In Serie A, the Scudetto is often a battle that takes place away from the pitch as much as it does on it, and the mind games have started.
Antonio Conte is a master at this, and Cristian Chivu has been the first to take his bait. The there’s Massimiliano Allegri, who is currently opting to dodge title talk and take the pressure off his team, who were not favourites going into the campaign.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
Inter, Milan and Napoli are currently the three frontrunners in a wide-open race that could see Juventus and Roma as protagonists too. Conte’s side should have an edge, given they won the league last season and did a lot of summer business.
When the games get back underway, check out 1xBet for everything you need when it comes to having a flutter.
The Napoli coach has chosen the strategy of playing down the club he represents. “In terms of structure, second teams, wage bill, and asset value, Milan, Inter and Juventus are different from the others,” he said. Translation: Napoli are not ready to win again, in his eyes.
Conte, in effect, is trying to repeat last year’s Scudetto miracle, but in words he declares it impossible. In short, it’s a bit like the theme from a year ago, which worked but unfolded in a completely opposite environment to today’s and the conditions Napoli currently finds itself in.
It is a move that could work to unite the team, but it risks backfiring because if Napoli truly want to be great, they cannot continue to make themselves the underdogs. Eventually, those above (the board) and below (the squad) Conte will become tired of being told what they cannot do.
On the other hand, Chivu responded in his own way: “Conte’s words? I’m not interested. Anyone who wants to cause trouble, go ahead. I want to convey values because you can play football without mixing it with other things that leave a bad smell.”
A clear and unequivocal response that is anything but coincidental. There’s rivalry, a desire for redemption, and even some old grudges. That Parma-Napoli game last May may have left some traces that are now coming to light. It is a jab disguised as fair play, but how will Inter respond?
Then there’s Allegri, who on the pitch has put Milan back on track for the Scudetto, but in front of the microphones he continues to maintain a low profile and if we want to put a quote for him too, it could easily be: “The objective is fourth place and a return to the Champions League”.
It is a Conte-style approach that doesn’t raise the bar publicly and doesn’t put pressure on the team. In Allegri’s case though his words are justified: Milan finished eighth last season, they streamlined the squad down to 19 outfield players, and just want Champions League football back.
His references to the title are purely numerical, as he stated his belief that the Scudetto quota will be around 83-85 points. Sometimes that’s enough: to keep your head down and plough on with an occasional glance at the table is a sensible approach.
