The Monday Scratch

After Napoli, Juve also gets off to a good start. Como sparks up. Tonight it's Inter's turn

Milan were beaten 2-1 in their first game at the San Siro by newly promoted Cremonese. Juve awaken

25 August 2025

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5' min read

Here we go again. Summer is ending, the umbrellas are closing and our dear old championship is reopening. Which, after all, despite its many flaws, is one of the few certainties of this fragile world in disarray.

It may be meagre consolation, but as long as we find ourselves here talking about AC Milan's thud, Conte's bravado, Juve's revival and what Inter will come up with this Monday night against Torino, it means that all in all, for better or worse, life goes on.

As on the first day of school, it is a little difficult to recognise each other. The classes and teachers have changed, but from the first impact you can tell who has worked well during the holidays and who, on the other hand, has done little to catch up despite the many shortcomings of the previous year. One of the virtues of donkeys is that they can tell tall tales well. Only then, at the end of the day, the lies have short legs.

A.C. Milan managed to pull off the extraordinary feat of being beaten 2-1 by the newly promoted Cremonese in their first match at the San Siro. A historic result because it had been 100 years since the nice grigiorossi had won at the home of the Diavolo. What can we say? That even with Max Allegri, a teacher of navigated pragmatism, nothing has changed since last year when the Rossoneri finished in eighth place and therefore out of Europe? The suspicion is there.

"Not bad, we took avoidable goals," said poor Max already forced to raise his guard in the post-match. What is surprising is that the best of the Rossoneri was Luca Modric, who will turn 40 on 9 September. It is true that the first is not always good (last year it happened to Napoli), but the impression, especially in defence, was of a team still to be assembled. The problem, despite the fanfare of the press and propaganda offices, is the poor quality of the orchestra that Allegri has to conduct. Having sold two top players like Reijnard and Teo Hernandez, the many new arrivals, not very valuable, have yet to find a decent set-up. Too much cheap optimism has been wasted on Milan. Allegri and Tare are good but they don't go on the pitch.

Harder: who is he?

'Society help Max,' said Sacchi, strangely defending Allegri. Fine words, but Milan need above all a good centre forward, not this Boniface, who has spent more time in the operating theatre than on the pitch. Now there is talk of Danish Conrad Harder, 20 years old, five goals with Sporting in the last Portuguese championship. Except that he is another half-bet, but we have heard too many announcements. 'Give money, see camel' say the Arabs.

Back in full form from their holidays is Antonio Conte's Napoli. It restarted exactly as it had finished with a header goal from Mctominay on Politano's cross. As if to say: nothing has changed, we are ready for an encore. Kevin De Bruyne signed the 2-0, with a venomous parabola from a free-kick. Sassuolo is not an entirely reliable test, but Napoli are well on their way to defending the title. De Bruyne has impressed at times in the trequartista role, at others in the perfect playmaker role. Lucca isn't Lukaku, that's for sure, but this Mctominay, who oscillates between the flank and the attack, is a true second striker. Unlike last year, however, Conte will have to deal with the Champions League commitment. But he has one advantage: that of a perfectly run-in group. This is no small thing in a tournament where everything shuffles around even after the championship has started. Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano is absolutely right when he says that the 'open market until 1 September is sheer madness'.

Gasperini's Roma win

However, the Bologna coach surrendered to Gasperini's new Roma side. A fine start, that of Gasp, which electrified the Giallorossi fans. We are not yet at the wonders of Atalanta, but this Roma has made a very good impression: short, compact, with good attacking football lit up by the flash of the Brazilian Wesley, on his debut at the Olimpico. Also good was the performance of Irishman Ferguson, always ready to finish in the net. Two quality additions that should put a smile on Gasperini's face, always easy to complain about but nevertheless an extraordinary coach in his 600th game on the bench.

The Var's first public announcement

And now watch out: on the shores of Lake Como there is something new to entertain us. We're talking about Fabregas' team, who crushed Sarri's Lazio with a 2-0 win (Douvikas and Paz) that didn't become a goleada only because of the over-generosity of the Lombardi, furies unleashed who annihilated the poor Biancocelesti with the brilliant inventions of Argentine Nico Paz. The Var system annulled a goal in Castellanos for offside, but the decision was not significant except for one historical fact: that it coincided with the first refereeing announcement in Serie A. Mr Manganiello, who with that evocative surname is better not to exaggerate with his military bearing, does so with a somewhat ducesque emphasis. But it was the first time and therefore must be forgiven.

Returning to the Indonesian-owned Como, which has so far invested 330 million by taking the club from Serie D, the impression is that it will go very far. Betting agencies are even quoting him in the Champions League. But Fabregas, who is well acquainted with the media circus, throws water on the fire by taking Max Allegri for a ride. "If we aim for Europe? "I don't think so," said the Larian coach smiling, "Allegri himself, someone who knows about it, didn't put us in the top eight..."

By the way: there was some curiosity about the return of Allegri to AC Milan, Sarri to Lazio and Pioli to Fiorentina. Three used for sure to relaunch problematic teams. Well, as a start it was not brilliant. Of Milan and Lazio we have already said, as for Pioli his Fiorentina did not go beyond a meagre draw (1-1) with Cagliari. The Viola were caught in the dying moments by Luperto's header, but the draw was actually a narrow one for the hosts. Fiorentina, who went ahead in the first half through Mandragora, were in fact always on the hook.

Juve: Canadian David in goal at once

Juventus, on the other hand, started with a bang, liquidating Parma with a 2-0 win that made Tudor happy for one simple reason: thanks to a Yildiz feed, Jonathan David, the Canadian new signing, immediately scored, giving the go-ahead to the Bianconeri's success, which matured in the second half. The double was scored by Vlahovic, who came in amid booing but already on his fourth goal in five games. Whether the Serbian will leave we will see, certainly if he continues to score at this rate, someone in the Bianconeri house might change his mind. Ten months after his injury, Bremer, author of a providential save in extremis, made an excellent comeback. The only blemish of the evening was Cambiaso's expulsion for a reaction foul.

the return of Scamacca

Instead, it was an uphill start for Juric's Atalanta, who drew 1-1 with Pisa, who returned to Serie A after 34 years. After an opaque first half, in which the Tuscans went ahead on Hien's own goal, the Bergamasks found the equaliser with Scamacca, who then almost doubled the score by hitting the crossbar with his head.

Good news, that of Scamacca's recovery, also in terms of the Azzurri. For Juric, an unsatisfactory first test. Replacing Gasperini is not easy, but the first half was alarming.

Tonight the last two postponements: Udinese-Verona and Inter-Torino, both at 20.45. Obviously all eyes will be on Inter, now led by Chivu, rightly considered Napoli's main rival in the Scudetto race.