Everything you need to know about the new Serie A season

The 2021/22 Serie A season finally gets under way this weekend and it promises to be another thrilling campaign.

Who are the title contenders? 🏆

Having lost Romelu Lukaku, Achraf Hakimi and Antonio Conte, it might be difficult for champions Inter to retain the Scudetto this season.

Especially considering Massimiliano Allegri is back in charge of a resurgent Juventus.

Elsewhere, Atalanta, Milan, Napoli and José Mourinho’s Roma all have an outside chance.

Who are the newly promoted clubs? 📈

Having won the Serie B title at a canter last season, Empoli are back in the top flight but after losing coach Alessio Dionisi to Sassuolo, it will be interesting to see how they get on in Aurelio Andreazzoli’s third spell in charge at the Stadio Castellani.

Meanwhile, Salernitana return to Serie A for the first time since 1998/99 and will be hoping a defence which didn’t concede for 637 minutes in Serie B last term will help them mix it with the big boys this year.

And coming up via the play-offs are Venezia, who are back in Serie A after 19 years away and if nothing else, they’ve already won the award for best kits in the league. Their stadium can only be reached by boat and having made some shrewd signings, they could be one to watch this season.

Have there been any managerial changes since last season? 👔

You might want to sit down for this one, because 12 of the 20 clubs in Serie A have changed their coach during the summer. There is never a dull moment in this league.

As mentioned, Roma will be hoping Mourinho brings his brand of special sauce to the Eternal City having replaced Paulo Fonseca in the Stadio Olimpico hot-seat, while Allegri is back at Juventus after a two-year sabbatical.

Simone Inzaghi was the man chosen to replace Conte at Inter, and taking his place at Lazio is Maurizio Sarri.

Napoli said arrivederci to Gennaro Gattuso and hired Luciano Spalletti, while Gattuso was in charge at Fiorentina for just 23 days before he said arrivederci to them following a row over transfer targets. Vincenzo Italiano was the next man chosen to lead the Viola forward.

Replacing Italiano at Spezia is former Inter and Italy midfielder Thiago Motta, while Sassuolo poached Dionisi from newly promoted Empoli to take over from the outgoing Roberto De Zerbi. Returning to Empoli is the aforementioned Andreazzoli.

Sampdoria have appointed former midfielder Roberto D’Aversa to succeed Claudio Ranieri, while ex-Samp coach Eusebio Di Francesco has taken over at Hellas Verona.

And after leaving Verona, Croatian coach Ivan Jurić is the man tasked with improving Torino’s fortunes this season.

Did you get all that?

Biggest transfers? 🤑

5️⃣ fixtures to look out for 📆

Best new kits 👕

Home: Fiorentina

La Viola’s 1980s retro inspired home kit is a beauty, particularly due to the return of the Flavio Pontello lily in place of the crest.

Away: Venezia

Venezia’s home and away kits are both stunning, but the third kit is the best of them all in our opinion. Just sublime.