Optimism is running rampant and wild around Appiano Gentile after Inter Milan bolstered its squad in the summer transfer window. Reinforcements were an absolute necessity as the Nerazzurri finished outside of the Champions League places for the third consecutive season.
2014-2015 Serie A preview: Top three finish expected for Inter
New faces combined with consistency in coaching should bring Inter back up the Serie A table. Anything less than a Champions League finish would be sorely disappointing.
Marco Luzzani
New owner Erick Thohir hopes that the arrivals of Nemanja Vidic, Dodo, Yann M'Vila, Pablo Osvaldo and Gary Medel will propel the club into the top three and signal its return amongst the Italian elite.
Walter Mazzarri returns for his second season at the helm, which should give the squad some much-needed stability after seeing six managers come and go before him in the last four years.
A top-three finish could be in the cards especially if Inter cuts down on dropping points to teams below them in the table. Mazzarri's men played down to the level of its competition and paid the price, losing to the likes of Genoa, Atalanta and Chievo while failing to beat Cagliari on two occasions last term.
Still, big things could be on the horizon for Inter as Nerazzurri Nation hopes the club’s new arrivals can push them over the hump and into the Champions League.
Key player
Mateo Kovacic
Much of Inter’s creative play will fall on the shoulders of the young Croatian, who will be counted on to pull the strings in midfield. The 20-year-old came on strong at the end of the last campaign and hopes to carry that momentum into the new season. Kovacic is Inter’s first true playmaker since Wesley Sneijder and the youngster seems poised for a breakout year.
More from our team sites
More from our team sites
Key departures and arrivals
In: Vidic, Dodo, M’Vila, Osvaldo, Medel
Reasons to watch
With Inter being Inter, there always seems to be some kind of drama brewing at the club and it’s unlikely this year will be any different. Whether it will be Mauro Icardi’s very public midnight conquests or Osvaldo’s latest rampage in training making headlines, there is never a dull moment in the Inter camp. Nothing is outside the realm of possibility. Everything is in play and that makes it must-see TV.
Where they might finish
Champions League places. It’s what is expected of such a big club, and that’s what the new leadership is clearly aiming for with the many new faces brought in during the summer.
Written by Max of Inter Offside
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