The title contenders

Inter will start the new Serie A season as favourites to retain the crown of champions.

European Cup winners Milan, Roma, who won the Super Cup last Sunday after beating Inter 1-0, and to a lesser extent Juventus are likely to be Inter's main challengers in what looks to be a four-horse race for the league title.

This summer, Juventus revolutionised their squad and that could work against them in the opening stages of the league as the team will try to find the best module possible to establish a strong base.

After long years of under-achievement, Inter finally returned to winning ways in 2006/07 by dominating the championship practically from start to finish.

After shaking off the early jitters, the Nerazzurri soon found their feet and dictated matters for the rest of the campaign. Roberto Mancini's side were solid all the way as they established various records on their way to their 15th scudetto.

Inter won 30 league matches from a possible 38 and that underlines their strong and consistent march all the way through. Their nearest pursuers - Roma - finished a massive 22 points behind in the final standings.

Inter also reached the Coppa Italia final for the third year running. They beat Roma twice, in the 2005 and 2006 finals, but this year the Olimpico outfit - the only side to beat Inter in the league last season - prevailed and won the two-legged final 7-4 on aggregate.

That upset and the exit from the Champions League to Valencia represented Inter's only blemishes in an otherwise superb 2006/07 season.

With a few more signings of note, this summer Inter bolstered an already-strong squad. Mancini is now spoilt for choice in every department.

Inter have also set their sights on the Champions League and, possibly, dethrone city rivals Milan, the current European champions.

Many reckon Inter still have enough strength-in-depth to target the Serie A championship and the Champions League at the same time.

This year, all Serie A teams will start on the same level with no points handicap including Juventus who are back in business, looking to regain some of their lost pride.

That would make Mancini urge his players not to rest on their laurels. Surely, repeating last season's results will be no easy task for Inter as their main rivals all seem better equipped than a year ago.

Roma, for instance, could not count on reserves of strength last year. Indeed, that handicap hindered the Giallorossi's attempt to mount a serious challenge for the league.

But this summer, Roma signed some utility players to increase coach Luciano Spalletti's options.

Juan, of Brazil, is an adequate replacement for Christian Chivu at the heart of the defence while Ludovic Giuly, Mauro Esposito, Matteo Brighi and Marco Andreolli will help Spalletti to adopt an adequate rotation policy in view of Roma's participation in the Champions League.

Roma are considered the most entertaining side to watch in Italy.

The team played some exciting attacking football last season and Sunday's 1-0 win over Inter, in the Italian Super Cup, testified that their flowing style of play can yield them more successes.

Euro Milan

Milan are synonymous with the European Cup.

Last season they confirmed that they are a cup competition team. Despite finishing a disappointing fourth in the Serie A, Carlo Ancelotti's team did incredibly well in the Champions League, going all the way to lifting UEFA's premier competition for clubs for the seventh time in their history.

That was no mean feat for a team predominantly made of veteran players, most nearing retirement from the game.

Milan will surely want to win the World Club Cup in December.

But, although the scudetto could feature third choice in their pre-set targets for 2007/08, Milan will be among the teams to beat for any side aspiring to win the scudetto.

There will be no points handicap this time and, moreover, Milan can count on the services of Brazilian ace Ronaldo from the very start.

The up-and-coming Pato, 17, will be eligible to play his first competitive match for Milan in January but one doubts how many chances he will get in a star-studded squad in mid-season.