La Prima Giornata

Late August has arrived and so another season of Serie A is about to begin. As always, there's a lot to look forward to in terms of the future of this league. My biggest concern, along with many others, is the UEFA coefficent, which determines how many Champions League spots each league is awarded. Well this is an absolutely crucial season, as the German Bundesliga is right on Italy's heels. What I want to know is if in fact Serie A is the 3rd toughest and most competitive league in Europe. I think we'll see that Serie A is still a top-notch league and that it will only get better with time.

Housekeeping: There is a Monday match this week (Bologna-Inter)! Make sure not to miss out.


A litter refresher to get you excited for this season

Match of the Week:
Napoli @ Fiorentina SUN 2:45PM EST Live on ESPN3.com and RAI
Two teams that will again set their sights on 4th place. Both teams have some proving to do as Napoli need to show that last season wasn't a fluke and Fiorentina to readjust under their new coach, Siniša Mihajlović. I'll be look forward to a lot of energy from both teams, as this already 3 big points against potential CL competitors.
(My Prediction: 1-2 Fiorentina)

Genoa @ Udinese SAT 12:00PM EST Live on ESPN3.com and RAI
This match has the honor of the first official match of the season. Unfortunately, its not exactly marquee. Genoa had a subpar season and Udinese didn't find safety until late. However Genoa tends to keep in interesting more often than not. And with Udinese reaffirming their starlet and capocannoniere, Antonio Di Natale, by rejecting a bid from Juventus, there's plenty of excitement to watch.
(My Prediction: 0-1 Udinese)

Cesena @ Roma SAT 2:45PM EST Live on FSC, ESPN3.com, and RAI
Newly promoted versus 2nd best Roma. Roma's gotten off to poor starts the past two seasons so look for Cesena to take advantage and make a name for themselves.
(My Prediction: 0-0)

Juventus @ Bari SUN 12:00PM Live on ESPN3.com and RAI
It should be fun to watch these two teams and what changes they'll be able to make from last year. For Juve, you can only go up after having the worst season in the club's history. But they're made several changes over the summer, including a new coach (Gigi Del Neri), shipping players out (Diego, Cannavaro), and bringing in new ones (Krasic, Quagliarella). Bari will be looking to maintain their breakout season after being promoted. Hopefully selling some of their standout players (Bonucci, Ranocchia) won't be too much to handle.
(My Prediction: 2-2)

Catania @ Chievo: SUN 2:45PM EST
A mid-table battle, it'll be interesting to see where both teams end up. Catania possibly ended last season as the hottest team in the league. I'd like to see how much of an influence Siniša Mihajlović had on that. Chievo is the dead fish of the league to me. Not battling for Europe, but also not threated by relegation. I just hope their they end up in either one of those races.
(My Prediction: 2-1 Catania)

Lecce @ Milan SUN 2:45PM EST Live on FSC and ESPN3.com
It should be no surprise that my focus is on Milan here. I'm feeling very optimistic about their chances this season, despite not making a splash in the market. That is of course unless they sign, who could be, the most dominant striker this league has seen since I've been watching, Zlatan. Lecce, as Serie B champions, should provide a decent challenge. Nonetheless, I don't think Milan have an excuse to lose this game.
(My Prediction: 1-3 Milan)

Brescia @ Parma SUN 2:45PM EST
I wouldn't expect anything from Brescia except to try to stay up in Serie A, much like Bologna. Parma though could fight for a Europa League spot.
(My Prediction: 0-3 Parma)

Lazio @ Sampdoria SUN 2:45PM EST
After a torrid season, Lazio should be recharged and aiming for the top half of the table. They should find hope in their good form at the end of last season. However I wouldn't be surprised to see Sampdoria terribly hung over from their Champions League playoff disappointment. They have the talent to get back to 4th, but who knows if they've got the heart.
(My Prediction: 1-1)

Cagliari @ Palermo SUN 2:45PM EST
I don't expect a lot from Cagliari this season, having lost coach Max Allegri to Milan. However, they still have potential to stay up. However, against a team like Palermo, who should be recharged after a great run last season, I don't think the Sardinians will be up for it.
(My Prediction: 1-2 Palermo)

Inter @ Bologna MON 2:45PM EST Live on FSC, ESPN3.com, and RAI
Had Inter won the UEFA Super Cup, they would feel as if they're on top of the world. Instead, hopefully they're looking at their loss to Atletico as a wake up call. Starting against Bologna though should be a good place to begin. Look for them to hoist the scudetto, again.
(My Prediction: 4-0 Inter)