By DPA
Rome : The Italian premier football league Serie A kicks off Saturday with prospects of a sparkling season after the ground-shaking corruption scandal a year ago altered the usual scenario.
European champions AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina, who were handed varying penalties for their role in the scandal, start on level terms in the 20-team pack that includes promoted Juventus, Genoa and Napoli.
Juventus are back after a year of Serie B, where they were sentenced to play for the first time ever after their two top managers were found guilty of rigging games in the past two seasons.
Their largely renewed line-up steered by new coach Claudio Ranieri appeared at times rusty in pre-season, but club president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli assured the fans that “the team is growing, with many new and young players”.
“They will find the right balance already in the first match at home Saturday against Livorno, although ours is a team that has to be built gradually.
“When it runs at full speed, it will be a good team in all its sectors: defence, midfield and attack.”
The declared goal of Juventus, boasting a record 27 Italian league titles despite having two stripped in the trial, is a spot in the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League which essentially means finishing the Serie A among the top four teams.
Few, however, believe in their low-key ambition, beginning with defending champions Inter Milan, who had the 2006 title awarded by sports judges and retained it hands-down last season.
It is now up to Inter to silence the critics who said they had it easy, thanks to the absence of Juventus, when they snatched stars Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Patrick Vieira, and the eight-point penalty of cross-town rivals AC Milan.
“Juve will be there, vying for the scudetto with us,” said Inter trainer Roberto Mancini. “They may have a hard time at the start as they changed many players, but they are competitive and not having to play (any European tournament) can be an advantage for them.”
Milan closely trail the city rivals in the forecasts, largely due to a seventh continental title won at the end of a season marred by a point-penalty and plenty of injuries.
Also among the favourites are AS Roma, second-placed last season, albeit with a huge 22-point deficit. They were the only ones to beat Inter in Serie A, a feat repeated in the Italian Cup final and recently in the Italian Supercup.
Lazio, Fiorentina, Palermo, Empoli, Atalanta and Sampdoria all fared well last year and can give the big guns a hard time as they pursue the available UEFA Cup and Champions League berths.
Not much has changed, unfortunately, regarding violence. Bad news came from Genoa, where Milan fans won’t be allowed for the season opener at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium.
Authorities fear clashes among hooligans as Genoa diehards have threatened to avenge the killing of a supporter 12 years ago during a match between the two sides.
High tension is expected already for other classic ties during the season, while the stadiums of Udinese and Catania will open to the public later in the season when they meet safety requirements established last year.