If you ask this SBOTOP writer to tip a team for the title in any major European league next season, I could do so without hesitation – all apart from in Serie A.
For it is the Italian top flight that has left me completely unsure as who to back when the new campaign gets underway.
Our Serie A 2025 betting odds make it clear with champions Napoli the favourites to defend the Scudetto they lifted in May.
Just behind them in the reckoning is a team which delivered plenty of their own Serie A 2025 highlights and, until recently, had been the dominant force in recent years.
Indeed, if Inter Milan had not experienced such upheaval in recent months – they suffered stage fright on the biggest stage of all (a 5-0 Champions League Final defeat) before saying farewell to the manager who brought them so much success – Simone Inzaghi, the Nerazzurri would probably be title favourites.
Then there is Juventus, priced as third favourites, and Milan who are an intriguing fourth.
Incidentally, you probably won’t be surprised to know that two of the three promoted clubs, Pisa and Cremonese, are joint favourites for the drop, priced @ 1501.00 for the title.
Back to the reigning champions and it is hard to imagine Napoli will not make a better fist of their title defence than they did two summers ago.
Unlike Luciano Spalletti, who departed Naples after their memorable 2023 triumph, manager Antonio Conte has stayed in place and the defensive improvements and mentality he has instilled into the side should hold them in good stead once again.
They also have added the flair of experienced Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne and the pace of the Italian game, somewhat slower to what he has been used to in England with Manchester City, could prove a real asset.
Over at Inter, new coach Cristian Chivu has his work cut out to shape his own identity around an ageing team and prove as popular as his predecessor.
Chivu, who made his debut in the dugout as the new Inter coach during the Club World Cup earlier this summer, has already signed Petar Sucic, Luis Henrique and Ange-Yoan Bonny.
Juventus are fresh from their first pre-season friendly of the summer, a 2-2 draw with Serie B side Reggiana – a match in which new arrival from FC Porto, Francisco Conceiçao, and Dusan Vlahovic were on target for the ‘old lady’.
Perhaps the latter, who has been linked with a move away from the club, can have a future with them. He is certainly a fine goalscorer when on form.
Whether they go back for Randal Kolo Muani, who has returned to PSG following his loan spell in Turin, remains to be seen but either way, they will need to replace the impact of the frontman who scored eight goals in 16 appearances for the club.
And what of Milan?
Despite finishing in eighth place last term, it will be very interesting to see matters play out.
Veteran Luka Modric has joined them and, even at the age of 39, the Croatia captain will have a role to play.
But the most fascinating storyline could be how Max Allegri fares.
Allegri, the man who guided Juve to so much silverware in the past decade, has returned for a second stint as Milan boss after replacing Sergio Conceicao (who only arrived at the club in January).
Both Paulo Fonseca and Conceiçao could not avoid being sacked in the past year, and when Igli Tare was appointed as the new sporting director, Allegri was the very first name on his agenda.
He has signed a two-year contract, returning to San Siro after 11 years, and has a task and a half on his hands as the giants of the Italian game jockey for position.
There is no doubt Milan have been a shadow of their former selves for some time now but Allegri could change all that.
The new boss said he was happy with the team’s performances during their pre-season Asia tour but warns that ‘everything will change’ when they resume training in Italy.
He has signed a two-year contract at San Siro, with an option for a further campaign, and while he will have to wait until August 23, when Cremonese visit the San Siro, for his league bow, Milan’s first competitive match of the season will be on August 17 when they play Bari in the first round of the Coppa Italia, a trophy they lost the final of last season.
Modric, former Brighton left back Pervis Estupiñán and midfielder Samuele Ricci, from Torino, are among their arrivals of late and all should have a role to play.
While I do not see them as title hopefuls, they should make a massive leap from their lowly finish last time out.
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