Serie A's managerial merry-go-round aims to end Inter's reign

Serie A returns this weekend with a familiar question hanging over the new campaign: can anyone stop Inter Milan? According to the Guardian's Serie A preview, the league's challengers have answered with a reshuffle of the dugout, as Milan, Napoli and Atalanta all begin the season with new head coaches, hoping a change of leadership can end Inter's recent dominance.

The Guardian's preview frames the season as a response to what Italian football's observers have called a 'third apocalypse' — the national team's failure to qualify for the World Cup, which the paper's Rome correspondent described in April as a moment of reckoning for the sport in the country. The hope, the preview suggests, is that a more competitive title race can restore the league's standing both at home and abroad.

Inter, for their part, have not stood still. The BBC reported this week that the champions have agreed a deal worth €35 million (£30m) with Liverpool for midfielder Curtis Jones, a signing that signals intent to build on their domestic success rather than rest on it.

The managerial turnover is the most striking feature of the summer. The Guardian notes that Milan, Napoli and Atalanta have all turned to new head coaches, a collective vote of no confidence in the previous regimes that failed to dislodge Inter from the summit. The paper's preview suggests the changes reflect a broader desire within Italian football to return to the spotlight after a period in which the national team's struggles have dominated the narrative.

The context for this reset is the 'third apocalypse' — the Guardian's term for Italy's failure to reach the 2026 World Cup, which was confirmed in April. That disappointment has sharpened the focus on domestic competition as the primary stage for Italian talent, and the preview argues that a tighter title race is seen as essential to reviving interest in the game. The new coaches at the three challenger clubs are expected to be judged not only on results but on the style of play they bring, with the league's global audience watching closely.

Inter's response has been to strengthen in midfield. According to the BBC, the club has agreed a €35m deal with Liverpool for Curtis Jones, a move that adds Premier League experience to a squad that already swept to the title last season. The signing suggests the champions intend to remain the benchmark, even as their rivals rebuild around them.

The season ahead will test whether the managerial changes can produce a genuine challenge. The Guardian's preview is measured in its optimism, noting that the newcomers face a steep learning curve against a settled Inter side. For the league's international following, the appeal lies in the uncertainty: a summer of change at three of the biggest clubs has at least made the title race harder to call than it was in May.