Serie A: 3 clubs that could penetrate the top 7

Written By David Ferrini

Contenders to break apart the Seven Sisters

As Italian clubs compete to win the nation’s first European title since 2010, we take a look further down the table to see if anyone else can break into the well-established group that some Serie A fans refer to as “The Seven Sisters”.
Over seasons past Torino and Sassuolo have challenged Roma, Milan, Lazio, Atalanta, Inter and Napoli for European places. Now that the 2021/22 summer transfer window is shut, let’s take a look at three clubs attempting to pursue the peloton.

FIORENTINA

The Viola have emerged strengthened and unscathed from the transfer window, clinging on to super-striker Dušan Vlahović and his compatriot Nikola Milenković.
Vincenzo Italiano and Nicolás González are two new names, replacing former coach Beppe Iachini and Franck Ribéry. Germán Pezzella heads back to La Liga and is replaced by Matija Nastasić who returns to Florence after a decade away at Manchester City and Schalke 04.
Rocco Comisso’s appointment of the ex-Spezia coach has set the tone early, with well-drilled performances against Roma and Torino.
“We can win many games with these performances, we hadn’t set a minimum target, but we must always be competitive… we want to win as many games as possible.”
José Calléjon seems to have a new lease of life in Italiano’s 4–3–3 formation and will form part of a three-man frontline with Vlahović and the €23 million signing of Copa America champion, Nicolás González.
Besides the attack, the midfield is another strong area. Lucas Torreira joins from Arsenal to bolster the defensive aspects, with substantial back-up in the shape of Sofyan Amrabat and Eric Pulgar.
With Pezzella’s departure, left-back Cristiano Biraghi wears the captain’s armband, while Álvaro Odriozola arrives on loan from Real Madrid to oust Lorenzo Venuti from the right side.
Fiorentina won’t be as flakey as last season — that’s for sure — but the thirty-year-old Russian, Aleksandr Kokorin, is Italiano’s only real striker option. Riccardo Sottil, Riccardo Saponara and Marco Benassi are all back from loan spells.
The final piece of the transfer puzzle was to lure Domenico Berardi away from Sassuolo but that move fell short on deadline day.

Departures:

Of last season’s notable players, veterans Borja Valero, Frank Ribéry, Martín Cáceres, Germán Pezzella are cleared out, as well as the inconsistent Valentin Eysseric and Christian Kouamé.
Overall, this really can be classed as a facelift for Fiorentina fans. Very positive moves in the off-season. Hopefully, they can be seen on the pitch.
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SASSUOLO

After finishing in 8th position last term, equal with Roma on 62 points, the Neroverdi missed out narrowly on qualifying for the Europa Conference League.
But can they push the Seventh Sister again?
Over the summer three big names have departed the Città del Tricolore. Manuel Locatelli and Francesco Caputo have switched Serie A clubs and Roberto De Zerbi took a managerial job in Ukraine, already qualifying Shakhtar Donetsk for Champions League football after eliminating Monaco in the play-offs.
Instability may be a key factor for the new allenatore, Alessio Dionisi, who now needs to rely heavily on youngsters Giacomo Raspadori and Davide Frattesi to fill the roles that Caputo and Locatelli vacated.
The Attack Still Looks Good!
Sassuolo clung to Jeremie Boga and Domenica Berardi, as both were heavily linked with leaving Emilia Romagna, and has preferred to recall Italy international, Gianluca Scamacca, back from loan.
Giacomo Raspadori scored his first national senior goal for Italy against Lithuania and paid tribute to his former club coach.
“One of the many things that Roberto De Zerbi taught me was to be more determined and clinical in front of goal, so I want to continue working on it and get better and better.”
Expect Raspadori and Scamacca to be frequently rotated. Berardi will certainly be an inspirational figure on the field alongside the central defensive pairing of Gianmarco Ferrari and Vlad Chiriches.
More importantly, there is heavy competition for support attack roles after Maxime Lopez impressed in his first season and Junior Traorè has already scored a wonder-goal on Match Day 1.
With Pedro Obiang out indefinitely, the arrival of Matheus Henrique will bolster the midfield, helping out club captain Francesco Magnanelli — now in his 14th season at the Mapei Stadium.
The Smaller Changes
While Jeremy Toljan has (so far) been preferred to Mert Müldür, most of the squad remains intact, albeit Marlon followed De Zerbi to Donetsk. The depth is still there, but the big test falls to Alessio Dionisi in his first season as a top-flight coach.
Signings: Matheus Enrique (M, Gremio). Harroui (M, Sparta Rotterdam). Back from Loan: Scamacca (A, Genoa), Frattesi (M, Monza)
Transferred Out: Locatelli (M, Juventus), Marlon (D, Shakhtar), Bourabia (M, Spezia), Haraslin (S, Sparta Praha), Caputo (A, Sampdoria)
Pronti siamo noi!
There will be plenty of Neroverdi ready to prove that they can reassert themselves as contenders for Europe, as they did a couple of seasons ago.
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BOLOGNA

Yes, the Rossoblu. Don’t roll your eyes just yet. Sinisa Mihajlović has been able to build around his younger players and has finally cleared out the veterans.
New signings include Kevin Bonifazi in defence with Sydney Van Hooijdonk and Marko Arnautovic in attack. The Austrian international has had an immediate impact in Italy, scoring in the Coppa Italia, Serie A and even one for his country during the international break.
“We want to break into the top 10 of the championship, we are working towards this target.”
Andrea Poli, Angelo Da Costa, Danilo and Rodrigo Palacio (average age of 35.6) have all moved on, making way for a lot of young blood. The only “old-boy” that survived the cull was Gary Medel, the Chilean named Man of the Match against Atalanta on Match Day 2.
The squad is now brimming with attacking flair, as Riccardo Orsolini, Jerdy Schouten and Mathias Svanberg all remain after being linked with moves. However, last season’s obvious weakness was the uncanny habit of being caught out in transition, the Felsinei losing possession while attempting quick, but risky, passing.

The defensive question marks

Aaron Hickey’s return from injury is a big plus, however, Bologna’s main issues revolve around the depth for the left and right defensive positions. The Scotsman should hopefully pose an attacking threat from out wide. Lorenzo De Silvestri — with two goals on Match Day 1 — has printed out the DIY guide for his defensive cohorts.
With the sale of Takeshiro Tomiyasu to Arsenal, Mihajlović chooses between Medel and Adama Soumaoro, the Frenchmen making his move permanent from Lille.

The positives are up top

Bologna’s strengths are situated in midfield. Nicolas Dominguez — regularly snubbed last season by his mister for a starting role — is now one of the first selected in the XI.
Musa Barrow can focus on his left-wing role now that Joey Saputo has lured Van Hoojdonk and Arnautovic to the club. Paraguayan striker, Federico Santander is fit again as well.
And this is where the Rossoblu can push their way up the table. Their attacking options are endless. Soriano, Orsolini, Skov Olsen, Vignato and Sansone will all conspire to wreak havoc in the final third.
It’s certainly a long-shot, but if Bologna can hold it together at the back, as they displayed against Atalanta, then anything is possible. The minimum requirement is to dominate at home, and the Veltri faithful could provide the cliché twelfth man effect, just as they did against Salernitana.
Signings: Bonifazi (D, Udinese), Van Hooijdonk (S, NAC Breda), Arnautovic (S, Shanghai SIPG), Theate (D, Oostende)​
Transferred Out: Tomiyasu (D, Arsenal), Danilo (D, out of contract), Palacio (S, out of contract), Poli (M, Antalyaspor), Baldursson (M, Copenaghen)
Here, I’ve circled the four players that MUST make the difference if Bologna is to tip the scales and get into the top half.
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David Ferrini
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