As we tick into the month of October, the Italian Serie A league looks like it may well be a tight and exciting one in the 2024/25 campaign, as although we are only six games into the new season, there are already eight sides in double figures – with only three points separating them.
As the time of typing, Napoli are in top spot, leading Juventus by a single point but in eighth place Udinese have already clocked up ten points of their own, and clearly a number of sides will fancy their own chances of mounting a significant and serious challenge for this years Scudetto if they can maintain their current form levels through to the New Year.
Obviously there will again be some twists and turns with so many months, and games, still to come before we reach the end of the current domestic competition, but the off pitch mind games, pointed media questioning and attempts to ramp up the various pressures have already begun. 55 year old Antonio Conte seemed more than happy recently to take the gamesmanship up a level when responding to a press question that loosely leant on a pretty basic inference from Bianconeri duo Thiago Motta (manager) and Cristiano Giuntoli (sporting director).
The pair had simply agreed that with a good early start to campaign, Napoli were again amongst the favourites to lift this years’ title – few would disagree with that and the same comment could be applied to a number of sides right now. With Cesc Fabregas bringing his Como side to the Stadio Maradona this coming Friday, Conte was asked whether or not there would be additional pressure from being the first side to play this week, and his answer showed that he is only focused on picking up all three points.
In what may have been a duel reply to the Juventus duo, he said.
“Somebody wants to pressure us, perhaps, to cover their team? But this is part of the game. History says three things win titles: history, the team’s value, and the wage bill. This is what history says, save for very few exceptions. When I hear somebody pressure us, I think: ‘Did you want a bike? Now start riding!’ So, if somebody wants to put pressure on us, he’d better think about the pressure on him.”
Most fans would agree that his main meaning was basically if you consider ‘us’ favourites and plan on mounting a challenge, then get in the race properly because we are already ahead, but equally, it is way too early in the year yet to be making real determinations about what might happen whilst there are still so many points to play for.
However, a few early barbs like this to add a bit of spice to the battles that lie ahead would be welcomed by the majority of neutrals, and nobody is going to really object as long as it stays largely good natured banter.
Let us see what is said after this weekends action.