Behind them are all the others: Como sits at 57 points, currently in fourth place, a true masterpiece orchestrated by Cesc Fabregas, followed by Juventus and Roma, both with 54 points in the standings. Trailing behind is Atalanta, on 50 points. No one wants to give up their spot or the hope of playing in Europe’s top competition next season.
Como ambitions realised
We have already talked about Como, the surprise team of this season. It is wrong to call it a fairy tale, since this is a project in which millions and millions of euros have been invested, but it is worth highlighting the quality of the work and the foresight of the club’s board. Fabregas is the face and the mastermind behind a project that has left everyone speechless.
His team plays beautiful soccer but, above all, wins a lot of games. No one would have bet on Como being in fourth place right now, but as things stand, they are the favorites for a spot in the Champions League. Como’s upcoming matches will be easier than those of Juventus and Roma, who still have several tough games ahead.
Como’s project is not an end in itself: it is not a flash in the pan team. At the end of the season, they will not have to rebuild from scratch, but the have built a squad that is growing into a home for future champions or potential major capital gains. The feeling is that Como has only just begun. We will have to see what Fabregas does at the end of the year, whether he will accept an offer from a major club, but the project is now underway and is striking fear into all of Italy’s top teams, because it is well thought out and well organized.
Juventus overhaul
Juventus is rethinking its strategy and is already planning in the transfer market how to strengthen the squad to compete for the top prize next season, but this year, fourth place will not be easy to secure after an explosive start.
Luciano Spalletti is facing some difficulties, likely tied to the squad’s makeup and a lack of quality in certain positions. If there is one Italian coach with the ability to build a project, to bring a team to its peak, and to carve out a place in the Scudetto race, it is undoubtedly Spalletti.
He has proven this throughout his career, both at Roma and Napoli, but also at Inter, where he laid the groundwork for Antonio Conte’s project.
Roma exceeding expectations
A bit further back is Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma, which has perhaps found itself unexpectedly competing for the top of the table, but whose squad is not yet ready for those challenges. Between loan players and those with expiring contracts, Gasperini and Roma’s management will need to add a lot of talent to the squad, not only in terms of quality but also quantity.
Some sales will be necessary to generate capital gains; there is talk of possible departures for Manu Kone, Evan Ndicka, or Mile Svilar, but above all, there are at least a couple of starters whose contracts expire in June. There is a lot of tension within Roma right now, especially because Gasperini does not want to throw away his first year on the job, but the truth is that, as things stand, by the end of the year they will need about seven or eight new signings just to rebuild the core of the squad the coach had hoped to build during this first year in the capital.
Even without any departures, Roma would need a central defender who is good at playing the ball, a starting left-back, a midfielder, a left winger in attack who is quick and good in one on one situations and perhaps even another striker. That is just to complete the squad, not accounting for any potential departures. Right now, Lorenzo Pellegrini is a starter and one of the team’s most decisive players with six goals and four assists, but his contract has not been renewed yet and several big clubs, like Juventus, Inter and Napoli are showing interest in him.
Losing him would be a massive own goal, first of all because Gasperini relies on him and trusts him, second because he is the team captain and third because it would mean having yet another player to replace. And there is already a tremendous amount of work to be done.
Atalanta not done
Atalanta is obviously lagging behind all the other teams we have discussed so far, mainly due to a difficult start caused by the decision to begin the season with Juric.
Raffaele Palladino has certainly turned things around and improved the situation, but even in Atalanta’s case, there is a lot of work to be done, especially in light of the likely departures of those players who wish to test themselves at bigger and stronger clubs. The top four race is more open than ever!