Collovati: Juve the team to beat

Former Italy defender Fulvio Collovati feels Juventus are clear favourites to win this season’s Serie A title.

Last season’s champions, who won the Scudetto for the first time since their return to Italy’s first division following the 2006 match-fixing scandal, currently sit top of the table after two games.

There is a long way to go but Collovati believes Juve are already in the strongest position to retain their title, with Napoli and Roma their closest contenders.

He also added that manager Antonio Conte was a considerable factor in dictating where the league trophy would end up.

“Juventus is the team to beat,” Collovati told Quotidiano.net. “Roma and Napoli are one step below. Their main advantage is the high-quality staff at Conte’s disposal because he has added quality to every department.”

“Napoli can be a tricky opponent because Mazzarri’s team has an established system, while Roma are riding the wave of enthusiasm caused by Zeman’s arrival. Milan and Inter are even further behind.”

Juventus travel to face Genoa on Sunday, with a Champions League engagement against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.