seventh in a forgettable campaign in which they were docked 10 points for financial irregularities related to player values.

The emphatic 5-1 win remains the stand-out result in Napoli’s season for the ages.

Yet the trajectories of the two clubs have differed wildly as they meet again in the Campania capital on Sunday.

The reigning champions have hovered just above mid-table and face the galling prospect of missing out on European football next term.

While the Bianconeri occupy a coveted Champions League spot in second place as the latest money spinning iteration of club football’s most prestigious competition launches next season.

There’s barely enough time left for Napoli to emerge with anything to show from a year wrecked by inadequate recruitment, dreadful coaching choices and a string of morale-sapping defeats.

It’s been a catastrophic turnaround after dominating the 2022-2023 edition of Serie A to such an extent that they finished 16 points clear at the peak of the classifica.

The Partenopei marched towards a glorious third championship after they stunned Juve under the lights at a packed Maradona.

The resounding 5-1 victory showcased everything good about Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli. A purposeful performance of high intensity pressing, swift interplay and devastating counters all set to a hypnotizing tempo.

The almost telepathic connection between Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia resulted in three goals with Amir Rrahmani and Eljif Elmas also on target.

Any prospect of a repeat result seems preposterous with Napoli still finding their feet under new coach Francesco Calzona.

Spalletti’s former assistant at least appears to have brought a modicum of stability to a squad left dazed and confused by the highly debatable methods deployed by both Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri. The Frenchman replaced Spalletti but was a disaster from the beginning, while veteran tactician Mazzarri stumbled from one bad decision to another as Napoli plummeted down the standings.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis went to great lengths to blame himself for Spalletti’s departure and Napoli’s Annus horribilis in a highly detailed outpouring in front of the media. Yet the colourful film producer cannot be expected to shoulder all the responsibility for the failure to overcome teams that were soundly dismissed last term.

While his constant presence in the Napoli dressing room on match days can be viewed as questionable at best, an accomplished group of internationals have frequently let themselves down.

There’s no need to take a quantum leap into the convoluted universe of analytics when trying to explain why veterans can’t execute the fundamentals or make amateurish errors.

Unfamiliar team line-ups, formations, tactics and befuddling substitutions certainly haven’t helped. None of last summer’s fresh additions have noticeably enhanced the squad either.

In what is likely to be the final stage of Osimhen’s Napoli career – with cash-rich clubs from England and France willing to meet his €130 million release clause – the Nigerian forward still has a decisive role to play before departing Italy.

The 25-year-old was at his ruthless best as he struck a hat-trick in the 6-1 demolition of Sassuolo. Kvaratskhelia also netted twice against the most accommodating of opponents as the Neroverdi all but surrendered at Mapei Stadium.

While the Georgian winger has often been enveloped in frustration, nobody can question his perseverance or willingness to carve open defences despite being persistently fouled this term.

The magical attacking tandem glittered on a night to remember as they downed Juventus in front of an enraptured Neapolitan crowd in January 2023.

They must step up again as a resurgent Bianconeri target reprisal in the latest instalment of a rivalry which has only intensified in the last decade.

@SKasiewicz

Struggling Napoli meet Fiorentina in the Supercoppa semi-final on Thursday and Stephen Kasiewicz feels it is the only realistic target the Partenopei can play for this season.

When Napoli began their title defence the Supercoppa Italiana was an afterthought rather than an objective.

Now it’s the Neapolitan club’s only realistic opportunity to claim a trophy in a substandard campaign littered with poor results and off-the-field controversy.

From a magnificent third Scudetto the champions have ungraciously fallen to eighth place in the standings and sit an incredible 20 points adrift of leaders Inter. Any lingering possibility of a fourth Serie A success vanished weeks ago.

Dumped out of the Coppa Italia by Frosinone the Partenopei face Spanish heavyweights Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 next month.

In a wildly unpredictable term, it’s not unfeasible that Napoli could progress against the Catalan giants, but their chances of winning the ultimate European prize are slim to none.

Supercoppa: Napoli-Fiorentina, probable line-ups

While securing a place in next year’s newly restructured and lucrative edition of the Champions League is the ultimate objective, there is silverware to be won in Saudi Arabia.

The reigning league champions take on Fiorentina in the new cash-laden Supercoppa Italiana mini-tournament on Thursday in Riyadh, with the winners meeting Inter or Lazio in the final.

While the cup competition is not exactly a mouthwatering prospect for a Napoli support left aghast and bamboozled at the club’s indifferent form it could represent a turning point this season.

Amir Rrahmani’s late winner against Salernitana broke a winless streak of three games and, if nothing else, acted as an emotional release for a beleaguered squad. It’s been a galling comedown from the glory of claiming an utterly dominant championship victory in an unforgettable 2022-2023 season.

The double departure of title-winning coach Luciano Spalletti and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli left Napoli rudderless before the campaign kicked off.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis attempted to steady the ship by inexplicably hiring Rudi Garcia.

The Frenchman’s tenure was a failure waiting to happen. While a poor summer recruitment drive didn’t help matters Garcia immediately caused divisions and angered the star duo of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Mazzarri: ‘Napoli had lost a little confidence, victory did us good’

Unfamiliar with the squad, the former Roma tactician had no clear strategy, and made strange team selections and substitutions. Deficiencies in defence were ruthlessly exposed as Lazio claimed victory at Stadio Diego Maradona in the third round of fixtures after opening wins against Frosinone and Sassuolo.

The gaping void left by the loss of defensive colossus Kim Min-jae proved to be a major Achilles’ heel as the situation deteriorated rapidly.

Incoherent, confused, and frustrated, the players who won the Scudetto at a canter almost wholly lost their sparkle. Rrahmani and Juan Jesus were frequently exposed as Stanislav Lobotka and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa couldn’t clog the gaps in midfield. New Brazilian central defender Natan wasn’t ready to become a regular while Jens Cajuste and Jesper Lindstrom made next to no impact at all. Even the club’s star duo lacked the charisma which cast a spell on Serie A the previous term.

Kvaratskhelia was incensed as Garcia replaced him late on as Napoli drew 2-2 at Genoa. Osimhen visibly questioned the coach’s approach after being hauled off as the Partenopei recorded a goalless draw at Bologna.

The Nigerian missed a penalty in the defeat but worse was to follow.

Bizarre official club social media posts appeared to mock the star striker’s spot-kick failure creating unnecessary agitation and unwanted publicity for last season’s Capocannoniere.

Although thumping victories over Udinese and Lecce somewhat papered over the cracks, Garcia’s time in charge slowly wound down to a complete halt.

Ripped apart in a woeful 3-1 home reversal to Fiorentina on matchday eight Garcia’s position looked increasingly unstable.

De Laurentiis and Napoli confirm Traore signing

Although the Frenchman guided Napoli to the brink of the Champions League knock-out stages it wasn’t enough to safeguard his job.

A rousing comeback earned the Partenopei a morale-boosting point as Milan ran riot in a lopsided first half in a scintillating 2-2 stalemate at home in late October 2023. Yet it was all over for Garcia as lowly Empoli dramatically snatched a late winner in front of a stunned home crowd in the 12th round of fixtures.

Former coach Walter Mazzarri was brought in as a stopgap to stem the tide until the season’s end. Yet Napoli’s descent down the classifica intensified despite a promising opening victory at Atalanta.

Title favourites Inter silenced Stadio Diego Maradona as they registered an empathic three-goal win, and a week later, Gli Azzurri fell to defeat at Juventus.

Any thought of a title repeat ended as Napoli fell to fifth in the table.

Mazzarri did oversee a two-goal triumph over Braga as the Neapolitan club advanced out of the Champions League group stages.

Napoli and Politano reach agreement over contract extension

Osimhen scored and laid on a world-class fantasy football assist to Kvaratskhelia as the stellar pair combined to down Cagliari in mid-December last year.

Yet it all unravelled as veteran Mazzarri couldn’t organise or motivate a side that buckled under even the slightest pressure. A largely second-string Napoli were unceremoniously bundled out of the Coppa Italia as Frosinone plundered four second-half goals on a night to forget for the normally reliable captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

A combative Roma aggressively ground out a two-goal win as Matteo Politano – one of the few to consistently shine in the early part of the campaign -, and Osimhen were sent off.

Napoli couldn’t find a way beyond an obdurate Monza as they dropped to seventh after a dismal home stalemate and were thrashed 3-0 after meekly submitting at Torino earlier this month. The calls for Mazzarri’s dismissal grew in the aftermath of the Toro humiliation as the 62-year-old proved to be an even worse appointment than Garcia.

With few realistic options to replace him, the experienced tactician was still in charge as the last-gasp win over Salernitana gave the squad a much-needed confidence boost before flying out to Saudi Arabia.

Of all the trophies on offer, the Supercoppa Italiana is the least coveted.

Even if Napoli emerge victorious it won’t appease Tifosi who were left reeling by the perplexing decisions of De Laurentiis and mediocre displays of players that created history last term. Yet it could be the only high point in a nightmarish campaign of missteps and misdirection which few will remember with any fondness.

@SKasiewicz

The unrelenting rumour mill churns out a slew of names connected with Italy’s top clubs every day but only a small fraction of the innumerable speculative deals become a reality. While it’s unrealistic for Serie A’s big hitters to overhaul their squads in the upcoming transfer window, there will undoubtedly be activity in January.

Football Italia examines the positions the leading clubs in Italy need to address next month.      

Inter

There are no obvious weaknesses in the Nerazzurri’s deep squad. Despite rumblings of discontent about the reliability of backup strikers Alexis Sanchez and Marko Arnautovic, the table toppers are on the hunt for a right-sided midfielder.

Colombia international Juan Cuadrado will be sidelined for the next three months after undergoing an operation on a long-term Achilles injury.

Regular right-wing back Denzel Dumfries has also been out of action which means Inter are likely to bring in at least one new player in January. The league leaders have set their sights on Canadian international Tajon Buchanan and will attempt to broker a deal with Club Brugge for the 24-year-old during the transfer window. 

Juventus

The rejuvenated Bianconeri look set to bolster their midfield in January.

Massimiliano Allegri has navigated the Old Lady into title contention and would welcome a new man in the middle to amp up his squad. England international Kalvin Phillips, 28, has been continually mentioned as a Juve target.

The Manchester City player has been out of the picture for the reigning English Premier League champions and would relish the chance of more game time in Italy. Tottenham Hotspur’s Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is also on Juve’s radar as a potential new recruit. Surely, the Bianconeri will need at least one central midfielder to cope with the suspensions of Paul Pogba and Nicolò Fagioli.

Milan

A defensive crisis forced coach Stefano Pioli into fielding left-sided wing-back Theo Hernandez as a makeshift central defender.

The Rossoneri should prioritize a new centre-back after injuries to Malick Thiaw, Pierre Kalulu and Simon Kjaer left Milan with no option but to play the ultra-attacking Hernandez in a distinctly unfamiliar role.

Right-back Davide Calabria has been the target of an outpouring of criticism this term, and if Milan is to maintain their place in the top four, they need to add an experienced and versatile defender. The Rossoneri may also look for a new striker despite Luka Jovic’s recent goals against Frosinone, Atalanta and Salernitana.    

Napoli

The reigning Serie A champions have leaked goals at an alarming rate and urgently require a stopper to plug the gaps at the back.

The Partenopei failed to bring in an adequate replacement for title-winning defensive star Kim Min-Jae and have struggled to keep pace with the league leaders as a result.

Stalwarts Amir Rrahmani and Juan Jesus have formed an unsteady partnership in central defence as summer capture Natan has been gradually integrated into the Napoli first team. Much depends on just how much club president Aurelio De Laurentiis is prepared to spend in order to shore up Napoli’s faltering rearguard, but the club owner has already anticipated that he will try to sign a central defender, a right-back who can let Giovanni Di Lorenzo rest and a central midfielder to replace the departing Eljif Elmas.

Roma

Jose Mourinho has made it clear he requires a fresh face in defence when the January window opens.

Deprived of influential English centre-back Chris Smalling and Albanian international Marash Kumbulla through injury all season and with Evan N’Dicka involved in the AFCON in January, the Giallorossi need to boost their backline options.

Roma could shop in the English Premier League as Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea) and Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur) have been linked with moves to the capital club. Bound by strict budgetary limitations, Roma won’t break the bank as they seek a new defensive addition next month.  

@SKasiewicz 

One man was deemed culpable for Napoli‘s faltering title defence, yet Stephen Kasiewicz asks if in the endless blame game, Rudi Garcia was solely liable for the Partenopei’s underwhelming opening to the campaign.

The French coach paid the price as owner Aurelio De Laurentiis finally fired him with Napoli 10 points adrift of leaders Inter at the top of Serie A. Veteran Walter Mazzarri was drafted in until the end of the season in another unanticipated move.

While most Napoli fans held Garcia and the free-spoken De Laurentiis responsible for the club’s mixed results, others disagreed. A section of the Partenopei ultras pointed the finger at the squad despite the historic Scudetto victory last term.

One banner doesn’t represent an entire fanbase yet how Mazzarri fosters a positive relationship with the players will shape the rest of the campaign.

Garcia’s shock appointment wasn’t well received by the Napoli tifosi and the former Roma tactician failed to connect with a squad still reeling from Luciano Spalletti’s departure.

The French coach deployed a baffling series of strategies and made bizarre substitutions at key moments. Napoli’s backline and midfield occasionally operated in different postcodes and were particularly susceptible to the transition. Lazio and Fiorentina picked them apart on the counter in two alarming league defeats.  

Garcia’s time was up as soon as it emerged De Laurentiis had entered the dressing room in an attempt to rouse the players on two separate occasions against Milan and Union Berlin in the Champions League.    

Even the star duo of  Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – who had both lavished praise on the inspirational Spalletti – couldn’t deliver under Garcia.

As Napoli misfired early on Osimhen openly questioned his substitution as they sought a late winner in a scoreless draw at Bologna. Kvaratskhelia couldn’t contain his frustration as Garcia took him off as the Campania club recovered from two goals down to claim a point at Genoa.

Misjudged social media posts and interminable speculation about a new contract undoubtedly affected Osimhen. Kvaratskhelia had intermittently sparkled and hadn’t been able to add the finishing touch, most notably as Napoli salvaged a draw at home to Milan and late on as Empoli left Stadio Diego Maradona with an unlikely victory to seal Garcia’s fate. The Georgian seemed in an entirely different mood on Mazzarri’s debut as he scored the opener in an away 2-1 win at Atalanta and even kissed his new coach after the final whistle.

In his second spell at the club, the experienced tactician must coax the best out of a partnership that flourished as Napoli sauntered to clinch a historic third title last term. Undoubtedly, the devastating double act is among the best in Europe while firing on all cylinders.   

While Giacomo Raspadori – partly in Osimhen’s injury-enforced absence – and Matteo Politano have excelled, the same cannot be said for a handful of last year’s champions.

It’s not as if the all-conquering Scudetto heroes have transmogrified into hapless duds in the space of a few months. Yet only a few have consistently merited pass marks as Napoli struggled to keep pace with the early frontrunners. 

We haven’t always witnessed the best versions of defensive stalwart Amir Rrahmani or the stellar midfield pair of Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

Of the summer signings only Brazilian stopper Natan has been given adequate playing time to impress. Swedish midfielder Jens Cajuste needs more minutes to fully adapt to Serie A, while Danish winger Jesper Lindstrom has rarely been on the field.

Mazzarri won’t be able to satisfy everyone but the criminally underused Elif Elmas surely has a role to play as Napoli enters an incredibly demanding set of fixtures. It’s no coincidence that the North Macedonia international was decisive on Mazzarri’s second debut as Napoli coach, scoring the winner against La Dea on Saturday.

The defending Serie A champions will need more of the same and the entire Partenopei squad must step up now that the Tuscan-born tactician will lead them into away games at Real Madrid and Juventus and a home showdown against Inter in his first month in charge.

The early signs are promising, but how they emerge from the next three matches could define an already chaotic season marked by confusion and discontent.

@SKasiewicz

An illustrated children’s book inspired by Sampdoria’s historic 1990-1991 Serie A title success has been translated into English.

Once upon a Samp tells the story of Roberto (Mancini) and Luca (Vialli) who dream of winning against a team of seemingly unbeatable stronger kids on their neighbourhood field. The arrival of Grandpa Vuja, Mr. Paolo and a host of new teammates help to change their fortunes with all the odds stacked against them.

Emphasizing the importance of friendship and to never stop following your dreams, the book is aimed at children aged three to six years old. It pays homage to Samp’s fairy tale Scudetto victory when the goal twins of Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli fired the Genoa club to an incredible underdog triumph.

Benevolent president Paolo Mantovani and coach Vujadin Boskov led Doria to their only title when Serie A was at its undoubted peak. A team which contained club legends Gianluca Pagliuca, Moreno Mannini, Pietro Vierchowod, Fausto Pari, Toninho Cerezo and Attilio Lombardo entered the 1990-1991 campaign as outsiders with a host of Italian giants favoured to win the championship.

Milan boasted the phenomenal Dutch trio of Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten as well as Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini, while Inter had the German triumvirate of Lothar Matthaus, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Andreas Brehme, Juventus lined up with Roberto Baggio and Salvatore Schillachi and reigning champions Napoli were spearheaded by Diego Maradona and Careca.

Few tipped Samp as champions yet united by friendship and a long-held desire to win the ultimate prize, Vialli and Mancini played pivotal roles as Doria claimed an unforgettable first title.

The children’s book – illustrated by Chiara Giolito, written by Matteo Politanò and translated into English by Simone Calucci and Maria Carola Masetti – uses the Scudetto win as the basis for a modern day tale of football achievement.         

“I was at the stadium when Sampdoria won the Scudetto,” explains Giolito.

“In 1991 I was a child, but my father’s emotion conveyed to me the joy of a unique sporting fairy tale. We just wanted to bring it back to life for those who didn’t have the luck to be there that day and see such a strong Sampdoria.”

The original Italian version of the book – Once Upon a Samp (C’era una volta la Samp) – was published last year and proved popular among Blucerchiati supporters. Demand from Samp fans across the world led to an English version of the story.

“It was a lot of fun to make the story of that season playful. We wanted to give all the children of today the chance to live that dream,” Giolito continues.

“It’s a book designed for kids but also for parents. By reading it to their little ones, they can relive that magical achievement, a tale they truly experienced and that deserves to be told forever.”

Once Upon a Samp is available to buy on Amazon and at blucerchiando.com

@SKasiewicz

There has been a season’s worth of needless drama crammed into the space of three months as Napoli have stuttered to establish themselves under coach Rudi Garcia, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.

From the exaggerated controversy of ill-considered social media posts, supposed player unrest, forthright agent demands and a president unafraid to voice his opinion on anything and everything, the Partenopei have struggled amid a catalogue of unnecessary off-the-field chaos.

Uninhibited owner Aurelio De Laurentiis publicly questioned Garcia while opting not to fire him and free agent coach Antonio Conte ruled out a return to the dugout at the Stadio Maradona or elsewhere. Never one to stay silent he also raged that Serie A would cease to exist in a bitter diatribe about television rights.

Amid the glut of sensational headlines, Napoli have stumbled to keep any lingering title hopes alive.

The reigning Italian champions sit seven points adrift of leaders Inter after another Jekyll and Hyde performance in a thrillingly imbalanced 2-2 home stalemate with Milan.

Charitable in defence and transfixed by the forward manoeuvers of the men in red and black in a bewildering opening half Garcia made personnel and tactical changes to rescue a point after the break.

Without injured attacking talisman Victor Osimhen, the French coach started with Giacomo Raspadori up front before bringing on centre-forward Giovanni Simeone in the second half. A positional switch provided Italy international Raspadori more freedom to initiate behind his Argentinian team-mate and he curled in a sublime free-kick to level after Matteo Politano’s brilliant solo strike.

The irrepressible Khvicha Kvaratskhelia almost snatched a winner before the final whistle yet the image of the Georgian winger stretched out on the turf in utter frustration summed up a fractured start to the campaign.

The aggressive pressing and brisk movement on and off the ball during a pulsating second period bore all the hallmarks of Luciano Spalletti’s champions. Yet the failure to capitalise and seize a third as Milan clung on the ropes summed up the shortcomings of Garcia’s Napoli.  

Much was made of the French tactician’s adherence to the 4-3-3 system in which the Campania club thrived under Spalletti’s guidance. It simply hasn’t functioned the same way this time around.

While a host of lamentable individual mistakes have blighted the Partenopei, most notably in the collapses against both Lazio and Fiorentina, it’s a collective breakdown in the defensive and midfield units that has been most alarming.

Wide open expanses have emerged out of possession as Napoli continually lose all sense of position and composure. Milan could easily have been out of sight in a stunning first-half stretch where they had an excess of room to test a badly exposed Alex Meret. 

An alteration in the formation might succeed in closing the gaps although there’s a sense that any coach was doomed to failure after Spalletti’s near-perfect title-winning term. None of Napoli’s rivals look likely to fall away this season either.

Garcia certainly hasn’t won over the critics despite two hard-fought Champions League away victories at Braga and Union Berlin.

Calls for his dismissal will continue unabated as five wins from the opening 10 league games is an unsatisfactory return for a richly talented squad equipped to contest at the very top of the Classifica. A vocal section of the club’s supporters already think he’s been given too much time at the helm. It will take something extraordinary to change their minds. 

Injuries aside Napoli have only failed to score once in all competitions this term (in the goalless draw at Bologna) yet it’s the fragility of their backline which is still a major cause for concern. Natan’s late red card at Stadio Maradona won’t make things any easier.

The next trio of Serie A fixtures could seal Garcia’s fate as anything less than maximum points against Salernitana (away), Empoli (home) and Atalanta (away) will leave the Partenopei irretrievably detached from the leaders. 

Expect more incident, excitement and commotion in what could be a decisive November for a club playing well below expectations in an already fraught campaign. 

@SKasiewicz

Only an unlucky Alex Meret’s own goal prevented Napoli from earning a point against perennial Champions League favourites Real Madrid: here are Stephen Kasiewicz’s three talking points from the Stadio Maradona clash.

The reigning Serie A champions lost 3-2 against the Spanish giants on a thrilling night in Campania.

Leo Ostigard headed the Partenopei ahead before the 14-time European champions hit back through Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham in an eventful first half.

Piotr Zielinski calmly levelled from the spot after the break as Napoli dominated for large portions of the second period. Yet Carlo Ancelotti’s side claimed victory in fortuitous fashion as Federico Valverde’s thunderous strike rebounded off Meret and into the net.

The Partenopei can take encouragement from a spirited display as they are well placed to progress from the group stage despite the defeat.

Here are three talking points from Napoli’s dramatic Champions League loss.  

Garcia’s tactics just fall short

Calls for the French coach to be sacked have subsided yet his game plan wasn’t always effective in front of a frenzied crowd at Stadio Diego Maradona. A concentrated high press and overloads in wide areas stretched the play but often left wide-open gaps that Real Madrid mercilessly capitalised on.

Despite passages of brisk interplay, the Partenopei couldn’t keep up the quick tempo and Carlo Ancelotti’s side found unoccupied avenues when Napoli relinquished possession.

Bellingham intercepted a stray pass from Giovanni Di Lorenzo to set up Vinicius Junior for the equaliser. The England international wasn’t tracked properly as he waltzed through to score a brilliant second. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa was stranded upfield and failed to challenge the 20-year-old midfield prodigy with Ostigard badly exposed in the heart of the defence.

The untimely substitutions of Napoli’s two best players on the night – Zielinski and Matteo Politano – were questionable as Garcia’s team again launched too many long balls in the general direction of lone striker Victor Osimhen.

• Read more – UCL: Napoli player ratings in 3-2 defeat against Real Madrid

Learning process for inexperienced defensive duo 

Nobody envisaged a starting central defensive partnership of Leo Ostigard, 23, and Natan, 22, in Napoli’s highest-profile Champions League home group match.

Injuries to Amir Rrahmani and Juan Jesus forced Garcia into fielding the uninitiated pairing and neither disgraced themselves on the big stage.

The unfamiliar combination were tested to the absolute limit as Real Madrid threatened to run riot in a jittery opening period. The Brazilian marked his full debut in Europe’s premier competition with a proliferation of hopeful passes towards Osimhen, yet didn’t commit any glaring mistakes.

He struck the bar with a header as Kepa Arrizabalaga completely misjudged Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s corner and Ostigard followed up to emphatically claim his second goal of the season.

Both were caught in no man’s land as Di Lorenzo’s misplaced pass eventually led to Real Madrid’s equaliser. The Norwegian international was then left isolated as Bellingham powered through to send the away side ahead. 

The pair settled as Napoli levelled after the break and neither were culpable as Valverde plundered a fortunate winner.

Despite being part of a backline that conceded three times the defensive counterparts displayed an admirable sense of purpose while facing one of the continent’s most intimidating clubs.

Ostigard and Natan will probably never be the preferred starting duo in the Partenopei team yet they are now aware of the standard required to contend with the European elite.     

Zielinski hits the spot

Have Napoli finally found a regular penalty-taker? It’s been an ongoing conundrum for the last two years.

Osimhen (against Bologna) and Giacomo Raspadori (against Sassuolo) have both missed penalties this season, while Politano netted from 12 yards in the four-goal thrashing of Lecce.

Now Zielinski could be the answer for Napoli.

The Polish international – who scored from the spot against Udinese – kept his composure to strike home via the post as the Partenopei restored parity early in the second half against Madrid. Whether Zielinski is entrusted with future penalties or is part of a rotation list has yet to be decided. However, he didn’t hesitate when handed the responsibility under immense pressure on Tuesday night.

Twitter: @SKasiewicz

Rudi Garcia navigated Napoli past Braga in a tricky Champions League opener in Portugal – yet it wasn’t enough to silence a growing contingent of detractors that question the tactics and approach of the French coach, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.

Derided for his team selection, an unimaginative game plan and substitutions amongst a litany of other charges Garcia still has to win over the Partenopei’s Tifosi. 

Whether the overload of criticism is justified doesn’t alter the fact that Napoli have only lost one game since the beginning of a transitory season.

They fashioned enough opportunities to thrash Braga in the Champions League on Wednesday as Victor Osimhen shone on a topsy-turvy night at the Municipal Stadium. The prolific Nigerian has already struck three goals in Serie A yet was extremely unfortunate as he rattled the bar and was denied on more than one occasion by Braga goalkeeper Matheus.

Ultra-reliable captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo netted close to half-time before poor defending let Bruma equalise on a sodden night in the north of Portugal. An own goal from Sikou Niakate handed Napoli victory as they withstood a late Braga onslaught.

While it wasn’t always convincing, the Partenopei were the only Italian side to register a victory in the opening round of Champions League ties.

Whoever replaced Luciano Spalletti was bound to be burdened with unfair comparisons regardless of results. Perhaps the most noticeable difference under Garcia is the overreliance on Osimhen with the superstar striker expected to perform miracles with every long ball punted into his path.

Spalletti famously talked about the importance of capitalising on open spaces as Napoli stylishly sauntered to a historic third league title and reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last term.

Under Garcia, an alarming number of gaps have opened up between the defensive and midfield lines, especially in a worrying second-half collapse in the home defeat against Lazio. 

Genoa and Braga also found far too many free spots as the usually reliable Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa made uncharacteristic errors in the middle of the park. Neither should shoulder all of the blame though.

The glaring gap left by the departure of South Korean giant Kim Min-jae in the centre of defence remains. Summer addition Natan finally made his debut as Napoli reverted to a back five late on to protect their lead in northern Portugal without the influential Amir Rrahmani.

The Kosovan international was forced off with a thigh strain as Juan Jesus and Leo Ostigard – who started together at Genoa – again formed a makeshift central defensive partnership. It’s time for Natan to finally get his opportunity as Napoli take on Bologna and Udinese in quick succession. We’ll never know if the 22-year-old Brazilian can make the grade unless he actually plays, despite Garcia’s flimsy reservations about adapting to the culture and language in Italy.  

While right-sided winger Matteo Politano has already scored twice, including a stunning leveller at Genoa, on the opposite flank Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is not showing signs of the magic which entranced Napoli supporters as they charged to the Scudetto in the previous campaign.

As uninformed dissenters continue to mouth off that the Georgian hasn’t registered a goal since March the 22-year-old is still edging closer to full fitness. 

It’s ludicrous to write off the man nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’ after just four appearances – none of which lasted 90 minutes. While he was understandably frustrated after being substituted as Napoli chased a late winner at Genoa there have been flickering moments of brilliance from the wing magician.

Garcia must coax the best out of Kvaratskhelia without weighing him down with the responsibility of carrying Napoli on his own as he faces a barrage of double and triple teams. Osimhen also needs far better service to fire the Neapolitan club closer to the league leaders. He was mightily unlucky on a dramatic night in Braga. 

The high-powered strike duo can’t do it all alone.

A more compact strategy when out of possession will restrict the room which opponents have gleefully exploited in the early few games. Despite a shaky beginning, the Partenopei have earned only one point fewer in the standings than at the same stage last season. The French tactician will probably never completely convince the doubters.

While it’s unfeasible that Napoli will emulate the quick tempo fluidity of the glorious championship triumph, they still possess enough to contend at the Serie A summit and with the best in Europe. For all his supposed flaws it’s too soon to deem Garcia a failure just yet.

@SKasiewicz

Lecce are the surprise team of Serie A so far, being the only unbeaten side alongside Inter and Juventus, so Stephen Kasiewicz examines how the brilliant Pantaleo Corvino has built the Giallorossi and whether they can reach the heights of the Antonio Conte era.

Among the unbeaten Serie A heavyweights lies an outlier. Lecce have a zero in the loss column along with early frontrunners Inter and Juventus.

The Puglian club were tipped as relegation fodder in a plethora of gloomy prediction lists yet have already picked up eight more points than expected from a challenging first four fixtures.

Lecce mounted a spirited comeback to stun Lazio in an upset 2-1 win at Stadio Via del Mare in the opening round and followed it up with another never-say-die display at Fiorentina. Two down inside 25 minutes they refused to capitulate and claimed a well-deserved point with two second-half goals. A 2-0 home victory over Salernitana before the international break propelled the southern underdogs into fourth place before Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Monza which kept them in a Champions League place, one point above defending champions Napoli.

It would be one of the most incredible achievements in the history of Italian football if the Giallorossi stayed in their current position. Of course, it won’t happen. There’s more chance of Romelu Lukaku making a sensational return to Inter than Lecce finishing among the big boys.

Yet the opening four games at least gave the club’s sizeable support a chance to screenshot the Classifica with their team occupying a Champions League position. There wasn’t much optimism when coach Marco Baroni turned down a salary increase and left for Hellas Verona in the summer.

The experienced tactician had impressively guided Lecce to promotion from Serie B and 16th place in the top flight in two successful seasons at the club. They shocked Lazio, defeated Atalanta home and away and picked up invaluable points against Milan and Napoli all while keeping their place in Serie A with Baroni at the helm last term.

In the capricious Calcio universe, everything can change in the blink of an eye and Roberto D’Aversa replaced Baroni in June. It was an unexpected appointment considering the 48-year-old had been out of the game since January 2022, when Sampdoria sacked him.

He exited the Blucerchiati with his reputation in tatters after three straight defeats left Doria perilously close to the relegation zone. Handed a second chance the early signs are good, but the jury is still out on whether he can lead Lecce to safety. They won’t stay up backtracking into defensive blocks and D’Aversa has adopted a forward-oriented approach while using a 4-3-3 formation in the first three matches.

In a summer of upheaval, I Salentini lost their emotional leader and midfield driving force Morten Hjulmand to Portuguese giants Sporting CP, while defensive rock Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona) and striker Lorenzo Colombo (Milan) also left after loan spells.

Operating in a limited market with severe budgetary impediments, veteran technical director Pantaleo Corvino worked his magic again.

The man responsible for bringing Valeri Bojinov, Ernesto Chevanton, Mirko Vucinic, and Cristian Ledesma to Lecce in the past looks to have struck gold again with the additions of unheralded Montenegrin international striker Nikola Krstovic (DAC Dunajska Streda), Swedish winger Pontus Almqvist (FC Rostov) and Albanian defensive midfielder Ylber Ramadani (Aberdeen).

Krstovic has already struck three times, Almqvist impressed with his goal and acrobatic celebration against Lazio and Ramadani has slotted in smoothly as a midfield anchor.

The trio represent a small part of a strength-in-numbers recruitment drive which also included the permanent signing of goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone from Sampdoria and midfielders Hamza Rafia (Pescara) and Mohamed Kaba (Valenciennes FC). 

Despite the raft of new faces, hulking centre-back Federico Baschirotto remains a trusted stalwart in the Lecce starting line-up, while Gabriel Strefezza started the last two games on the bench, but has already scored once this term. The diminutive Brazilian had netted eight times in his second top-flight season in 2022-23 as Lecce relied on his close control and surging runs to open up defences.

Strefezza struck from the spot late to clinch a second league triumph against Salernitana as he spearheads a new-look Giallorossi forward trident.

Baschirotto, who was called up to an Italy training camp in May, claimed three goals as he held together the Lecce backline with Umtiti last campaign. Although the 26-year-old looks like a WWE superstar, he’ll be judged more on his leadership and positioning than his physique this term.

It’s far too soon to make bold declarations about where they will end up in the standings. For a club making just their 18^th appearance at the highest level of Italian football, the heady heights of the top half of the table represents significant progress.

You have to go all the way back to the 1988-1989 edition of Serie A to find Lecce’s best-ever finish. A squad containing Argentinian World Cup winner Pedro Pasculli and his compatriot Juan Barbas as well as Antonio Conte, Francesco Moriero and Baroni placed ninth just three points adrift of a UEFA Cup spot. Despite their excellent start just staying among the Italian elite would be more than enough for Lecce this year.

@SKasiewicz

Napoli stars Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen did not leave the Stadio Maradona over the summer, but Stephen Kasiewicz wonders if Aurelio De Laurentiis has done enough to strengthen the defending Serie A champions.

In a summer window which progressed like a tortoise with a limp Napoli made just three significant additions.

Despite being associated with a list of names which resembled the end credits of a blockbuster movie only Brazilian defender Natan, Swedish midfielder Jens Cajuste and Danish winger Jesper Lindstrom joined the reigning Serie A champions.

The most noteworthy aspect of a window drenched in soporific waves of speculation was that the star duo of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia remained at the club.

Both the world-class Nigerian striker and scintillating Georgian winger had been relentlessly linked with numerous cash-rich leviathans. Yet club owner De Laurentiis managed to fend off all the real and imagined advances for the dazzling attacking twosome.

The most high-profile arrival was gifted attacking midfielder Lindstrom after protracted negotiations with Celta Vigo for Gabri Veiga broke down.

Just when a deal for the Spanish playmaker seemed on the verge of completion the Saudi Arabian money cavalcade marched in to lure the 21-year-old to the Middle East.

Perhaps the move – which Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos described as embarrassing – was for the best as Veiga opted to cash in by joining Al-Ahli instead of the Italian champions.

De Laurentiis would never match the vast sums on offer from Saudi Arabia or spend unnecessarily after stumping up the money to make loan deals permanent for Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone.

However, he did sanction a deal for 23-year-old Lindstrom who has the adaptability to play on either flank or in a midfielder role supporting the strikers. The Danish international’s versatility will be invaluable as Hirving Lozano left after four mixed seasons at the Campania club.

While the Mexican winger, who rejoined Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, divided opinion he will always be remembered for his contribution to the historic Scudetto triumph.

The Partenopei have made several astute moves in the last decade and instead of splashing out on more recognisable names De Laurentiis once again flummoxed the transfer experts with the captures of Natan and Cajuste.

Although it’s delusory to expect the young Brazilian to fill the considerable void left by Kim Min-jae’s departure, the promising defender may prove to be another unexpected success story. 

The South Korean monster’s ferocious performances were pivotal as Napoli sauntered to a first title in 33 years last season. The Partenopei received €50m as German champions Bayern Munich activated Kim’s release clause but were unwilling to invest heavily in a replacement. 

It remains to be seen whether Natan, 22, can make the step up to become a Serie A regular as the experienced pair of Amir Rrahmani and Juan Jesus occupy the starting positions in the middle of the Napoli backline. 

Swedish international Cajuste, 24, won’t break up the formidable midfield trio of Stanislav Lobotka, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Piotr Zieliński (who rejected a move to Saudi Arabia) and faces an almighty challenge to get any kind of significant playing time.

Of the fresh arrivals only Lindstrom looks capable of becoming a first-team mainstay as Natan and Cajuste adjust to the demands of a club with lofty ambitions in Italy and Europe.

In a slightly underwhelming window of left-field choices, Napoli didn’t make any headline-grabbing captures. Doom merchants insisted the star cast of title winners would be ripped apart. Yet only one member of the championship-winning team left and with Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia still together anything is possible.

Twitter: @SKasiewicz

Besides the established constellation of Serie A stars, there are others that have yet to shine in the Italian top flight and Stephen Kasiewicz names five to watch in 2023-24.

From Capocannoniere Victor Osimhen at Napoli to Milan left-back Theo Hernandez and Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella there are plenty of big names that excelled under the spotlight last season. New leading performers will undoubtedly emerge in the 2023-2024 campaign to stand tall among the league’s elite.

Football Italia examines five players that could make a surprising impact in the forthcoming campaign. 

Natan (Napoli)

The Partenopei were linked with numerous centre-backs before the unexpected signing of the young Brazilian from Red Bull Bragantino. Could the 22-year-old be another scouting success to follow in the footsteps of the outstanding Kim Min-jae?

Although it’s unrealistic to place lofty expectations on a defender untested at the highest level in Europe, the ex-Flamengo player possesses enough quality to make the grade in Italy. Blessed with pace in abundance, aggressive in the tackle and eager to switch from back to front quickly Natan could turn out to be another inspired addition at Napoli.

Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta)

It was uncomfortable viewing as the Belgian failed to adjust to the unique rigours of Italian football in a desperate first term at Milan. The attacking midfielder has a chance to redeem himself away from the high-pressure atmosphere of the Italian giants after a move to Atalanta.

La Dea coach Gian Piero Gasperini doesn’t take any prisoners and will push the 22-year-old to fulfil his latent potential. Things can’t get any worse for a player that looked timid and out of his depth with the Rossoneri in the previous campaign.

Gustav Isaksen (Lazio)

The young Dane could turn out to be one of the most underrated signings of the summer. A standout performer for FC Midtjylland he scored in both home and away Europa League ties against his future employers last term.

Although predominantly a right-winger the 22-year-old can play anywhere across the front line. A direct runner unafraid to attempt the spectacular, the adventurous forward has the ability to score a few stunners in the season ahead.

Andrea Belotti (Roma)

The Italy striker registered double figures in the goals column in six of his seven Serie A seasons at Torino before drawing a blank after moving to Roma. It was a glaring statistic in an era where everything is meticulously over-analyzed to the point of irrelevancy. Riddled with injuries the 29-year-old played through the pain barrier but couldn’t catch a break in his first year at the capital club. It’s not unreasonable to assume that Il Gallo will bounce back to prosper at Roma this time around especially with Tammy Abraham sadly out of action until new year due to a knee injury.

Mateo Retegui (Genoa)

The naturalised Italian received a hero’s welcome as hundreds of Genoa fans packed into the city’s Piazza De Ferrari to celebrate his official unveiling. The Argentine-born striker has already struck twice in three games for the Azzurri and hopes are high that he will propel the oldest club in the country to safety in the 2023-2024 campaign. The 24-year-old contacted iconic Il Grifone attacker Diego Milito before moving to Geona and will do well to come anywhere close to matching the achievements of Il Principe at the Ligurian club.

Twitter: @SKasiewicz

In a summer of unsettling Serie A departures, Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis bucked the trend by refusing to sell his prize-attacking duo Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.

Sensational tales involving eye-watering sums had striker Victor Osimhen and winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia following the money trail to cash-laden destinations.

De Laurentiis is one of the shrewdest operators in European football and was never going to let either of the brilliant double act leave on the cheap. The film producer made a fortune by releasing easily dismissed festive cinepanettoni comedy movies, but few emerge smiling after a gruelling session around the negotiating table with the 74-year-old.

The man nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’ has a contract with the Partenopei until 2027 while a tortuously long saga involving a new deal for the Nigerian forward seems close to a conclusion. Marathon sessions watching the entire extended editions of the Lord of the Rings saga on repeat wouldn’t match the tediously repetitive Osimhen epic that played out endlessly over the summer.

Multi-million moves to England and Saudi Arabia never materialised and the Lagos-born player will resume his partnership with Kvaratskhelia for a second season. The KO combination battered opponents into submission in a memorable campaign of utter dominance under coach Luciano Spalletti as the Gli Azzurri claimed a historic third title.

Osimhen was crowned the Capocannoniere and named the league’s best striker after scoring a career-best 26 Serie A goals while Kvaratskhelia was given the most valuable player award as he dazzled with 12 goals and 10 assists.

Beyond the statistics the star tandem scattered stardust across the Italian top flight and enchanted fans, both long-suffering and new, across the world with a series of breathtaking goals.

While the exits of Sandro Tonali, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund were disheartening, the loss of either Partenopei star, never mind both, would have been crushing for a league that can be legitimately considered one of the most competitive in Europe.

Although Napoli won the championship at a canter – finishing 16 points clear of Lazio in second – there is every indication their title defence will be infinitely more difficult. The left-field appointment of Rudi Garcia as Spalletti’s replacement caught everyone off guard.

How Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia adapt to Garcia’s methods and management style will be key factors in the club’s title aspirations. The Nigerian described Spalletti as a genius while Kvaratskhelia spoke fondly of the freedom the veteran tactician afforded him.

De Laurentiis stated that Garcia was hired partly as the ex-Roma coach favours the 4-3-3 formation which brought Spalletti so much success. Whether the deadly pair will be given the same creative license which allowed them to thrive last term remains to be seen.

It’s overly simplistic to suggest that the surprise factor of the Osimhen-Kvaratskhelia tandem has faded or that opposition defences will have them worked out. If anything, another year together will only help develop an understanding that bordered on telepathy at times last term.

Nobody could stop the irrepressible Nigerian as he single-handedly decimated entire backlines with his pace and pressing and left supporters open-mouthed with stupendous world-class strikes.

The former Lille player established himself as one of the finest strikers in the world as he connected with the Georgian to devastating effect. The magician from Tbilisi, who won’t be available in the opener against Frosinone due to slight muscle fatigue, left a trail of disoriented and dizzy full-backs in his wake as he excelled as both a provider and finisher. Jaw-dropping dashes featuring a mind-boggling array of twirls and pirouettes left the Napoli Tifosi in raptures.

It was understandable that Kvaratskhelia’s output dropped off in the final third of the season as fatigue set in with the title all but secured. The idea that the Georgian international will be affected by second-season syndrome after a phenomenal Serie A debut campaign seems way off the mark.

Regardless, the KO tag team will undoubtedly be even bigger targets than last season. Kvaratskhelia was intentionally hacked on more than one occasion while the fearless Osimhen was also the recipient of numerous overly robust challenges. While it will be a difficult endeavour to repeat the highs of the Scudetto campaign, don’t expect a massive drop in performances from the stellar partnership that led Napoli to the promised land for the first time in 33 years. 

Twitter: @SKasiewicz

Bologna midfield star Lewis Ferguson opens up about life in Italy, his recent contract extension with the Rossoblu and the imminent start of a new Serie A campaign in an exclusive interview with Football Italia’s Stephen Kasiewicz. 

Ferguson made a stunning impact in a breakthrough first season in Serie A. The Scottish international scored seven times in 32 appearances for the Rossoblu as he adapted seamlessly to the Italian top flight after four years at Aberdeen.

Yet rather than sit back and reflect on a campaign to remember, the 23-year-old is determined to push himself even further this term.

Talented, motivated and eager to become a more complete player, Ferguson believes Bologna are capable of another top-half finish after placing ninth last season.

Countless players have crumbled under the pressure of playing in Italy, yet the young Scot embraced the challenge and excelled under Bologna coach Thiago Motta.

Ferguson became a fan favourite at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara as he thrived in an advanced midfield role.

A sublime curler against Sassuolo was voted Serie A goal of the month for November 2022, while a last-minute winner at Lecce rounded off a year stacked full of high points. 

“I always believe in myself, I am a very positive person,” Ferguson says in an exclusive interview with Football Italia.

“When I moved here I believed I would grow and progress and become a better player.

“I wasn’t massively surprised that I had a really good season,” he continues.

“I wanted to show what I could do in Serie A and it was everything that I wanted it to be. The atmosphere at games has been incredible, non-stop singing at home, it has been fantastic. It’s such a passionate football country, they love the game.

“I have loved playing in front of our home fans and it has been a great experience to go away to some of the big stadiums like the San Siro and the Maradona when they are packed. I only got on the pitch for six or seven minutes in my debut at the San Siro.

“You never ever forget your debut. I have not forgotten my first-ever games for Hamilton or Aberdeen. I will not forget my one for Bologna.

“It was special to make it in such a big stadium and on such a big stage. In terms of highlights from last season, there was my goal against Sassuolo and our one-nil win against Inter at home would probably stand out as one of the best performances we had.”

Another one that stood out was the goal against Lecce in the last game of the season.

“We had just conceded to make it 2-2 and there was maybe 20 seconds left,” recalls the Scotland international.

“It was literally the last kick of the season and it was the winning goal.

“It was incredible to see it hit the back of the net.”

The stats matter for Ferguson who was only three goals away from emulating Denis Law’s 10 goals for Torino in the 1961-62 season.  

The former Manchester United legend is still the highest Scottish goalscorer at the top level of Italian football, although only a select few including Graeme Souness (Sampdoria), Joe Jordan (Milan and Hellas Verona), Liam Henderson (Hellas Verona and Empoli), Aaron Hickey (Bologna) and Josh Doig (Hellas Verona) have featured in Serie A.

Ferguson adds: “To get seven goals was excellent, as it’s a difficult league, there are so many good teams and good players.

“I think in the, modern day you need to have numbers to your game if you are a midfielder, especially as I have been playing in a more attacking position.

“You need to have a return, you can’t just perform and have no goals and no assists.

“It is something I have always thought about in my game. Even when I was in Scotland, I needed my numbers to be high.

“The most important thing is helping the team, it’s a really close-knit group and we are looking to kick on.”

Ferguson wants to build on an encouraging first year at Bologna and is ready to work on every aspect of his performance this term. 

“I want to be better, grow as a player and improve on everything,” the 23-year-old says.

“You can improve in every part of your game no matter who you are.

“My personal target is just to be better, it’s as simple as that.

“For the team, we want to improve, we had a great season last year and finished really high in the table.

“We just missed out on the European spots which was disappointing but I think everybody was content with how we played. It was a really enjoyable season and we had excellent results.

“There is a real feel-good factor about the club and it is just about continuing that into this season.

“We’re hoping that we can improve and keep on getting better and better.”

A collection of Italy’s top clubs were credited with an interest in the Bologna midfielder.

Although aware of the incessant speculation surrounding his future, the Scottish international was able to block out the background noise before signing a new deal with the Rossoblu last month.

The neverending rumour mill connected Ferguson with moves to reigning champions Napoli, Milan, Juventus, and Lazio after a superb opening campaign in Italy.

Instead, he inked an extension to stay at Bologna until the summer of 2027 and it was a straightforward decision to stay in Emilia-Romagna for the 23-year-old.  

“In Scotland, I was used to it at Aberdeen,” Ferguson notes.

“In every window, there was speculation online, in social media and newspapers. 

“Of course, you see it now and again because people send it to you or show it to you, and that’s fine.

“I don’t think it helps. You might think deeply about what might be or what might happen.

“Speculation generally doesn’t mean anything to me. I see it every now and then, but I let it go over the top of my head.

“When I spoke to the club about signing a new deal, it was really easy and smooth. I have a good relationship with the club, I enjoy living here and I was delighted when they offered me a new contract.

“It shows that they trust me and they want to continue working with me which is always nice. It was good for all parties. I was really happy to sign the extension.”

The unique tactical challenges of playing in Serie A test even the most experienced players in Europe.

The Italian top flight is known among the big five leagues for its intricately planned strategies and schemes.

Ferguson’s versatility helped in adjusting to a new outlook and approach after four seasons in the Scottish Premiership at Aberdeen. 

“I can only compare it to my time in Scotland,” he says. 

“Over here in Italy, it is a lot more tactical, it is really specific and there are a lot of fine details.

“It’s been enjoyable, it helps you learn and understand the game. Football games are decided by small margins and I think that’s why they go into so much detail in Italy and they take pride in it.

“It is the fine details that can get you over the line in a game.

“We don’t get individual-specific stuff, but as a team our training week will be fully prepared around the game and the opponent we are playing.

“It’s good to understand certain ways of playing and how to play against different teams and set-ups, it’s essential. It has helped me massively.”

Bologna coach Thiago Motta deployed Ferguson as an offensive midfielder last term, but he is ready to contribute wherever required in the forthcoming campaign. 

“I am quite comfortable in any midfield role,” the Scot argues.

“Whether that’s the number 6 in front of the back four, which I played a lot in Scotland, the traditional box-to-box number 8 or even in behind the strikers, supporting them.     

“The manager has been great, he has used me as an attacking threat going forward. In Italy, you have to defend, everybody in the team is a defender when we don’t have the ball.

“The positions are different in and out of possession, but I am learning every day. I don’t have a specific position that I really enjoy, I don’t mind any of the positions in the middle of the park. I have played them all before and I am comfortable anywhere.”

While there is a degree of inevitability about the winners of Europe’s elite leagues, the race for the Serie A title could be one of the most fiercely contested in years.

Napoli ran away from the pack to clinch a historic third championship last season but it might not be so straightforward in the 2023-2024 Campionato.

Ferguson squared off against the great and good in an impressive first campaign in Italy as Thiago Motta’s side finished ninth in the standings just off the European places.

The Scottish midfielder held his own against the league’s best and anticipates a thrilling, unpredictable campaign ahead.

“It’s exciting for the fans and everybody that watches the league that there are four or five teams that could go on and win it,” he says.

“There are going to be upsets here and there because all the teams are capable of beating each other, everyone is at such a good level.

“It is a really exciting league, it is certainly good to play in and experience as it helps me as a player. There are so many top-class players to mention it is hard to pick out a few.

“Napoli had an unbelievable season last year.

“[Stanislav] Lobotka, [André-Frank Zambo] Anguissa and [Piotr] Zielinski playing in the midfield were on a different level, really good players.

“Also, [Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia, the Georgian player at Napoli, was really good, such a difficult opponent, although I wasn’t directly against him.

“He’s a really exciting player and a guy that attacks his defender and takes him on.

“I was directly up against [Hakan] Calhanoglu against Inter Milan and he is a top-level midfielder.

“Playing against top-level players every week will only help me improve.”

Away from the action, the Scotland international has settled comfortably into life in Bologna, a city famed for its cuisine, distinctive red buildings and as the home of the oldest university in the world.

“It’s definitely a nice place to live; the weather is good, the food is good, it’s really relaxed,” Ferguson admits.

“I have adapted to living over here, I am with my girlfriend and my daughter who is only eight months old. 

“We really enjoy living over here, when you are from Scotland you are not used to good weather all the time, so it is nice to leave the house in the morning in shorts and a T-shirt.

“It certainly brightens your mood up.

“I am not really into the espressos yet, I have a cappuccino every now and then in the mornings.”

Ferguson has made progress in mastering Italian since arriving at Bologna in the summer of 2022, although there are several different nationalities in the Rossoblu squad.

There are even a few polyglots in a group which contains players that speak Dutch, German, Spanish and Polish, among other languages. 

Despite the diversity, there have been no communication barriers for the Scot.

“Just now, my Italian is ok, I still find it difficult to speak, but I can understand fine now. I am still learning and it will take time, of course.

“In team meetings and when the manager speaks to me one-on-one, I can understand everything. I find it difficult sometimes when people are having a conversation, but being in the changing room and hearing everyone speak every day helps.

“Understanding is the most important part, to understand what the manager is telling me and the information on the pitch.

“Barring maybe three or four guys in the changing room, everyone speaks English.

“It made it so easy for me when I first arrived, it wasn’t as if I couldn’t communicate with my teammates.

“Some of the staff speak English as well. 

“There are loads of languages used in the changing room. It is a bit confusing at times, but everybody really gets on with each other. Some lads speak four languages perfectly, which is amazing. 

“It’s strange sometimes as there are some boys from South America that don’t speak English but you build relationships with them.

“We can only have basic conversations with each other in Italian but we make it work and they are good friends.

“It’s funny that you can build a friendship and relationship with somebody but only understand them a little bit and they only understand you a little bit, that’s the beauty of football.”

Twitter: @SKasiewicz

Juventus beat Milan on penalties last night and Stephen Kasiewicz highlights three things learned about the Bianconeri in their first friendly in the USA.

Juventus emerged victorious after prevailing on penalties over Milan in their first pre-season friendly in the USA. The Soccer Champions Tour match finished 2-2 after 90 minutes as Bianconeri defenders Danilo and replacement Daniele Rugani cancelled out goals from Malick Thiaw and Olivier Giroud.

Matias Soule struck the winning spot kick as Juve won 4-3 on penalties at the Dignity Health Sports Park in the city of Carson, Los Angeles County. Juve had been scheduled to face Barcelona in the first game of the Soccer Champions Tour but the Catalan club called the game off due to a bout of viral gastroenteritis in their squad.

It was an early morale boost for coach Massimilano Allegri as he fielded a strong starting line-up before making wholesale changes just before the hour mark.

Here are three things we learned from the Bianconeri win.

Chiesa excels on the wing 

Italian international Federico Chiesa was deployed alongside Moise Kean up front in a 3-5-2 formation but constantly drifted out to the left flank. It’s not the first time Allegri has used the hugely talented 25-year-old as a central attacker.

Yet Chiesa caused the most damage speeding down the left and curled narrowly wide of the target in an excellent first half showing. Without Dusan Vlahovic and preferred to Arkadiusz Milik up front Chiesa did his best work in a familiar role. Despite being linked with a move away from the Old Lady it’s clear that the former Fiorentina player is most comfortable on the channel.  

Promising start for Weah 

Only so much can be gleaned from a non-competitive fixture yet the American international added a different dimension for Juve on the right wing. Purposeful, speedy and direct he set up Chiesa with a precise cross in the opening period and looked a potent attacking outlet in a 59-minute run out in the home stadium of MLS club LA Galaxy.

As Juve’s only high-profile signing of the summer so far the 23-year-old coped well as he linked up effortlessly with his new team-mates. There were plenty of positive signs as Weah utilized his pace and positioning in his first appearance for the Turin giants.

Set-piece worries

Both Milan goals came from dead ball positions as the Juventus back-line was easily outmanoeuvred in an entertaining first half. While hardly a major concern at this stage of pre-season the defensive trio of Federico Gatti, Gleison Bremer and Danilo didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory as the Rossoneri twice took the lead. There were early signs of rustiness before Juve eventually changed their entire starting 11 just before the hour mark.

Up-and-coming 18-year-old Dutch centre-back Dean Huijsen was given game time after the break but perhaps the Bianconeri need a more experienced defensive recruit as cover for the new Serie A campaign. 

• Read more – Three Milan things learned in friendly loss against Juventus

Twitter: @SKasiewicz

With Andrea Pirlo recently appointed as Sampdoria‘s new head coach in Serie B, Stephen Kasiewicz explains what the Italian legend can offer and what he’ll need from the club to immediately return to Serie A.

It wasn’t quite the World Cup winner many expected when Andrea Pirlo was confirmed as the coach to manage the Sampdoria rebuild in Serie B.

Fabio Grosso had been widely touted as the man to oversee the Blucerchiati revival in the second tier. Yet the new Doria era will begin with the peerless former Italy legend in the hot seat at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Grosso had impressively steered Frosinone to promotion yet resigned ahead of the Lazio-based club’s return to Serie A. The 2006 World Cup-winning left-back had been in positive negotiations with new Samp owners Andrea Radrizzani and Matteo Manfredi. Talks broke down and his former international and club team-mate Pirlo was appointed on a two-year contract instead.

• Read more – ‘It’s what I did at Leeds’ Radrizzani explains his view on future of Sampdoria

In a chaotic transfer window where seemingly all the star players are waiting in airport departure lounges across Italy as English and Saudi clubs splurge millions on new recruits, the return of a Calcio great cannot be easily dismissed.

The 44-year-old clearly relishes a challenge. Although he claimed the Coppa Italia and Italian Supercup in his first coaching role at Juventus, the 2020-2021 campaign was regarded as a failed experiment. A fourth-place Serie A finish was not sufficient for the Old Lady hierarchy who had taken a significant gamble by appointing the midfield genius in the first place.

Pirlo unexpectedly headed to Turkey last June yet left just before the season ended as Fatih Karagumruk placed seventh in the Super Lig. In a football culture of ludicrous hyperbole and sizzling hot takes, it can be said without exaggeration that bringing Samp back up to the top flight at the first attempt would be a remarkable achievement.

However, it seems fanciful considering Doria were saved from bankruptcy and a perilous drop to the fourth tier just a few weeks ago. Much depends on the ambition of Radrizzani and Manfredi. Is consolidation or promotion the aim? Pirlo can’t realistically be expected to navigate the club through one of the most demanding and competitive leagues in Europe with a threadbare squad assembled on the cheap. Whether the Qatar Sports Investments organization has any role to play in the club’s restructuring or not also remains something of a mystery.

In the latest rather depressing chapter of the football money game, any kind of cash injection could push the Blucerchiati to an altogether different level. Don’t expect any multi-million signings to magically appear at Marassi any time soon though.

The bar was set so low last season that it’s unthinkable Pirlo will do any worse than Dejan Stankovic. Under the Serbian coach, Samp claimed just three wins as they meekly limped to relegation in a term of unparalleled statistical ineptitude.

Scraping by in the second tier is unlikely to appease one of the largest and most vocal sets of supporters in Italy. The first step must be defensive solidity. Dependable mainstays are desperately required to shore up a leaky rearguard. The Doria backline was as scary as a Dario Argento Giallo in a season which led many to cover their eyes in horror. At least the former Milan midfield architect will have an experienced campaigner in attack. 

• Read more – Pirlo: ‘More experienced at Sampdoria than I was at Juventus’

Two icons of the modern Italian game will reunite as Pirlo joins forces with former Juventus and Italy team-mate Fabio Quagliarella. The 40-year-old vowed to stay on despite the drop to the second division and is the perfect candidate to assist the new coach in some capacity. Few are more equipped to teach the art of forward play than the brilliant striker who has a ready-made slideshow of jaw-dropping goals as evidence of his expertise. 

Quagliarella’s mentorship will also be crucial in the continued development of youngsters Flavio Paloetti, Gerard Yepes and Lorenzo Malagrida.

The futures of Doria’s most sellable assets, goalkeeper Emil Audero, left-sided defender Tommaso Augello and forward Manolo Gabbiadini have yet to be decided. Many of those that underperformed in a miserable term, including full-back Nicola Murru and midfielder Mehdi Leris, will also have to be evaluated. 

Only the return of shot-shopper Wladimiro Falcone, after a loan period at Lecce, and the departure of midfielder Filip Duricic to Greek side Panathinaikos have been confirmed. There are no easy solutions as Pirlo assumes the responsibility of overhauling a fractured player pool. Promotion is a big ask in just his third senior coaching position.

He brings a wealth of knowledge from the very highest echelon of the game and has ambitious ideas on strategy and tactics. Understandably his appointment has already captured the imagination of the Doria Tifosi. Yet it remains to be seen whether the Italy great is the correct choice to lead one of Calcio’s historic clubs back to where they belong. 

@SKasiewicz

The star names of Serie A don’t always live up to their billing regardless of reputation or past achievements. While some remain permanently in the spotlight others are eclipsed by previously unheralded talents. In a campaign which produced a surprise title winner in Napoli a fresh set of players proved they could cut it in Europe’s most competitive league.

Here are 10 of the breakthrough performers in the 2022-2023 season.  

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)

Untested at the top level in Europe before his move to Napoli the Georgian winger was named Serie A’s most valuable player after a scintillating Scudetto-winning season.

An exhilarating entertainer with an endless supply of flashy flicks and feints, the 22-year-old scattered his own unique brand of magic dust across the league as the Partenopei surged to a historic third title. Likened to incomparable club legend Diego Maradona he teamed up with striker Victor Osimhen to devastating effect. He fired in 12 goals and provided another 10 in a campaign of glorious moments. Thrilling slalom runs and goals as he waltzed through the entire Sassuolo and Atalanta backlines and a brilliant strike in the 5-1 thrashing of Juventus were among the many highlights of an unforgettable season.  

Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio)

A breathtaking season in which the Italian international winger posted a double-figure top-flight goal tally for the first time in his career.

The former Hellas Verona player raised his game to new heights under coach Maurizio Sarri, as he scored 10 times and recorded six assists as the Biancocelesti placed second behind champions Napoli. He frequently embarrassed full-backs across Serie A with incisive trademark turns on to his favoured right foot. Quickly became a firm fan favourite after netting the winner in the Rome derby in March and rounded off a wonderful team move to seal victory against Juventus at Stadio Olimpico. 

Rasmus Hojlund (Atalanta)

A dazzling fusion of rapid acceleration and constant movement, the young Dane justified his €17 million price tag as he helped Atalanta qualify for the Europa League.

It took him a while to get going, but after just one goal in 15 games, he picked up the pace to finish his first Serie A season with a total of nine strikes and two assists.

The fearless 20-year-old rarely backed down from physical confrontation and used his ferocious pace to escape even the speediest of defenders. Gained confidence in front of goal as the campaign progressed and has been targeted by English Premier League giants Manchester United among others.

Nicolò Fagioli (Juventus)

A rare beacon of light in a season marred by off-the-field scandal the Juve youngster excelled after being elevated to the Bianconeri first-team.

Backed by coach Massimiliano Allegri the 22-year-old with the magical touch showed off all his skills in the Old Lady’s midfield. Technically brilliant, tenacious in the tackle and capable of passing through opposition defences Fagioli also scored three goals and registered three assists in 26 games. A decisive curled strike at Lecce was the highlight of a season in which he was honoured as the best young player in Serie A.  

Tommaso Baldanzi (Empoli)

The stylish trequartista marked his arrival on the big stage with a stunning winner at Inter in his first full season at Empoli.

He joined the Tuscan club at the age of eight and steadily advanced through the ranks before becoming a top-team midfield mainstay. 

The most promising of the recent batch of Empoli youth team graduates, he consistently caught the eye with his close control and attacking surges. Netted four times in 26 appearances as Paolo Zanetti’s side kept their place in Serie A. 

Lewis Ferguson (Bologna)

The flexible midfielder flourished under Bologna coach Thiago Motta in an accomplished inaugural season in Italy.

Suspended and out of favour in the opening seven games, the 23-year-old Scot quickly established himself as a dependable first-choice selection for the Rossoblu.

Registered seven goals, including a sublime curler against Sassuolo, which was voted the November goal of the month, as Bologna finished ninth in the table. On the radar of several bigger clubs after an excellent opening Serie A campaign.  

Boulaye Dia (Salernitana)

Almost single-handedly fired Salernitana to safety with six goals in as many games to end the season as the third-highest goalscorer in Serie A.

The electric surge included a stunner at Napoli and a hat-trick against Fiorentina as the Senegalese international finished with a total of 16 goals.

The on-loan Villareal attacker began the campaign with three goals in the opening four fixtures and, despite a mid-term lull, reserved his best form for when it mattered most. 

Carlos Augusto (Monza)

Emerged as one of the most effective wing-backs in the league as Monza comfortably secured their Serie A status.

The Brazilian sped through the gears on the left flank to score six times and set up five goals as he became a key part of the promoted side’s transition attack.

Although predominantly left-footed, he netted a superb volley with his right as Monza drew at Fiorentina in January. The 24-year-old has attracted attention from a number of high-profile clubs, including Inter, as a result of an excellent debut top-flight campaign. 

M’Bala Nzola (Spezia)

Struck a career-high 13 times in his third season at the highest level of Italian football after working his way up from the third tier at Trapani.

An accomplished forward adept in hold up play, the 26-year-old was more ruthless in front of goal than in his first two years at Spezia.

Failed to convert a penalty as the Ligurian club lost out in a relegation play-off to Hellas Verona but looks destined to stay in Serie A with Inter and Roma both linked with the Angolan attacker. 

Federico Baschirotto (Lecce)

Formed a redoubtable central defensive partnership with Samuel Umtiti as the Giallorossi successfully avoided a drop back to Serie B.

The hulking 26-year-old posed a potent threat in the air and netted three times in his first term as a starter in Italy’s top tier.

Steadily moved up from the fourth level of calcio to elite level and was selected for an Italy training camp after impressing national team coach Roberto Mancini.

A fitness fanatic with a physique more commonly seen in WWE the centre-back made headlines on and off the field as Lecce secured another season in Italy’s premier division.

@SKasiewicz