5 Serie A Storylines to Follow in 2015
For Serie A, 2014 was another eventful year.
Juventus set a new points record, becoming the first Italian team ever to break the century mark, but Antonio Conte resigned as manager in the summer. Parma came from nowhere to finish sixth in last season’s table, only to be denied a spot in Europe thanks to an unpaid tax bill (h/t ESPN FC) and end the year bottom of the league.
Milan appointed Clarence Seedorf as manager before replacing him with another former player, Pippo Inzaghi, a few months later. Antonio Di Natale announced his intention to retire in January (h/t BBC) but thought better of that decision and scored the 200th top-flight goal of his career in November.
So what will be the big storylines of 2015? Here are five worth keeping an eye on.
Will Juventus Finally Make Their Mark in the Champions League?
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Massimiliano Allegri said it best, creating the hashtag #fiuuu ("fiu!" is Italian for "phew!") to sum up his feelings at the end of Juventus’s 3-2 win over Olympiacos at the start of November.
The Bianconeri, who had found themselves a goal behind with less than 30 minutes left to play, would have been eliminated from the Champions League with a defeat. Even a draw would have left their chances hanging by a thread.
Instead, victory ensured that a point from their final fixture, at home to Atletico Madrid, would be enough to make it through to knockout rounds. Juventus secured a goalless stalemate against the Spanish champions and were drawn against Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.
To exit the competition at this stage would still represent a failure for Allegri’s team. Juventus might not yet be ready to compete with the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, but after amassing 95 points in the last calendar year (h/t The Guardian), they ought to be strong enough to overcome opponents who currently sit second from bottom in the Bundesliga.
Gigi Buffon said in October that Juventus’s target for this season was to reach “at least” the quarter-finals of the Champions League (quotes in Italian, via La Repubblica). That remains the minimum target.
Can Roma End Juventus's Domestic Domination?
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For one tantalising moment, it seemed like the power shift had arrived. Five days after securing an impressive draw away to Manchester City, Roma arrived at Juventus Stadium looking fit and full of confidence. Despite falling behind to a disputed penalty, they battled back to lead 2-1 before the break.
The Giallorossi were on course to end the champions’ run of 21 consecutive home victories.
But then the match turned on another contentious decision. Miralem Pjanic clearly clipped Paul Pogba, but it was not entirely clear whether the contact had taken place inside the box. Referee Gianluca Rocchi awarded a spot-kick, Juventus equalised and eventually snatched a late winner.
Roma manager Rudi Garcia was defiant afterwards, reiterating his belief that Roma will win the Scudetto anyway (h/t SBS), ending Juve’s run of three consecutive titles.
But his team have since struggled to maintain the levels they reached in the early part of the campaign. A fortnight after losing to Juventus, they were thrashed 7-1 by Bayern Munich. They have won just five of their 12 games in all competitions since.
The winter break was a welcome opportunity to regroup. Roma are still just three points behind Juventus at the top of the table, so the title race is very much alive. But the likes of Francesco Totti, Juan Iturbe and Mattia Destro have all struggled over the last couple of months after making bright starts to the campaign.
To catch this record-breaking Juventus team, Roma need their entire squad to be firing on all cylinders.
Could an Italian Team Win the Europa League?
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Roma and Napoli have dropped out of the Champions League, but Italy can take some consolation from knowing that none of its clubs have yet been eliminated from continental competition altogether.
The Giallorossi and Partenopei join Inter, Fiorentina and Torino in the last 32 of the Europa League. Bar the last of those, each has enough talent in their squad to feel capable of reaching the tournament’s latter stages.
To go far, however, they will need to make the tournament a priority. Roma, with a squad that was built to play in the Champions League, ought to have enough depth to compete on several fronts but might still prefer to keep their best players rested for a title push. Similarly, Napoli and Fiorentina could reasonably conclude that pursuing a top-three finish is simply more important.
More intriguing are Inter. Roberto Mancini has reminded reporters more than once since taking over as manager that the prize for winning the Europa League includes a place in next season’s Champions League (h/t the Daily Mail). Eleventh in Serie A, this might be Inter’s best shot at an immediate return to Europe’s top table.
Mancini has some history of success in knockout competitions, having won domestic cups at every one of the five clubs he has managed so far. This would be a bigger achievement than any of them.
Which Milan Club Will Return to Glory Soonest?
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The race for third place promises to be a compelling one, with 10 teams separated by just seven points going into the winter break. You will find a piece on the runners and riders right here, but regardless of who ultimately claims that spot, the fates of Milan and Inter will continue to intrigue.
This is the first season since 2001-02 that neither Milan club has played in the Champions League. Each has brought in a club legend in an attempt to reverse their recent slides.
For Milan, Pippo Inzaghi has at least begun to restore a sense of enthusiasm around the club. More than 2,000 supporters showed up to his unveiling (h/t The Guardian), and at their best, his teams have played with an irresistible attacking verve.
The emergence of Jeremy Menez as a centre-forward has been thrilling, the Frenchman reminding the world that he can be unplayable. Consistency remains a concern, however, and the departure of Fernando Torres to Atletico Madrid leaves the squad with few alternatives through the middle. New arrival Alessio Cerci did play in a central role for most of his final season at Torino but rarely led the line.
Inter could end up with an enticing array of options up front if reported moves for both Lukas Podolski and Ezequiel Lavezzi come off (h/t Eurosport). But both teams should perhaps be worrying more about what goes on at the other end of the pitch.
The Rossoneri’s defensive performances have improved lately with Philippe Mexes and Adil Rami paired together at centre-back, but previously, both Alex and Cristian Zapata had struggled. Inter, meanwhile, have shipped 23 goals in 16 games and continue to look vulnerable down the flanks, despite Mancini’s abandonment of the three-man defence preferred by his predecessor, Walter Mazzarri.
Whichever of the two can resolve these frailties soonest is likely to enjoy the most fruitful 2015.
How Long Can Beppe Iachini Last at Palermo?
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Beppe Iachini is doing a fine job as Palermo manager. Since taking charge last September, he has steered them from Serie B to the top flight and a comfortable mid-table position.
Under his guidance, Argentinians Paulo Dybala and Franco Vazquez have developed into one of the most exciting young strike partnerships in the league.
But Palermo are still owned by Maurizio Zamparini, a man who has changed manager 26 times since taking over the club in 2002. Only two others—Francesco Guidolin and Delio Rossi—have ever lasted a full year in Sicily under the owner. Neither of them made it to two.
