Serie A Season Preview: 2009/2010

Finally, the Summer draws to a close and football can begin again. Today I bring you a preview of each team in Serie A after a frenzied summer of transfer activity begins to draw to a close. Side by side, keyarrival and key departures, the likely battle that will ensue. Let it begin.

Atalanta
Stadium / Average attendance: Azzurri D'Italia / 12,231
Last Season: 11th
Key arrivals: Robert Acquafresca, Simone Tiribocchi, Edgar Baretto
Key departures: Sergio Floccari, Luca Cigarini.
Target: Midtable
A few words: After a decent season in which the Bergamo side defeated Inter, Roma and Lazio at home Atalanta should look to consolidate their midtable position. Aquafresca should replace the goals of Floccari.

Bari
Stadium / Average attendance: San Nicola / 15,345 (Serie B)
Last Season: 1st Serie B
Key arrivals: Langella, Paro.
Key departures: Lazanfame, Guberti
Target: Survival
A few words: Back into the big league after a long exodus Bari will do well to survive. Today they have been reportedly bought out by an American businessman. They will need investment to beat the drop.

Bologna
Stadium / Average attendance: Renato Dall'Ara / 20,762
Last Season: 17th
Key arrivals: Guana, Portanova, Santos, Tedesco
Key departures: Cesar, Volpi, Terzi.
Target: Survival
A few words: After survival on the last day this season, Bologna will look to make it more comfortable this time around. A partner for Di Vaio is required but the signing of Portanovo seems inspired. Must survive, a club who can generate 34,ooo fans easily on its day is one worth keeping in Serie A.

Cagliari
Stadium / Average attendance: Sant'Elia / Unknown
Last season: 9th
Key arrivals: Nene, Barone, Dessena
Key departures: Acquafresca
Target: Midtable
A few words: A Europa league place is probably out of the question, but Cagliari should survive easily and push on towards the top half. Biondini, Matri, Jeda and Marchetti remain. Strong signings in Danielle Dessena, Simone Barone and forward Nene will make Cagliari difficult to beat on home turf.

Catania
Stadium / Average attendance: Angelo Massimino / 18,167
Last Season: 15th
Key arrivals: Barrientos, Plasmati, Delvecchio,
Key departures: Bizzari, Paolucchi, Stovini
Target: Survival
A few words: A tough side to beat at home, Catania make the most of their island retreat to turn their stadium into a formidable atmosphere. They have been one of the most active teams on the market so their is a question over whether the side will gel. With 11 home wins and only 1 away Catania will need to pick up their road form if they want to be comfortably clear of the drop zone.

Chievo Verona
Stadium / Average attendance: Marc'Antonio Bentegodi / 13,352
Last season: 16th
Key arrivals: Gasperetto, Sorrentino,
Key departures: Langella
Target: Survival
A few words: A tricky side to play against, especially in the second half of the last season taking points of Juve away and Inter at home. Few quality additions have arrived although they still have retained Italy international forward Sergio Pellisier.

Fiorentina
Stadium / Average attendance: Artemio Franchi / 31,200
Last Season: 4th
Key arrivals: Cristiano Zanetti, Natali, Marchionni, Castillo
Key departures: Felipe Melo, Semioli
Target: Top four Champions league qualification
A few words: A quality team no doubt, but they surely lack the components to challenge for the title. Zanetti is a quality addition but a right back is still required also. If Montolivio continues to develop then perhaps they can push the top three.

Genoa
Stadium / Average attendance: Luigi Ferraris / 26,583
Last Season: 5th
Key arrivals: Crespo, Floccari, Kharja, Palacio, Zapater, Moretti, Amelia, Pele.
Key departures: Thiago Motta, Rubinho, Diego Milito
Target: Top six Europa League place / Europa League title
A few words: Potentially Genoa could reach even higher than top six, but much depends on whether the new additions gel. If they do then Genoa may reach a champions league place. A team to watch.

Inter Milan
Stadium / Average attendance: San Siro / 55,345
Last season: 1st
Key arrivals: Eto'o, Lucio, Diego Milito, Thiago Motta, Marko Arnautovic
Key departures: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Maxwell, Cruz, Crespo.
Target: Scudetto, Champions League.
A few words: It will be tougher for Inter this year with Juve looking much stronger and a potentially unpredictable Milan but nonetheless they remain favourites. Going deep in the Champions League is a must. A trequartista still is required though...

Juventus
Stadium / Average attendance: Olimpico di Torino / 22,396
Last season: 2nd
Key arrivals: Diego, Felipe Melo, Fabio Cannavaro, Caceres.
Key departures: Mellberg, Zanetti, Marchionni.
Target: Scudetto, Champions League
A few words: Juve look far better this season. Still waiting for their new stadium to be complete they remain in the small Olimpico. Diego looks an awesome buy and Felipe Melo is now firmly established in the Brazil side and in Serie A. Amauri, Iaqunita, Trezeguet, Giovinco and Del Piero give Juve one of the best forward lines in Europe.

Lazio
Stadium / Average attendance: Stadio Olimpico / 34,626
Last season: 10th
Key arrivals: Eliseu, Bizzarri, Julio Cruz
Key departures: Rozenhal, Carrizo
Target: Top six / Europa League title
A few words: The Coppa Italia and Italian Super cup holders have struggled in the league for the past two seasons. Much depends on the retention of Cristian Ledesma. With him holding a defensive line the likes of Foggia, Eliseu and Zarate will be able to play higher up and reek havok on opposition defences. Could finish anywhere from 4th to 10th in Serie A, capable of beating anyone but capable of loosing to anyone at the same time. Will new coach Ballardini change this mentality?

Livorno
Stadium / average attendance: Armando Picchi / 7,851 (Serie B)
Last season: 3rd Serie B
Key arrivals: Cristiano Lucarelli
Key departures: Bonetto
Target: Survival
A few words: After a season in Serie B the tuscan club bounce back to Serie A. Don't expect them to remain though. Forwards Tavano and Diamati remain but they will do well to keep them out of the drop zone.

AC Milan
Stadium / average attendance: San Siro / 59,731
Last season: 3rd
Key arrivals: Huntelaar, Onyewu, Silva, Abate, Roma, Storari.
key departures: Kaka, Shevchenko
Target: Scudetto / Champions League quarter finals
A few words: Kaka may have gone but Milan remain a title contender. The development of Pato is frightning for opposition defenders. Huntelaar virtually guarantees goals. Boriello is fit again. If Ronaldinho can get back to somewhere near his best Milan will do damage. Nesta returns from a years layoff and is joined by Brazil revelation Thiago Silva in defence. Written off by many, but not by me.

Napoli
Stadium / average attendance: Sao Paolo / 40,000
Last season: 12th
Key arrivals: Fabio Quagliarella, Luca Cigarini, Juan Zuinga, Morgan De Sanctis.
Key departures: Mannini
Target: Top six, perhaps top four
A few words: Napoli died a death last season after a wonderful start. Hamsik and Lavezzi remain and Datolo and Denis are looking to develop again in their second season. The arrival of Quagliarella and Cigarini ensures further creativity and with Morgan De Sanctis in goal Napoli finally look solid at the back. One to watch.

Palermo
Stadium / average attendance: Renzo Barbera / 23,228
Last Season: 8th
Key arrivals: Bertolo, Pastore, Goian.
Key departures: Amelia
Target: Top six
A few words: yet another side with the ability to make the top six. Palermo have added to the quality of their squad well. Kjaer and Cavani are developing from breakout seasons and Miccoli, Simplicio and Liverani remain. New keeper Rubinho adds to the quality of the defence. A genuine threat to anyone now and confirm the growing depth to Serie A. With Walter Zenga in charge expect them to be almost unbeatable at home.

Parma
Stadium / average attendance: Ennio Tardini / 10,301 (Serie B)
Last Season: 2nd (Serie B)
Key arrivals: Boijinov, Panucci, Galloppa, Dellafiore, Lanzafame,
Key departures: Reginaldo, Lucarelli,.
Target: survival
A few words: After a year in the Cadetti following years of success in Serie A during the 90s Parma have bounced back comfortably into Serie A. Forward Paloschi is one of the hot prospects in Italian football. The Milan owned youngster has Serie A experience already and will likely gel well with Valeri Boijinov. Goals are there for the Parma side and promising midfielder Galloppa joins from Siena.

Roma
Stadium / average attendance: Stadio Olimpico / 39,396
Last Season: 6th
Key arrivals: Guberti, Okaka, Esposito
Key departures: Panucci, Aquilani.
Target: Top four, possible Scudetto challenge / Europa League title
A few words: Many have written off il Lupi this season before it has already begun. But that is a dangerous thing to do. Last season was shambolic, there defence at times was woeful. But, the key components remain in De Rossi, Mexes, Juan, Pizzaro and Totti and the league should be their priority although they start as favourites for the Europa League. Having said all that, other clubs have improved and if they don't start well this will not be an easy season. That goes for everyone however.

Sampdoria
Stadium / average attendance: Luigi Ferraris
Last Season: 13th
Key arrivals: Zauri, Bonazzolli, Mannini, Semioli
Key departures: Da Costa, Campagnaro
Target: Europa League
A few words: After a quite season last year Sampdoria will be looking to get back into the top half of the table. They have one of the best forward lines in the league with Pazzini and Cassano up front and with promising younger Marilungo coming through. Palombo remains the heartbeat of the side and Semioli from Fiorentina will give them some quality experience and some width as he arrives today but there are question marks over the back line. Still, they remain a dangerous force at home beating Milan, Sevilla and Lazio there last season. A dark horse this season.

Siena
Stadium / average attendance: Artemio Franchi / 11,026
Last season: 14th
Key arrivals: Paolucci, Terzi
Key departures: Galloppa, Kharja, Zuinga, Frick, Portanova
Target: Survival
A few words: I like Siena as a side, passionate and usually surviving against the odds. But, this season could be too much for them. They have lost three of their best players, one in defence, midfield and attack. Galloppa, Kharja, Portanova and Zuinga have left for pastures new and there has been little way of returns for them. Terzi has arrived today and the promising Reginaldo has also but they will need to maintain their good home form, 9-5-5 last season, if they are to avoid the drop. It will be a struggle for them this season.

Udinese
Stadium / average attendance: Friuli / 16,880
Last season: 7th
Key arrivals: Bernado Corradi, Alemao
Key departures: Fabio Quagliarella
Target: Europa League qualification
A few words: A great start to the season and a fantastic finish last year. Shame about the middle part of it where they went something like 13 games without a win. Udinese showed again that they are a force in Serie A beating Juve and Milan at home and reaching the quarter finals in the UEFA cup. The key elements of their squad remain. Di Natale, D'Agostino, who was linked with Juve and Real Madrid and Simone Pepe make for a quality attack. Corradi should get goals and the development of hot prospects Kwadwo Asamoah and Alexi Sanchez will be interesting to watch. The young Asamoah looks like an outstanding prospect.


So, let it begin. With so many teams having spent so much money expectations will be high and it wont be long before a manager gets his marching orders. Serie A begins on Saturday at 18.00 CET with Bologna v Fiorentina and then at 20.45 CET with Siena v Milan.