2021 Serie A Send Off: Glory Days Are Still Ahead

What is the Serie A Leaugue?

Serie A is in a golden era of player acquisitions while trying to get out of some sizable debts due to previous seasons failures. If you think Romelu Lukaku leaving for EPL powerhouse Chelsea didn’t hurt, then you are wrong – but it’s business. Business is saying that Inter Milan has some money to make up with some owners who didn’t want to take on the debt before the season starts. Lukaku goes to the big show for round 2 in great form, already scoring a goal, and Inter Milan rake in come serious capital and replace him with Serie A stud striker Edin Dzeko. Business is saying that Ronaldo probably wants out of Juventus for another shot with a powerful team that’s NOT in Italy, which seems to have fallen out of his favor. Speaking of business, lets get to it. This is a Serie A, the top Italian soccer league, sound off and shout out to what may or may happen but at least you know some things.

7 Serie A Teams to Keep Your Eye On This Year

• Juventus – favorites to win the championship and Ronaldo’s place of work for a little bit longer, they enter the season with some prime talent to help this organization get some hardware and capital back in their name. Yes Juventus lost a good bit of money by missing out of a deep Champions League run, again, but COVID did not help either. They still went out and signed Italian superstar and a hog at midfield, Manuel Locatelli. Christiano Ronaldo will try to score 3 goals every game because that’s Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala will try his best to rekindle some of that creative magic and push ahead of him. Ronaldo has recently stated that he wants to be sold so things are off to a grand start for Allegri and his 2^nd stint at Juve. Allegri and Ronaldo didn’t really mesh first time around so there’s definitely some pros to Ronaldo most likely leaving. The goalie Wojciech Szczesny has been slumping and needs to be better for this team to come near a deep run again. Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Cheillini are the old and burly defensive duo that anchor the back line with young Dutch stud Matthijs de Ligt. I really like this squad and they are my personal favorite team, but I won’t be surprised for another heart break of a season with how this league and international play is stacked.
• Inter Milan – reigning Europa champs and league champions, losing Romelu Lukaku is sure a sour moment after such a great run and great future ahead. To say the writing wasn’t on the wall, would be lying. Antonio Conte the manager fought for these players and was doing really well, but not well enough to be brought back apparently. Star player Hakimi was shipped to PSG so the once juggernaut was showing signs or weakening. Insert former Lazio midfielder Joaquin Correa, former AC Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, and former Roma striker Edin Dzeko and we have some serious answers to replace those gaps. Lautaro Martinez said he wants to stay and be the #1 man up front to get goals which is really exciting to see. Dutch stud Denzel Dumfries comes in to replace Hakimi and joins country mate Stefan de Vrij on the defensive line.  A lot depends on the old veteran Samir Handanovic to stand in front of the net and hold the line for an expected long run. 
• Atalanta – just like Atlanta sports in the states, these guys in Italy have found a lot of ways to lose in big moments. Great teams making great runs with just some incredible screwups and/or under performances to salt the season endings after some great runs. Well let’s bring the gang back and add some talent and I think this team has a lot to say as #1 in Italy. Demiral being signed from Juventus to anchor an already formidable back end with Gosens and  is a big message. Zapata and Illic want to stay and if those two catch their stride, Atalanta will average 3 goals a game easily. A healthy Hans Hateboer would be incredible to get this squad pushing for peak form and really shore up the back right side. 
• A.C. Milan – the dark horse squad led by international favorite and soccer legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic and French stud Olivier Giroud, they look to dominate every aspect of the pitch. Two big and creative studs getting fed the ball by younger skilled and fast sensations in Tonali, Kessie, Rebic, Castillejo, and Saelemaekers, this squad is serious. Defense has Theo Hernandez, stud defender in Serie A, and Simon Kjaer, tough defender, and Danish captain, to help hold the backside down but losing Euro MVP and champion Gianluigi Donnarumma to PSG, is a big void to fill in net. Maignon, coming from PSG, hopes to join and fill that void with his game. 
• A.S. Roma – the odd man out of this title race but with the Tammy Abraham signing from Chelsea to fill the void of Edin Dzeko leaving, Roma is saying that they haven’t waivered a bit. Helping them push for it is new manager and sparkplug Jose Mourinho will try to spark this Roma fire to the top. Spinazzola leads the back end with a great Euro campaign to a championship. Zaniolo and Pellegrini are some young stud in the mid field that could develop into some true gems. Chris Smalling hopefully stays healthy and dominates the defense so Rui Patricio in net is able to get a read on headers more often. Kumbulla from Verona on defense is a developing and fun watch so hopefully he can stay healthy as well. Health is a big thing with this group if you couldn’t tell. 
• Napoli – Gone is Gattuso and enters Luciano Spaletti. Italian hogs who never seem to make it deep but still dominate the Italian league is good ole Napoli. Hirving Lozano is in INCREDIBLE form as well as Lorenzo Insigne and both can make some magical goals. Victor Osimhen looks to help with that creativity and join the goal scoring fun. Savy Belgian Dries Mertens is great for Napoli and when him and Insigne get out there wheeling the ball around it is truly spectacular. Consistent studs in Piotr Zielinski and Fabian Ruiz will be solid in the mid field with some help from Diego Demme. The defense is what will make or break this team. Aging Kalidou Koulibaly looks to get back to quality form as well as Kostas Manolas, but Mario Rui will always be a site to see with his consistent aggressive play and forward passes. Ghoulam is a depth guy with making to be a starter so he will be a nice tab to check. 
• Lazio – Gone is Inzaghi and enters Maurizio Sarri for his second Serie A stint after a little run with Juventus. Once leading the league for a substantial time last season to only crumble and fail out is Lazio. Ciro Immobile is just an Italian scoring hog that looks to continue after winning the Euros. Luis Alberto is a true savant at midfield and those two will combine for some beautiful goals. Radu and others like Akpa Akpro need strong seasons to help build their name back up. I don’t know much else about this squad to be honest but Sarri ball with Immobile and Alberto is going to be quality football.
  

Okay so I hope I didn’t lose you and you have some cool names and teams to keep an eye out for. I’ll be constantly updating as best I can since Serie A is my favorite of the power 5 leagues.