Possible outsiders for UEFA berths

Bari, Cagliari, Lazio, Parma and Udinese all experienced mixed fortunes last season.

Next term, these five teams could start with two common objectives in mind – make sure of survival as early as possible and, perhaps, challenge for a berth in Europe.

Bari and Parma did really well last season as they took the Serie A by storm. So much so, that their stay in the top flight was never in jeopardy. There were times when these two teams were also challenging for a spot in Europe. In the end, however, they settled for a mid-table finish.

Giampiero Ventura was linked with a move to Torino this summer. However, the deal did not materialise so he stays in charge at Bari who lost talented defenders Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) and Andrea Ranocchia (Genoa) in the transfer market.

Other notable departures were Riccardo Allegretti (Grosseto) and Riccardo Meggiorini (Bologna).

Marco Rossi (Parma) and Andrea Raggi (Bologna) will have to plug the huge gap left by Bonucci and Ranocchia and Algerian Abel Kader Ghezzal (Siena) is a valuable addition to Bari’s attack.

The departure of coach Francesco Guidolin and the signing of playmaker Sebastian Giovinco were Parma’s major changes so far.

Guidolin did an excellent job at Parma but quit in June to join his former club Udinese.

Pasquale Marino is the man chosen by Parma to continue building on the solid foundations laid by Guidolin. Marino will have to do without Davide Lanzafame (Juventus), Jonathan Biabiany (Inter), Louis Jimenez (Ternana) and Damiano Zenoni (out of contract).

Parma made up with the signings of a number of promising young players. Apart from the skilful Giovinco, they also acquired the services of Jonas Portin (Ascoli), Gabriel Paletta (Boca Juniors), Andrea Rispoli (Brescia), Gabriele Paonessa (Vicenza), Marcus Diniz (Livorno) and Jose Fernando Marques (Espanyol).

Lazio and Udinese did well to change coach and avoid the drop last season. These two teams flirted with relegation for most of the campaign but in the end, both chartered a safe way through troubled waters.

In the close season, Lazio president Claudio Lotito made sweeping changes.

Seasoned campaigners Julio Cruz, Ousmanne Dabo, Roberto Baronio, Sebastiano Siviglia and Stephen Makinwa were all offloaded as defender Aleksandar Kolarov joined Manchester City.

Javier Garrido (Man. City), Alvaro Gonzalez (Nacional), Pablo Pintos (San Lorenzo) and Mark Bresciano (Palermo) were Lotito’s new signings.

Coach Edy Reja did great things during his interim stay at Lazio last season. The team will not figure in Euro competitions in 2010-11, meaning Reja will focus on domestic competitions only.

Lazio’s fortunes will probably depend on whether the club can hold on to playmaker Christian Ledesma this month. Without him, Lazio started badly last season as he was left out due disagreements with the club over his contract.

It will also be interesting to see whether Reja can find a place for Mauro Zarate in the starting line-up. Last season, he dropped the Argentine on various occasions but this time around, he cannot afford to do without Zarate’s predatory skills in front of goal.

The notable departures of Alexander Lukovic (Zenit), Gaetano D’Agostino (Fiorentina) and Simone Pepe (Juventus) will undoubtedly make Udinese a weaker lot.

The northeasterners were inconsistent in the first part of last season and this led club owner Giampaolo Pozzo to sack Marino and appoint Gianni De Biasi.

The gamble did not work for Pozzo as the team was still in the mire of relegation when Marino was reinstated.

Guidolin returns to Udinese for the first time since his departure 11 years ago. This club has a knack to signing unknown, albeit promising, players at bargain prices and transform them into talented stars.

The new arrivals in Friuli so far are Antonio Candreva (Juventus), Vasilis Karagounis (Atromitos), Luis Muriel (Deportivo Cali), Matej Vidra (Banik Ostrava) and Juan Surraco (Ancona).

After the bitter departure of Massimiliano Allegri to Milan, Cagliari appointed Pierpaolo Bisoli as new coach. Bisoli, a former Cagliari midfielder, led Cesena to the Serie A last season after 19 years in the doldrums.

Cagliari can do well under Bisoli given that club owner Massimo Cellino has so far resisted to the temptation of selling his prized assets, particularly Federico Marchetti, Andrea Lazzari, Andrea Cossu, Davide Biondini and Alessandro Matri.

Up to now, Cagliari have parted company with Lino Marzoratti (Empoli), Daniele Dessena (Sampdoria), Christian Lupatelli (Bologna), Diego Lopez, Simone Barone and Andrea Parola (all out of contract).

Cagliari’s new signings are Alex Pinardi (Modena), Bruno Martignoni (Locarno), Dario Biasi (Cesena) and Daniele Magliocchetti (Triestina).