Inter stutter but Juve, Milan on right track

Inter started the new season favourites to retain the title crown for a fifth successive season even though their ambitious aspirations were slightly jolted last weekend when minnows Bari held the Nerazzurri to a one-all draw at the San Siro.

Juventus and Milan, who many expect to rank among the front-runners this season, had a more auspicious start to the new season.

Milan had the better of Siena 2-1 away while Vincenzo Iaquinta's goal was enough for Juve to silence Chievo in Turin.

By the end of last season, a staggering 10 points separated Inter from their nearest pursuers in what was widely considered to be a one-sided championship race.

Inter's ultimate success was never put into serious jeopardy even though their level of play was considered modest by European standards.

This time round, it seems that the title race in Italy will be on a more level playing field with Juve touted as the most likely candidates to topple Jose Mourinho's team from their perch.

Leonardo's new-look Milan are the dark horses in the Italian championship.

With respect to last season, Inter have replaced quality with quality because Samuel Eto'o is no novice to top-level football.

The Cameroon international has always left his mark in big games but it will take him a big act to emulate Zlatan Ibrahimovic, now at Barca.

Inter bolstered their squad with the arrivals of Thiago Motta and Diego Milito from Genoa along with Brazil centre-back Lucio from Bayern Munich and Marco Arnautovic (Twente). However, Mourinho still reckons the team needs another playmaker.

On Sunday, his players lacked cohesion and found it hard to break the Bari resistance.

Many are mentioning Wesley Sneijder with a move to Inter from Real Madrid after an unimaginative team started their Serie A defence in opaque fashion. Indeed, Esteban Cambiasso's absence was sorely felt.

"After a draw at home you shouldn't look at who is not there. We had enough quality to beat Bari. We have not done it because we haven't played well," a red-eyed Mourinho was quoted as saying. "I prefer to think in this way than talk today about the lack of a creative player."

Ciro Ferrara, meanwhile, sported a wide grin at the end of Juve's match on Sunday evening.

The ex-Italy defender is spoilt for choice in attack. He may deploy Alessandro Del Piero and Amauri upfront with Diego just behind them. Juve can also count on David Trezeguet and utility striker Iaquinta not to mention the up-and-coming Sebastian Giovinco.

Even in the other departments, Juventus look well-equipped to make a creditable quest for the scudetto and Champions League.

Cannavaro, despite not being the player he used to be, is anchoring the defence along with Giorgio Chiellini and newcomer Jose Caceres, from Barcelona.

Felipe Melo is the sort of player Juve so badly missed last term.

The Brazilian can help his new team make the grade in central midfield and with Mohamed Sissoko, he can build a partnership that will give the rearguard added protection.

Milan had an awful pre-season but on Saturday new coach Leonardo was satisfied to see his team functioning as a unit and putting aside all pre-season hype following the departure of Kaka to Real Madrid. Milan's season will much depend on the return to full fitness of key players Alessandro Nesta and Gennaro Gattuso. And whether Kaka's absence will pass unnoticed or not will depend on one player - Ronaldinho.

The 2005 Golden Ball winner showed glimpses of his old flair in Siena and contributed with a fine showing that included two perfect assists for Brazil compatriot Pato who scored Milan's goals.

Klaas Huntelaar, Thiago Silva, Oguchi Onyewu and Flavio Roma are valuable additions and will surely help Leonardo's cause.

Serie A statistics

1st win for Sampdoria after three straight defeats at Catania's Massimino Stadium. On the day new Catania coach Gianluca Atzori was making his debut in Serie A, Luigi Del Neri's Samp left it late to claim all three points at stake and break their jinx in Sicily. Prior to Sunday, Samp's most recent positive result in Catania was a 0-0 draw on March 16, 2003 (in Serie B).

2 of the three major title contenders started on a high. A Vincenzo Iaquinta first-half goal was enough to see Juventus claim their sixth victory in seven home meetings with Chievo. The only time the Verona outfit left Turin undefeated was last April 5 (3-3). Leonardo's Milan, too, were off to a flying start as they overcame a modest Siena 2-1. The Tuscany side's only home success over Milan is dated April 17, 2005 (2-1).

3 draws for the three Serie A newcomers (Bari, Parma and Livorno). The most surprising result of the day came from last season's Serie B champions Bari as they held on to a 1-1 draw with champions Inter at the San Siro. The southerners are Inter's bogey team. In recent years, they have beaten Inter four times in Milan... 2-1 in October 1994, 1-0 in January 1998, 3-2 in November 1998 (all three in the Serie A) and 2-1 in December 2002 in the Coppa Italia.

3 penalties were taken last weekend. Samuel Eto'o marked his Serie A debut with a 56th minute goal from the spot in Inter's 1-1 draw with Bari. Fabrizio Miccoli re-established Palermo's lead in their 2-1 home win over Napoli by scoring from a penalty 15 minutes from time. Antonio Di Natale scored his first goal of the day, on the stroke of half-time, from the spot. Catania's Augustyn Blazej was the only red-carded player.

5th defeat for ambitious Napoli from their last six league visits to Palermo as the two-time Italy champions failed to score some of the several chances they had and ended up on the losing side at the Renzo Barbera stadium. Many expect Palermo and Napoli to be among the pack of teams chasing high places this season.

24 goals were scored on the first day of the 2009/10 Serie A. Home teams - with four victories to their credit - netted 13 goals while only 10 goals were scored before the break. Sampdoria and Milan chalked up the only two away wins of the day. Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) and Alexandre Pato (Milan) grabbed a brace each. Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina) and Domenico Criscito (Genoa) came on as substitutes and scored.