Page 30 - Soccer360 - Issue 103

AC Milan’s Olivier
Giroud celebrates with Fikayo Tomori (R)
Lecce’s Hamza Rafia celebrates scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between ACF Fiorentina vs US Lecce
Lecce
Former Sampdoria coach Roberto D’Aversa has the daunting task of keeping Lecce in Serie A for a second straight season. Previous boss Marco Baroni couldn’t agree to a contract extension and moved to the Hellas Verona hotseat after he kept the Giallorossi in Italy’s top league last term.
Influential midfielder leader Morten Hjulmand, former Barcelona central defender Samuel Umtiti and forward Lorenzo Colombo followed Baroni out the exit door, so new recruits such as on-loan winger Pontus Almqvist and Albania international Ylber Ramadani will have key roles to play as D’Aversa tries to keep the Apulia side away from the relegation places.
AC Milan
The unexpected loss of midfield pillar Sandro Tonali to English Premier
League club Newcastle United sent shockwaves through Italian football. Yet the Rossoneri reinvested the £55m transfer fee to construct a squad capable of challenging for the Scudetto.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic arrive with a point to prove from Chelsea, while Tijjani Reijnders and combative midfielder Yunus Musah were also recruited to bolster coach Stefano Pioli’s midfield while exciting duo Samuel Chukwueze and Noah Okafor should provide pace and power in attack. Established stars Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao need to be at their best if the 19-time Serie A champions are to compete for another title.
NICKNAME:
I Rossoneri (The Red and Blacks)
Il Diavolo (The Devil)
MANAGER:
Stefano Pioli
LAST YEAR FINISH:
Serie A, 4th
DID YOU KNOW?
Il derby dei Campioni
The two most decorated clubs in Italian football, AC Milan and Juventus, have
one of the fiercest rivalries in the country due to their success and competition.
NICKNAME:
I Giallorossi (The Yellow and Reds), I Salentini (The Salentians), I Lupi (The Wolves)
MANAGER:
Roberto D’Aversa
LAST YEAR FINISH:
Serie A, 16th
Monza
NICKNAME:
I Biancorossi (The White and Reds)
I Brianzoli (The Ones from Brianza)
I Bagai (The Boys)[a]
MANAGER:
Raffaele Palladino
LAST YEAR FINISH:
Serie A, 11th
AC Monza’s players greet their supporters after the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Monza and Empoli FC
Raffaele Palladino exceeded all expectations as
he guided the Biancorossi to 11th in their first ever top-flight season. A repeat performance looks unlikely this time around although the young tactician won many admirers in his debut campaign as a top-level coach. The Lombardy club added
the seasoned pair of defender Danilo D’Ambrosio and midfielder Roberto Gagliardini from Inter
while their outstanding Brazilian left-back Carlos Augusto headed in the other direction. In addition, they managed to secure the loan signings of goalkeeper Stefano Gori from Juventus, and Atalanta defender Giorgio Cittadini. Of those who remain, the leadership of influential captain Matteo Pessina will be crucial for Palladino’s side as they aspire to reach the heights of last term.
AC Monza’s coach Raffaele Palladino reacts during “Silvio Berlusconi” Trophy soccer match between AC Monza and AC Milan
30 SOCCER360 MAGAZINE
2023-24 SERIE A SEASON PREVIEW