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Serie A preview: 5 storylines to watch for this season

By Clemente Lisi

JUVENTUS STADIUM, TURIN, ITALY - 2017/05/21: Gonzalo Higuain (L) and Paulo Dybala of Juventus FC celebrate the victory of the Italian Serie A 'Scudetto' at the end of the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and FC Crotone. Juventus won their sixth consecutive and 33th official Serie A title. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
JUVENTUS STADIUM, TURIN, ITALY - 2017/05/21: Gonzalo Higuain (L) and Paulo Dybala of Juventus FC celebrate the victory of the Italian Serie A 'Scudetto' at the end of the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and FC Crotone. Juventus won their sixth consecutive and 33th official Serie A title. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images) /
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NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND – AUGUST 6:Head Coach Fabio Pecchia during the Pre Season Friendly match between Newcastle United and Hellas Verona at St.James’ Park on August 6, 2017, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND – AUGUST 6:Head Coach Fabio Pecchia during the Pre Season Friendly match between Newcastle United and Hellas Verona at St.James’ Park on August 6, 2017, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images) /

The relegation battle could be very predictable

Similar to the situation in the Premier League, the three teams that were recently promoted (Benevento, Spal and Hellas Verona) are prime candidates for the drop. Benevento shocked the competition in Serie B last season by earning promotion to the top flight for the first time in their 88-year history. Spal last played in Serie A in 1967, while Verona are a yo-yo club that won their only league title back in 1985. All three will struggle to stay up this season.

Other teams that face the threat of relegation are Crotone, who finished 17th last season and avoided the drop by just two points, Bologna and Genoa. These last two clubs will need to overcome their inconsistent tendencies if they hope to stay in the middle of the table. Bologna, coached by former Italy international and MLS star Roberto Donadoni, feature a trio of strong strikers in Mattia Destro, Ladislav Krejci and Simone Verdi. Genoa, meanwhile, defeated Juventus last season but dropped too many points to teams they should have beaten. The same is likely to happen this year.

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Chievo Verona also flirted with the lower half of the table last season and should make for a even more intense derby with rivals Hellas. That rivalry will be just another subplot in what is expected to be a thrilling season on and off the field.

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