In an eagerly anticipated announcement, the Serie A fixture list for the upcoming season was unveiled on Wednesday, revealing that Napoli will commence their title defense campaign against newly promoted Frosinone.
Under the leadership of their new coach, Rudi Garcia, Napoli secured their first Scudetto in over three decades last season. As a result, they have become the team to watch as the season kicks off during the weekend of August 19-20.
The previous coach, Luciano Spalletti, ended Napoli’s 33-year title drought only last month. However, he left shortly afterward, leaving fans hopeful that Garcia will not have to endure the disappointment of losing star player Victor Osimhen to a summer transfer.
Frosinone is making their return to the top flight after a three-year absence since the 2018-19 season. They dominated Serie B, finishing seven points ahead of Genoa, who have swapped places with their relegated local rivals, Sampdoria. Genoa will commence their campaign by hosting Fiorentina.
In a significant fixture, Champions League finalists Inter Milan will host Monza. This season, Monza will face new challenges as they cope with the loss of Silvio Berlusconi, who recently passed away. The former Italian prime minister played a prominent role as the face of the club. Monza, who finished 11th in their maiden season in Italy’s top flight, rose from the third tier after being acquired by long-time AC Milan owner Berlusconi in 2018.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan will face their city rivals, AC Milan, in the fourth week. This derby clash between the two sides has been highly anticipated, as they have battled for the Serie A title and coveted spots in the Champions League final in recent seasons.
To the relief of coaches who struggled with a congested schedule last season due to the World Cup in Qatar being held in winter, there will be only one midweek round of matches, scheduled for late September.
With four international breaks for Euro 2024 qualifiers, the season, set to conclude on May 26, will not pause for the Christmas holidays.
During the festive period, AS Roma will face their toughest challenges, as they first host Napoli on December 23 before traveling to Juventus a week later.
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