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The Serie A will be back tomorrow after the international break and it has a host of important games which can shape the season of many teams involved.
With that in mind, we look at some key things to look forward to, as Calcio returns.
Can Inter return to winning ways v Juve
Inter’s loss to Udinese has raised some question marks about Cristian Chivu’s abilities and whether he is a transitional coach or someone who will last in the longer run.
That is why the massive game against Juventus comes at a vital juncture for the Romanian. It will not be criticial to his future but his approach will say a lot about how he wants his Inter to look like in major games.
A loss can put pressure on him but his selection will define what kind of manager he is, especially considering the number of errors made against Udinese.
Atalanta’s first win?
Atalanta have shown only glimpses of their past self under Ivan Juric, having been held to draws by Pisa and Parma.
The Croatian has been optimistic about the processes he is using but a failure to beat Lecce could be pretty harmful for him, especially considering the backdrop of last season, when he was sacked by both Roma and Southampton.
Atalanta just have to win their game at the weekend, one way or another.
First big test for Napoli
So far, Napoli have not conceded even once in two Serie A games, beating Cagliari and Sassuolo. But Stefano Pioli’s Fiorentina will prove to be Antonio Conte’s first major challenge, as they look to retain the Scudetto.
La Viola are also yet to win even once but will provide a stern test, now that they have more certainty about their squad after the closure of the transfer window.
Artemio Franchi has been a tough place to go for many major sides and it will be a difficult test for the Partenopei, who also face Manchester City in mid-week and if Conte has a weakness, it is managing his squad when European clashes come knocking.
Can Milan fend off Bologna?
Milan’s game against Bologna will likely be one of the best ties of the gameweek, with both sides having won once so far in the campaign.
The Rossoneri haven’t quite looked like a cohesive unit under Max Allegri yet and with Bologna still recovering from losing key players in the summer, it will be up to Milan to take advantage of any blips from the Rossoblu.
Assessing Roma’s progress
Roma are already showing signs of being a Gian Piero Gasperini team, having won both of their games so far and attacking players thriving in the Italian’s setup.
Torino have struggled in attack this season, having yet to score and they let in five against Inter. Marco Baroni has a big job on his hands to turn things around and a work-in-progress side like Roma can give them more opportunities to pick up points.
It will be interesting to see how far Roma have come from a tactical perspective in this game, with Gasperini having had many days to coach his players.
Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN
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