Under the stewardship of former Bologna coach Thiago Motta, Juventus have started the 2024/25 Serie A campaign with two successive 3-0 wins.
They’ve also performed with significant verve and vigour, looking completely refreshed from the tired and often insipid performances under Massimiliano Allegri towards the end of last season.
Although fans of the latest 1xbit offers will know that Juve are now the clear second favourites to win the 2024/25 Scudetto, Inter are still being heavily backed to retain the title they won so decisively last season.
But will Inter be threatened by Juve’s renaissance under Motta, or are they likely to remain confident in their position as Serie A’s dominant team?
The Return of the Old Lady?
Juve have looked far more dynamic and aggressive under the leadership of the ambitious Motta, who has sought to refresh his midfield with youth, pace and power.
The busy Khéphren Thuram has joined from Nice in a €20.60 million summer move, while the Brazilian powerhouse Douglas Luiz also signed from Aston Villa in a deal worth €51.50 million. Luiz also adds presence and technical ability, with Juve lacking some of these qualities for much of the 2023/24 campaign.
More recently, Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners has signed from Atalanta in a €54.7 million deal. Koopmeiners starred as Atalanta won the UEFA Europa League last season, while he’s also a major goal threat having struck 25 times in 86 games over the course of the previous two campaigns.
These signings, coupled with Motta’s bold approach and clear tactical identity, makes the Old Lady an obvious threat to defending champions Inter and the recent status quo in Serie A.
Will Inter be Concerned or Energised by Juve’s Resurgence?
Ultimately, the Nerazzurri have their own overt tactical identity under the tutelage of Simone Inzaghi, whose fluid 3-5-2 formation and focus on solid defensive organisation have defined Inter’s success in the previous two seasons.
This period has seen the Nerazzurri lift the 2023/24 Scudetto and claim two Supercoppa Italiana trophies, while Inter also won the Coppa Italia and reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2022/23.
Of course, Inter also won the league by a staggering 19 points from city rivals AC Milan last season. They finished 23 points ahead of Juve in third, and this will be a difficult gap for the Old Lady to bridge regardless of their own improvement levels.
So, while Inter won’t be too concerned by Juve’s new found dynamism and impressive start to the new season, they’ll have registered the impact of Motta and will surely be prepared for a much tighter title race this time around!