Juventus and Inter’s Champions League humiliations have caused serious concerns over Serie A.
Both of the Italian giants lost their first-leg play-off matches in equally disturbing fashion, with Juve downed 5-2 by Galatasaray while Inter lost 3-1 to Bodo/Glimt a day later.
There was also Atalanta’s limp 2-0 defeat to an average Borussia Dortmund, while Serie A champions Napoli didn’t even make it into the play-offs.
Responding to a week that saw 10 goals conceded and three scored, Italian journalist Daniele Manusia said: “It’s a good lesson. It’s been a very bad week for Italian football.
“As soon as you set foot in Europe, you see how outdated our football is.
“Bodo Glimt gave a masterclass in 4-4-2 zonal marking against Inter’s 3-5-2.
“This 3-5-2 doesn’t work in Europe; we always play the same way, even against a solid team. Chivu (Inter’s coach) keeps saying we played on artificial turf.
“It was a different style of football; Inter is a slow and predictable team. Conceding five goals to Galatasaray (for Juve) isn’t something to cry about, but something to understand: we need to change.”
How much trouble are Serie A sides in?
However, Manusia doesn’t see that change coming soon, adding: “When you listen to the interviews after the matches, you’d think everything was fine, there are the return matches, so they say: ‘it’s going to be different at home’.”
He finished: “Atalanta lost to Union Saint-Gilloise and at home to Athletic Bilbao after leading 2-0, which cost them a place in the top eight. And people are saying that’s fine!
“Inter said that Manchester City also lost in Bodo and that the defeat wasn’t a big deal.
“How much longer are we going to keep saying everything’s fine? What does it take for things to change?”
Leave a Reply