Serie A: Predicting the season’s top seven at the start of 2021

6. Sassuolo

Sassuolo are legit and should sew up a Europa League place in 2020-2021. They have a few talented attacking players – namely Domenico Berardi, who has been one of Serie A’s best for years. But the true gem of the team is young midfielder Manuel Locatelli, who is the next great Italian center midfielder. He is the total package, and it will only be a matter of time before he joins the Zebras.

5. Roma

Henrik Mkhitaryan and Pedro have been revelations for this experienced Roma side, but they aren’t quite good enough to secure Champions League football for the 2021-2022 season. That said, per FBRef.com, their xG difference ranks them second in the league behind only Milan, so maybe that will prove more reflective of their abilities than a goal differential that ranks sixth in Serie A.

4. Inter Milan

Inter Milan are currently second in the league, have the best goal differential, are winners of five straight, and boast arguably the league’s second-best player behind Cristiano Ronaldo in striker Romelu Lukaku. So why do I have them fourth? I think their squad lacks individual attacking quality beyond a couple of players, specifically Lukaku, and I do not trust Antonio Conte. Inter could hold steady at second, but I also worry that with a non-Juve side coached by Conte, the bottom could fall out at any moment.