As a new exciting Serie A season is about to kick off on September 19, it’s now time to go for our Final Table Predictions. The Cult of Calcio is making sure that you’re all set go with the latest news and analysis concerning your favorite team. So, after providing you with the Top 10 players to watch out for in 2020-2021 and the Top 10 reasons to follow Italian football, let’s now see where every Serie A club will land in our personal (not so sure how accurate…) table.
The Relegation Dogfight
We start from the very bottom, with the fight that no side wishes to be a part of.
Crotone did well to earn themselves a Serie A spot this season, finishing as the runners-up in Serie B, but the Calabrians’ modest squad doesn’t suggest that they’re capable of bothering too many top-flight sides, and thus they could find themselves at rock bottom in the 20th position.
Genoa have managed to pull off several fortunate escapes in the last seasons, but the Grifone’s luck could finally run out. And with club president Enrico Preziosi failing to find a new buyer so far, the club’s future seems more obscure than ever. Don’t be shocked to seem finishing in the 19th position.
Spezia, on their part, are doing an impressive job on the market, bolstering their squad with several new signings. But building chemistry between the original players who delivered promotion and the new stars can sometimes turn out to be a complicated task, and thus our predictions are that Spezia will enjoy a decent first outing in Serie A but fall just short on securing safety as they end up at 18th in the table.
Udinese these days are a far cry from the side that was able to push the big boys to their limits during the noughties. And with Seko Fofana sold, Rodrigo De Paul about to follow, and Rolando Mandragora still suffering from a serious injury, the Zebrette are set to suffer without the young midfield trio, but they could have just enough in the tank to avoid relegation with a 17th position finish.
Similarly to Udinese, last season’s dark horse Hellas Verona have sold several key men including Amir Rrahmani, Marash Kumbulla, and Sofyan Amrabat, which suggests that the club won’t be able to duplicate its success, as they end the season at a disappointing 16th spot.
The Rest Of The Bottom Half
In the calmer part of the table, Parma will start this campaign without last year’s star player Dejan Kulusevski and could possibly lose Gervinho as well. New boss Fabio Liverani will have a difficult task ahead of him, and we expect the Ducali to finish at 15th.
Filippo Inzaghi has done a phenomenal job at Benevento so far, crushing all competition in Serie B. Although the top flight is a different story, we still expect Super Pippo and his boys to finish at a decent 14th spot.
Cagliari might have missed a golden opportunity last season to finish at a high position in the table. With Radja Nainggolan no longer leading their midfield, new coach Eusebio Di Francesco could suffer yet another complicated campaign. Our final verdict for Cagliari is an underwhelming 13th place finish.
Claudio Ranieri is expected to insert some stability at Sampdoria after a poor campaign last season. Despite not boasting the best of squads, the Blucerchiati have enough to earn a mid-table finish at 12th.
Bologna are moving forward with their successful cooperation with Sinisa Mihajlovic. The Emilia-Romagna club will reap the fruits of their hard work and stable project as they could be set for a decent 11th place finish.
The Top-Mid Table
We begin the top half of the table predictions with Torino who are hoping that the appointment of Marco Giampaolo and the addition of some new signings can help them bounce back from a forgettable season and possibly land in an impressive 10th position in the Serie A table.
Sassuolo have so far managed to maintain their squad from last season, as Roberto De Zerbi’s side is expected to deliver some beautiful football and positive results once again. We predict a 9th position finish for the Neroverdi.
On the heels of a solid transfer session, Guiseppe Iachini now possesses all the needed tools to launch a great Fiorentina project, as the Tuscans are expected to finish at 8th position.
Roma have taken the brave decision of allowing their veteran players to leave the club and replace them with young talents. Although this policy could deliver success for the club in the future, we’re expecting them to suffer during the transition period and thus a 7th position finish shouldn’t be too shocking.
The European Spots
And now we’ve reached the Big Boys. Lazio‘s successful campaign last season brought them back to the Champions League after 13 years. But the club hasn’t yet added enough depth to the squad that will play twice a week, and thus the Biancocelesti could pay the price of their European adventure with an underwhelming 6th place finish.
While Napoli are expected to enjoy a better season than the last, Gennaro Gattuso’s side won’t be too far from securing a Champions League spot, but he might fall just short in 5th place.
After getting accustomed at playing in Europe’s primary competition, Atalanta still have all the tools to duplicate their success once again and cement their Top 4 status with a 4th place finish.
Building on last season’s impressive performances, Milan could be finally set for a return to their favorite competition with a 3rd place finish, and the arrival of some young stars will only boost their chances.
The Title Race
For the second season in a row, Juventus will have to defend their long winning dynasty mainly against Antonio Conte’s Inter. With both squads boasting quality and depth, the odds couldn’t be any closer in this two-horse race. But as boxing and MMA fans know, whenever the scorecards are this close, the champion will most likely get favored.
It’ll be good to see Milan back in the Champions League. It’s been too long. Hopefully they seal the deal with Chiesa.
Let’s hope Napoli will make it as well 😛 and yeah, Milan in CL would good for our football.
That a was a tough exclusion.I guess I better not visit Napoli or Rome anytime soon.
In your heart, you know you made the correct prediction. The guilt will fade in time.
It’s true. Someone had to be left out. Thanks Phil! We appreciate your comments.