By Tommy Lund
(Reuters) -Napoli’s title defence begins under a cloud with key striker Romelu Lukaku ruled out for an indefinite period ahead of Saturday’s Serie A opener at Sassuolo.
The 32-year-old suffered a serious thigh injury in a friendly against Olympiacos and may need surgery, the club said on Monday.
Antonio Conte is grappling with a striker shortage and Lorenzo Lucca looks to be the only candidate left capable of leading the line and capitalising on the creativity of Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay behind him.
With reports suggesting Lukaku could be sidelined until November, the loss of the Belgian powerhouse has pushed Napoli into a frantic search for a replacement but Saturday’s game at promoted Sassuolo is likely to come too soon for a solution.
Even if Conte’s side flop on Saturday, titles are never won or lost on the opening day — Napoli lost 3-0 at Hellas Verona last season but went on to claim the Scudetto.
Inter Milan begin a new chapter on Monday as Cristian Chivu takes charge against Torino following Simone Inzaghi’s departure after a four-year spell at the helm.
Inter still boast many of the players who reached the Champions League final and finished Serie A runners-up last season, and while Chivu has spoken of giving younger players a chance the backbone of the side is expected to remain the same.
Experienced figures such as goalkeeper Yann Sommer and strikers Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez will lead the way, with prospects like Francesco Pio Esposito waiting in support.
Chivu could have arguably the strongest attack in Serie A at his disposal if Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman finalises his move to Inter, though he will still have to find a way of shaping all that firepower into a goal-scoring juggernaut.
Massimiliano Allegri’s second stint in charge at AC Milan is off to a steady start and the manner of their 2-0 Coppa Italia win over Bari suggests Saturday’s home game against promoted Cremonese will provide another stage for his midfield-driven approach.
With no injury worries and a powerful midfield that includes Christian Pulisic, Luka Modric, Ardon Jashari and Youssouf Fofana there is little doubt that success will depend on how Allegri fashions that central unit into providing solutions defensively and in attack.
Igor Tudor, recognised for his demanding and aggressive style, takes charge of Juventus with the aim of restoring order and focus as they push for a long-awaited return to the top of Italian football.
Sunday’s home game against Parma is set to offer an early indication as to whether his football philosophy can withstand the firepower of Serie A’s leading contenders.
With uncertainty continuing to hang over the futures of Dusan Vlahovic and Douglas Luiz, Tudor will look to Jonathan David as a potential spearhead in attack, supported by the youthful energy of Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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