Predicting the Serie A Title Chase: Close Contest Likely to Go Down to the Wire

Date: 24th February 2022 at 2:29pm
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Juventus won the Serie A title on nine successive occasions between 2011 and 2020 and, as a result, made the Italian league all a bit too predictable, especially for those outside the country, but last season Inter Milan mixed things up a little and wrestled the championship away from the Old Lady of Italian football and this season promises to be the closest fought campaign in years.

With just a single point separating the top three, this year’s Serie A is going to be one of the most exciting in years, with Inter Milan, Napoli, AC Milan, and perhaps even Juventus having a decent shot at taking the crown.

This makes the betting market very enticing indeed, and the tight run-in may be the ideal time to use your LiveScore bet sign-up bonus to back the team of your choice in the Italian title race.

So let’s take a closer look at the runners and riders and where they may end up come mid-May.

Inter Milan

Many predicted that the Nerazzurri would struggle to mount another title push given the big changes that occurred over the summer. Having guided Inter Milan to the title, Antonio Conte promptly left the San Siro, and incoming boss Simone Inzaghi (who had impressed over the course of five years at Lazio) saw top talents including Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi leave the club.

Creative talent Christian Eriksen also left the club due to his heart-related status, which deems him ineligible to play in Italy’s top tier. Simone brought in solid additions, including experienced forward Edin Dzeko, and they have lost just two of their opening 23 matches of the season and hold the edge currently.

Veteran Dzeko and in-form Argentine Lautaro Martinez are doing a fine job in the final third, netting 25 goals between them in all competitions, and at the back, the likes of Stefan de Vrij and Martin Skriniar are consistent performers of the highest level. Add to that the ever-reliable Samir Handanovic, and you have a side that is more than solid in all aspects.

Napoli

It would be fair to say that Luciano Spalletti’s team went off like a speeding train, winning all eight of their opening fixtures and putting the fear of God into their rivals, and many were, at that time, predicting that the Naples side would clinch their first domestic title in over 30 years (since the days of Diego Maradona).

However, inevitably, that pace could not be kept up, and a run of four defeats in seven games over November and December shook the club. Fortunately, Spalletti has managed to get his team back on track, and they now sit just a point off top spot.

Napoli have conceded just 16 goals in 24 games thus far, and it’s this defensive solidity that is the basis for the Partenopei’s challenge, and the only possible issue could be the lack of experience in the squad when it comes to completing the job. There are many who predict that Spalletti’s side are likely to choke at the crucial moment as history has proven this does tend to happen to the Gli Azzurri.

AC Milan

Stefano Pioli’s side, much like Napoli, also started the season incredibly brightly with veteran forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud doing the damage as AC Milan went 12 games unbeaten from the start of the season. Things had tailed off a little since then, but a win in the Milan derby in early February has put them right back in the race.

What may well stand AC Milan in good stead is the fact that they now have no European action to affect their run-in, while both Napoli and Inter do; this could well help give their chances a boost as regards their schedule.

Given that Pioli depends a great deal on his ageing forwards, with the ably backing of Portuguese youngster Rafael Leao, there might be a concern that Giroud and Ibrahimovic may run out of steam before the season comes to its close.

Juventus

While it’s true that the Turin side are some way back, currently eight points off the pace, they deserve to be mentioned as outsiders chiefly due to their experience and their current run of form.

Losing Cristiano Ronaldo certainly affected Massimiliano Allegri’s progress early on, but he’s steadied the ship of late, and Argentine attacker Paulo Dybala is delivering the goods and having gone ten games unbeaten and could still get back in contention. What might also play in their favour is the fact they only have to play one game against the other three (home to Inter) in their run-in.

Juventus have struggled for goals thus far, no team in the top nine has scored fewer, and that could prove an issue in the final throes of the campaign.

Back Inter to Triumph

When it comes to making a prediction as to how things may pan out, we’d stick our money on Inter to keep their heads while those around them lose theirs, we’d also back Juventus to be close behind and Napoli to fall by the wayside as the season draws to a close.

Image Source: Pixabay

 

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