Garcia relishing open Serie A title race

Rudi Garcia says the Serie A title race is more open this season than any of the last four thanks to Juventus’ stuttering start to the campaign.

Juve have cantered to the Scudetto in each of the last four years and finished 17 points clear of Garcia’s Roma in 2014-15.

However, they have only won two of their opening seven matches and have been beaten by Udinese, Roma and Napoli – leaving them 10 points behind early leaders Fiorentina, and six adrift of Garcia’s men.

With Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio all showing impressive early form, Garcia is relishing the title battle this season and hopes Roma can be part of that tussle come May.

“It is a much more open Scudetto race after four years in which Juventus were champions of Italy four times in a row and beat the record for points in 2013-14,” he told Telefoot.

“This season the title battle is far more open and we have to make sure we’re up there all the way to the end.

“Our objective is to qualify for the Champions League, but it is our ambition to do as well as possible.”