Atalanta and the dark horses in the Serie A title race this season

The 2024/25 Serie A season has gotten underway in style, with last season's winners, Inter Milan, already looking like favourites to lift the trophy this season.

Simone Inzaghi's side may have started the season with a 2-2 draw against Genoa, but they proved that their early wobble was just a bump on the road, with back-to-back wins in their last two games. 

They scored six goals in those two games without conceding any, further proving that they mean business.

To show their perceived dominance, data crunching experts Opta have given the Nerazzurri a 79.2% chance of finishing top of the pile this season. 

Another big team that is among the favourites to win this year's Scudetto is AC Milan. Paulo Fonseca's side won the title in the 2021/22 season and finished second behind Inter Milan last season. Opta has given them a 1.8% chance of becoming Serie A champions this season. 

Perhaps the supercomputer gave them a slimer chance because they have a new manager in Paulo Fonseca this season. The Portuguese is in his first season at the club and will take time to get used to the team. 

Juventus is another side that is expected to compete with Inter Milan for the title this season. The Turin-based club are Serie A's undisputed biggest club, with 36 Scudettos, 16 more than any other side.

However, they have struggled in recent years, failing to win any of the last four Serie A titles since a run of nine-straight titles between the 2011/12 and 2019/20 seasons. 

Yet, with the highly-rated Thiago Motta now in charge, the Old Lady have been given a 4.2% chance of winning this year's Scudetto.

Although it is still early days, the Old Lady have shown they could be the team to beat in the Serie A this season, with two brilliant wins against Como and Verona in their opening two games. They are the only Serie A team to win their two opening games and the only club yet to concede in three games. 

Their start to the season is making light of the fears that Motta's move to sell most of his experienced stars could backfire and hurt Juventus' chances this season.

With both Milan clubs and Juventus winning 62.5% of the available Serie A titles since the league's inception, it is difficult to see beyond one among the trio winning the title this season.

However, recent Serie A history suggests a champion could emerge apart from the trio. 

This is highly likely because the Italian top-flight has become one of the most competitive leagues in Europe's top five leagues. 

Three different teams have won the Serie A title in the last four seasons–the only league among Europe's top five to witness such an occurrence. 

Only Inter won it twice in that period, proving that fierce competition exists in the upper reaches of Serie A.

Serie A tickets remain one of the hottest-selling in Europe, and we expect a very interesting title challenge in the 2024/2025 season. 

That said, who are the dark horses in the Serie A title race this season, apart from Inter, Juve, and AC Milan?

Atalanta

Atalanta could be the surprise team in the Serie A title race this season. Opta has given the Bergamo-based club an 11.2% chance of landing their first top-flight crown after their impressive showing last season, during which Atalanta tickets were one of the most sought-after among Serie A clubs.

La Dea are coming into the 2024/25 season on the back of an impressive season, where they finished in fourth position, reached the Coppa Italia final and won the Europa League title. 

Their run to winning the Europa League title, their first title since 1963, included wins over Liverpool at Anfield and a 3-0 win over unbeaten Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the final, courtesy of a memorable Ademola Lookman hat-trick.

Gian Piero Gasperini's men opened the new season with a 4-0 drubbing of Leece. This is Gasperini's ninth season at the Gewiss Stadium, making him by far the longest-serving manager currently in the Italian top flight. 

Since taking charge of Atalanta in 2016, the 66-year-old has overseen the most successful era of the Italian side, with La Dea maintaining a steady appearance in European competitions, missing out only once after finishing eighth in the 2021/22 season. 

Having managed Italian heavyweights Inter Milan and Genoa, the Italian is considered to be the manager who will finally win an elusive Serie A title for the Bergamo-based club side.

However, the loss of Gianluca Scamacca to an anterior cruciate ligament injury is a major blow to La Dea's hopes. But with Ademola Lookman remaining at the club, and Nicolò Zaniolo and Mateo Retegui arriving, they should continue to be a force in Serie A. 

Bologna 

Bologna were the surprise team in the Serie A last season, as Thiago Motta led them to a fifth-place finish.

However, Motta has moved to Juventus, and Bologna have hired Vincenzo Italiano, who led Fiorentina to back-to-back UEFA Europa Conference League finals.

Italiano had a decent spell as Fiorentina coach, and he will hope to replicate the relative success he enjoyed in his previous club at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.

Bologna tickets were among the most bought last season. The Rossoblu will expect the same success they enjoyed last campaign despite the fact that Bologna has lost some of the key players from last season, including Riccardo Calafiori, who has made Arsenal’s defence the best in the Premier League.

Udinese

Like the 13 other teams in Serie A that changed managers in the summer, Udinese has a new manager this season.

The Little Zebras narrowly missed relegation by two points last season under  Gabriele Cioffi. This term, they have begun well under Kosta Runjaić, with one win and one draw from their opening two games. 

The club strengthened this summer with the signing of Alexis Sanchez, one of the smartest deals of the summer. 

Although it is tough to see Sanchez and Runjaić pushing Udinese towards a title challenge this season, finishing in the top six will be a fantastic achievement for them this season.

Udinese tickets are on sale from vetted resellers on Seatsnet.

AS Roma 

Roma just missed out on Champions League qualification last term despite club legend Daniele De Rossi steadying the ship following José Mourinho's sacking. 

The Rome-based club ended last season poorly and started this campaign poorly, with a loss and a draw against weaker opposition.

However, their summer transfer business offers hope that they can shake off their poor form and return to the form they were in De Rossi's first few months at the club.

That said, we expect AS Roma tickets to be among the best-selling this season, and their fans will be delighted that they play in the Europa League. 

Fiorentina 

Fiorentina may have finished in eighth position last season, but they were not far off quality-wise from the rest of the top teams in Serie A.

La Viola won 60 points amidst a run to the Conference League final last season. They also scored 61 goals–the fifth highest in Serie A in the 2023/24 campaign. 

The summer transfer window has given them the opportunity to strengthen their squad, and they have added top-quality players, including Albert Gudmundsson, David de Gea, and Robin Gosens from Union Berlin.

However, Fiorentina underwent a managerial change this season, moving from Vincenzo Italiano, who led them last season, to former Monza manager Raffaele Palladino.

Palladino is relatively unproven despite managing Monza for 73 games (W26, D12, L26). Yet, his almost novice status makes him and his Fiorentina side unpredictable this season.

Fiorentina ticket buyers will hope that the 40-year-old brand of football brings success to the Stadio Artemio Franchi.