European Leagues Kick-off This Weekend; Preview, Predictions, Surprise packages & more

Europe’s top leagues begin to get under way across the continent this weekend. Can Arsenal knock City off the top? Who will reign in Spain? Will anyone knock Bayern off their perch? Can Napoli retain the Scudetto? Which wonderkid should you look out for?

PREMIER LEAGUE

The new Premier League season gets underway this Friday as defending champions and Treble winners Manchester City make the trip to newly-promoted Burnley. The only way I see Man City not winning the league is if they take their foot off the pedal after winning the treble. The thing is I just don’t see Pep Guardiola letting that happen.

City won’t have it all their own way but I do think they edge it again. Arsenal will be stronger after last season too. Mikel Arteta will have learned lessons from watching his side fall away and they have added greater strength in depth in Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.

I fancy Liverpool to make it but they need to find replacement for Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in midfield. Alexis Mac Allister is a terrific signing and gives them something different while Curtis Jones is emerging into an integral part of the team.

United have done good business in Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund and the arrival of a ball-playing goalkeeper in Andre Onana will change the way they play and control games, especially away from home.

Newcastle might just miss out because of the extra Champions League fixtures. Chelsea will need a bit of time under Mauricio Pochettino to settle into the way he wants to play. Tottenham have improved their attack with James Maddison but still don’t have the defenders they need to be solid at the back and that will cost them – again.

Relegation – Sheffield United, Luton, Bournemouth: Luton is an incredible story and they have done brilliantly to get to the Premier League but they will go straight back down. With the investment Premier League clubs are making and the quality they are bringing in, it’s going to be so hard for them.

It’s going to be tight for the final spot between Forest, Burnley, Bournemouth and Everton. I know the new Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is highly-regarded but he’s going to have to cut his teeth on the job with no previous Premier League experience. Although they have made some good signings, especially Justin Kluivert, I think the experience of Steve Cooper and Sean Dyche, as well as Vincent Kompany’s knowledge of the league, will give them the edge.

LA LIGA – SPAIN

Xavi’s Barcelona are the reigning champions but will again face competition for the title from Real Madrid, who have strengthened with the signing of Jude Bellingham and teenage sensation Arda Guler but sold captain Karim Benzema to Al-Ittihad and lost Marco Asensio to Paris St-Germain.

Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad will join Barca and Real in the Champions League group stages.

Real Valladolid, Espanyol and Elche were relegated to the Segunda Division, with Granada, Las Palmas and Alaves taking their place in the top tier of Spanish football.

Barcelona will spend the season away from the Nou Camp as it undergoes renovation, moving to the Montjuic stadium in the city.

Prediction: Neither Real Madrid nor Barcelona look dramatically better or worse. Barcelona will have more problems with a drop in hunger, a move to Montjuic and increased focus on Europe.

Surprise Package: Getafe. Given Girona, Rayo and Osasuna can no longer be counted as surprises, Getafe will come bounding back to mid-table and perhaps even the European race under the expert tutelage of Jose Bordalas. Slightly risky given goalscorer Enes Unal is out until January, but Getafe underperformed last season, and Bordalas almost always overperforms.

SERIE A – ITALY

After winning their first Scudetto in more than 30 years, Napoli face a tough task in retaining their title under new manager Rudi Garcia, while Juventus, who finished seventh, will be wanting to make up for ground lost last season after being docked points over the club’s transfer dealings.

Lazio, Inter Milan and AC Milan join Napoli in the Champions League group stages, while Claudio Ranieri’s Cagliari, Frosinone and Genoa are the sides with a point to prove after earning promotion from Serie B.

Inter, with star forward Lautaro Martinez joined by new recruit Marcus Thuram, should have plenty of goals in them.

Prediction: Inter. Last season’s Champions League finalists should have challenged for the title last season and will surely start this new campaign as favourites again. Having reinforced their midfield even further, they boast strength in the middle and in defence and possess one of the finest strikers in the league.

The attack is yet to be completed considering the departure of both Edin Dzeko and Romelu Lukaku but Simone Inzaghi has shown that he is adept at creating teams that can play in a multitude of ways to secure victories. With Napoli bringing in a new coach and Milan signing so many new players, it is Inter who boast stability and the chance to continue this project that should lead them to another title.

Top scorer: Victor Osimhen. In a year when everyone is desperate to buy the perfect and complete striker, Napoli can boast one of the very best number nines in the world. Fresh from lifting the Scudetto with Napoli, the club can count themselves lucky to have kept the player within the ranks.

Smart, technically gifted, strong and with a mentality that belongs to the elite, Osimhen was top scorer last season and is the favourite to score an endless amount of goals again this term.

Surprise Package: Atalanta. Having sold Rasmus Hojlund to Manchester United for a hefty profit, Atalanta have reinvested that money to bring in both Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere, two players who have yet to demonstrate their full potential. However, under Gian Piero Gasperini, a coach renowned for teaching football and developing great talent, Atalanta could be the team to watch this season.

Player to watch: Samuel Chukwueze. Milan have had a busy summer on the transfer market. They may have sold fan favourite Sandro Tonali but they have reinforced the squad especially in the attacking areas. With lots of names to look out for from Christian Pulisic to Yunus Musah, it is Chukwueze who could well make the difference.

For some time, Milan have had a lopsided attack, dependent on the attacking potential of Rafael Leao on the left. With Chukwueze set to play on the right, Milan will boast balance and two explosive and dynamic players on either wing.

Chukwueze is unpredictable, electric and capable of providing for the team on and off the ball.

Credit: bbc.com