The Champions League is about to begin. Among those who will comment on it, on Sky Sportsthere is Luca Marchegiani. The former goalkeeper, now a talent for the satellite broadcaster, believes that Italian teams are competitive in Europe: “Inter are and have shown it. Atalanta too: they are a European team, suited to this type of competition. Milan and Juve can also be, due to their experience and the characteristics of their players. Bologna, in my opinion, is a different story: they will face the Champions League without the pressure of results but with the pleasure of being able to enjoy the opportunity to play top-level matches”.
Do you still see the big European teams as distant?
“I still think that Real Madrid are favourites over all the others: I really like the way they are built and managed. They are ahead of the Premier League teams, who have a much more demanding season and more physically demanding matches. And this year, more than ever, it will be important to get to the knockout stage in good shape.”
The matches will also increase for those who play in the Europa League. How do you see the two Roman teams?
“Between departures and arrivals, De Rossi has had the team for what it is only in the last few days before the break. I believe that Roma’s destiny will depend a lot on what Dovbyk will be able to do, beyond Dybala and Soulé, who can coexist or be alternatives if managed in the right way. I like the purchase of Koné: he is the missing piece, he does both phases, indispensable in a somewhat staid midfield. Lazio is well built, with players from whom growth is expected. I recognize the talent of the various Noslin, Tchaouna and Dia, even if on paper we cannot speak of a strengthened team: it will be if the expectations on the growth of these players are maintained”.
And Fiorentina in the Conference? Can they go all the way this year too?
“They made a clear choice by focusing on a young coach like Palladino who has shown he has personality. Fiorentina has lost important players and has focused on highly motivated players, like Kean, who has to ask a lot from this season. In a place that, if you do well, gives you a great push. The Conference allows for a bit of running-in for all the elements of the squad: you may not be 100% straight away and this can help. The first matches were not particularly convincing”.