Napoli coach Allegri: '8 teams to watch in Scudetto race'
Quick summary
Napoli coach Massimiliano Allegri stated that the Serie A title race is wide open, with as many as eight teams capable of challenging for the Scudetto this season.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceMassimiliano Allegri expects an unusually crowded title race this season, naming eight clubs he believes will be in contention as Napoli begin their centenary campaign.
With quotes courtesy of TuttoMercatoWeb , the coach was speaking to Sportmediaset following the opening matchday win at Genoa, and identified Inter as the side to beat while insisting the field behind them is deep.
“Inter are the favourites because they hold the trophy, but there will be at least eight teams to keep an eye on,” Allegri said. “As well as the Nerazzurri and ourselves, also Milan, Juventus, Roma, Fiorentina, Como and Atalanta.”
GENOA, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of Napoli before the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on August 22, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images) Allegri assesses Napoli’s defensive options Allegri also provided an update on his own defensive situation, mourning the lengthy absence for Alessandro Buongiorno.
“It’s a shame about Buongiorno, who will be out until January,” he said. “In any case I have Marin and Rrahmani, Beukema is behind but he’ll recover his best form, and if needed I also have Olivera. I’m confident.”
Benoit Badiashile, signed on loan from Chelsea , is similarly working his way up to speed.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD2 match between Chelsea FC and SL Benfica at Stamford Bridge on September 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) The coach set out a season with several fronts to manage. “It’ll be a beautiful and demanding year, we’ll have to be good at staying in it in Serie A, the Champions League and the Coppa Italia,” he said.
“The centenary comes around only once and so we’ll have the responsibility of producing an excellent season.”
On Europe, he was pragmatic: “In the Champions League you have to get through the league phase and then reach the play-offs or ideally the last 16.”
He closed with another assessment of Rasmus Hojlund, a day after comparing the Dane to Harry Kane . “He’s a forward with great physicality, he puts in the effort and he’s willing, but he has to improve his goal tally over the season,” Allegri said. “He can do it given he has all the potential.”
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What happened
Massimiliano Allegri, coach of Napoli, addressed the media ahead of the new Serie A season and played down the idea of a two- or three-horse title race, claiming that up to eight clubs could realistically compete for the Scudetto. The comments reflect both the competitive balance in Italian football this season and Allegri's cautious approach heading into his tenure at Napoli. With several clubs having strengthened their squads in the transfer market, the Scudetto race is expected to be one of the most open in recent memory.
Chance analysis
Allegri's framing of an eight-team Scudetto race is as much a psychological play as it is an assessment. By spreading the spotlight, he eases pressure on his own Napoli side while also paying respect to a Serie A that has seen its competitive depth grow through aggressive summer spending. For followers of Italian football, it signals another season where consistency rather than star power may decide the champion, and where mid-table sides have genuine belief they can disrupt the established order.
Reinforces that Serie A title race is wide open, reducing any single team's implied dominance and increasing uncertainty across the league table.