It’s been a busy summer full of astounding transfers, dramatic exits, and new beginnings.
Paul Pogba, Gonzalo Higuain, Roberto Mancini, Silvio Berlusconi, and Mauro Icardi are just some of the names to grab the headlines over the past couple of months, but with the 2016-17 Serie A season on the horizon, what can we expect once the dust settles and the weekly instalments of calcio return?
In one of our very own new beginnings, we will take a look at every round of Serie A games and preview the top five things to look out for when observing the various fixtures across the weekend. Whether you’re just watching your favourite team or keeping tabs on all 10 clashes, here you’ll find all the anticipation leading up to each week’s entertainment.
So let’s begin, naturally, with round one.
1. The Debutants
The amazing story of Carpi has been the highlight of the Italian leagues for the past couple of years, but their first season in the top flight could not last longer than 12 months; a relegation that was copied by fellow debutants Frosinone last term.
Hoping to go one better than their former Serie B rivals, Crotone have their first-ever Serie A clash away to Bologna on Sunday evening.
Carpi suffered a 5-2 thrashing at Sampdoria in their respective game last year, while Frosinone lost 2-1 at home to Torino, but the Pitagorici will hope to scrape a point against the Rossoblu.
In terms of the other two newly promoted sides, Cagliari are away to Genoa after a one-year absence in Serie A, while Pescara have a tough start at home to Napoli.