Fallen giants seek quick return

The three relegated sides from the Serie A last season - Torino, Lecce and Reggina - have just started their quest to regain their place in the top flight by winning promotion from the Serie B.

As always, the route to promotion will be long and full of potential pitfalls.

However, many are considering Torino, Lecce and Reggina as favourites as they look the most equipped outfits in the second tier of Italy's game.

Torino were the last side to lose their status last season as they were condemned by Roma on the very last day of the campaign.

In 2008/09, Torino's season had started full of promises but a lack of consistency and the continuous change of coaches - Gianni De Biasi, Walter Novellino and Giancarlo Camolese - undid most of the good work of the team.

But this was a summer of rebuilding for Torino as they parted with a number of key players including talisman and team captain Alessandro Rosina. He joined Zenit St Petersburg.

Club president and owner Umberto Cairo resisted the temptation of selling prolific scorer Rolando Bianchi and appointed veteran striker Davide Di Michele new team captain after his one-year loan spell with West Ham.

Bianchi-Di Michele is a formidable striking partnership very few Serie B clubs can afford. Andrea Gasbarroni sits behind the front two in an attack-minded Torino side, now coached by Stefano Colantuono.

The Maroons' chances of making an immediate return to the Serie A rest on two factors mainly - scoring regular goals and avoid conceding them cheaply.

Last season, Torino looked very fragile at the back. In this regard, Colantuono has signed veteran defender Simone Loria from Roma.

Matteo Rubin, Claudio Rivalta, Angelo Ogbonna and Riccardo Colombo all stayed put and should ensure adequate protection to goalkeeper Matteo Sereni.

Reggina have hired Novellino. He has an incredible track record when it comes to leading Serie B teams to promotion.

Novellino's major signing this term was Sergio Volpi - the ever-green playmaker.

Both men were in the same club during stints at Venezia, Piacenza and Sampdoria.

Volpi, at 35, might not be the player he used to be before but his industry and experience in midfield will surely be one of Reggina's biggest assets this season.

Lecce have kept faith in coach Luigi De Canio despite the fact that he could not help them avoid relegation.

The team is by and large the same with respect to last season with Guillermo Giacomazzi, Gianni Munari and Daniele Cacia being the key players.

Brescia, Empoli, newcomers Padova, and possibly Grosseto, all stand an outside chance to mount a challenge for a top-three finish.

But it is highly unlikely because Torino, Reggina and Lecce are clearly a cut above the rest.

Serie A statistics

1st win of the season for Inter as the champions made amends for drawing their first match at home with lowly Bari by beating city neighbours Milan 4-0. It was Inter's first win in a derby hosted by Milan since October 28, 2006 (4-3). Fiorentina edged Palermo by a solitary goal to record their fourth success in their last seven home meetings with the Sicilians. No draws have been registered between these two sides in their last seven league meetings.

3 penalties were scored last weekend. Julio Cruz ably converted a penalty to enable Lazio to come back from a 1-0 deficit against Chievo. Inter's Diego Milito scored from the penalty spot to put Inter 2-0 up against Milan. Neves Jeda pulled one back from a penalty for Cagliari in a 1-3 home setback to Siena. Meanwhile, Gennaro Gattuso (Milan), Emilson Cribari (Lazio), Mirko Pieri (Livorno) and Ferdinando Sforzini (Bari) received marching orders. Udinese's Antonio Di Natale currently tops the scorers' list with three goals.

4 sides - Juventus, Lazio, Sampdoria and Genoa - have maximum points so far. Juve were in a class of their own as they beat Roma away for the fourth time in their last five visits. The last draw between these two sides dates back to September 23, 2007 (2-2) whereas Roma's latest home win over Juve is dated February 8, 2004 (4-0).

6 years had to pass for Siena to conquer Cagliari's Sant'Elia Stadium again as the Tuscany side cruised to a convincing 3-1 success. Apart from the four teams without points so far, there are five others still in search of their first win of the term... Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Udinese and Livorno.

7 years have now elapsed since Chievo's most recent home victory over Lazio. On Sunday, Lazio pursued with their superb start to the new season courtesy of a hard-fought win in Verona. Chievo had a bright start as they took a 16th minute lead through Sergio Pellissier. Lazio, though, never threw in the towel and scored a goal in each half to record their fourth win in their last five visits to Chievo.

28 goals were scored on the second day: 12 coming from the hosts and the remaining 16 from the visitors, who managed no fewer than five victories. Foreigners contributed with 13 goals while there were 15 first-half goals. Bari-Bologna was the only draw of the day. Four players - Julio Cruz (Lazio), Diego (Juventus), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli) and Emanuele Calaio (Siena) - grabbed a brace each to help their respective sides to victory. Siena's Reginaldo was the only player to have started the game on the substitutes' bench and scored.