Serie A 2010-11: Inter's Struggles Give Rise To New Challengers and Renewed Hope

It is a shaping up to be a very different and slightly strange season in Italy’s Serie A. With round eleven fast approaching, no club has yet to show the consistency and resilience normally associated with championship contenders.  Not even perennial champions Inter, who look a shadow of their former selves. For this reason it appears that this season’s Scudetto race will be wide open.

Unfancied Lazio have been the early pacesetters with their somewhat modest squad. After ten rounds the Bianocelesti still sit atop of the standings despite succumbing to their fiercest rivals, Roma, last weekend.

Milan have failed to impress, despite what their second place position might suggest. The Rossoneri have looked vulnerable at the back all season. They conceded another two goals against lowly Bari on Sunday and up front Coach Max Allegri is still tinkering as he continues to struggle to find the right combination.

Juventus, at the start, were very poor, but are now perhaps the in-form team in Serie A. Undefeated in six matches that included two difficult trips to the San Siro to face Inter and Milan, Juventus are looking more like contenders with every match. Yet, there are questions marks over whether the Bianconeri have a strong enough squad to continue in such a way.

After ten rounds Napoli are also sitting pretty in fifth place, equal with fourth placed Juventus. But of all the teams that occupy the top spots in Serie A, Napoli certainly possess the weakest of squads. For this reason, despite their impressive start, the Neapolitans dream of their first Scudetto in over twenty years seems beyond their reach.

The one reason why things appear much different this year compared to recent seasons is due to the current struggles Inter is experiencing. Italian and European champions last season, Inter have so far failed to hit the right note under their new coach Rafa Benitez.

On paper, the Nerazzurri are still the strongest team in Italy and by some way. Yet, the domination of Serie A that started following the controversial Calciopoli scandal in 2006 now looks under real threat.

Rafa Benitez has failed to build upon the winning foundations laid by his treble-winning predecessor Jose Mourinho.  In Italy, Inter are currently sitting in third position whilst in Europe they have struggled to impress.  Just last week they were comprehensively outplayed by European novices Tottenham, losing 3-1. In their last match, played on Saturday night, they struggled to a one all draw at home to lowly Brescia, only drawing level from the spot.

This may just be the season that is remembered as when Inter lost its hegemony over Italian football.

It is hard to see things getting better for Inter either. Their injury list continues to grow leaving Benitez, who was already struggling, with even greater problems.  

This season’s Serie A is appearing to be the most open championship in many years. For Italian football this is only a good thing.

Inter’s domination of Calcio has effectively made the championship a one-horse race for a number of years now. Such a situation has done little for Serie A’s broad appeal to fans.  

The open race for this season’s title means the there is a real possibility that a club besides Inter will claim the Scudetto next May. The rise of a new victor will coincide with the emergence of new stars.

But, more importantly, Italian football will be the biggest winner at the end of the day. An open title race is exciting to watch and it may reignite public interest in the game, once again serving to bring fans back to the stadiums, after years of declining attendances.

For a league that has had its fair share of troubles in recent years, all this is a welcome change. It gives a glimmer of hope that Calcio is on the way back.