Porthos
Mentor
On Saturday, August 30 at 6pm local time Seria A season 2014/15 will start with the game Juventus-Chievo. As a summary from the 2013/14 season, here is how it ended:
Chanpion: Juventus (3rd title in a row)
Champion's League spots: Roma, Napoli (qualifications against Athletic Bilbao / Spain)
Europa League spots: Fiorentina, Inter, Torino (qualifications agains Split / Croatia)
Relegated: Livorno, Bologna, Catania
Promoted from Serie B: Palermo, Empoli, Cesena
This year Serie A is a somewhat stable. No significant inward transfers, with possibly the transfer of Morata from Real Madrid to Juventus and Diego Lopez also from Real Madrid to AC Milan.
The most notable outward movements were the departure of Mario Balotelli from AC Milan to Liverpool (AC Milan fans are extremely happy about this) and the departure of the great Torino striker Ciro Immobile to Borussia Dortmund.
The favorites for winning the titles are once more Juventus (which changed the coach from Conte - who went to coach Italy - to Massimo Allegri, Milan's ex coach), Napoli, who has a significantly stronger team this year, and Roma. Inter, Milan and Fiorentina could join the race, but this would be somewhat of a surprise. EL spot candidates are once again Fiorentina, Inter, Milan, Lazio, with one of these a potential CL entry. The relegation battle will also be hard for the newly promoted teams and probably for some of the old ones like Chievo, Verona and even possibly Udinese.
Racially, the league is still overwhelmingly White (82.7%) but less so than last year (-3% for Whites). The darkening is mostly due to a significant increase of Mesitzos/Amerindians and Arabs, rather than Blacks. Most of the Blacks and Arabs come via France.
Financialy the league is somewhat better off, with the value of existing teams player assets (not counting the newly promoted teams) increased by some 210 M Euros (approximately 10%), either through new acquisitions or through the increase of the value of existing players. However, many clubs continue to struggle, and the league is falling further behind the Spanish, German and English leagues in competitivity.
Below is the breakdown and numbers.
595 players (+29 vs. last year)
Foreigners 312 52.44% (+13 vs last year)
Countries:
Brazil 38 12,5 %
Argentina 36 11,8 %
France 21 6,9 %
Spain 18 5,9 %
Uruguay 15 4,9 %
Serbia 15 4,9 %
Ghana 15 4,9 %
Slovenia 12 3,9 %
Colombia 10 3,3 %
Chile 8 2,6 %
Croatia 7 2,3 %
Greece 7 2,3 %
Morocco 7 2,3 %
Poland 7 2,3 %
Romania 5 1,6 %
Belgium 4 1,3 %
Bosnia-Herzegovina 4 1,3 %
Portugal 4 1,3 %
Algeria 3 1,0 %
Germany 3 1,0 %
Georgia 3 1,0 %
Paraguay 3 1,0 %
Senegal 3 1,0 %
Venezuela 3 1,0 %
Bulgaria 2 0,7%
Cote d'Ivoire 2 0,7%
Iceland 2 0,7%
Japan 2 0,7%
Macedonia 2 0,7%
Mali 2 0,7%
Nigeria 2 0,7%
Slovakia 2 0,7%
Montenegro 2 0,7%
Others 1 player
Racial Breakdown (as of August 24, 2014 - the market is opened until August 31 and there may still be changes):
Whites 489 - 82.2% (+4, -3% vs last year)
Blacks 65 - 10.9% (+5, +0.2%)
Mesitzos/Amerindians 22 - 3.7% (+11, +2%)
Arabs 14 - 2.4% (+4, +0.7%)
Asians 3 - 0.5% (+1, +0.2%)
Turks 2 - 0.3% (+1, +0.2%)
Jews 0 - 0% - unchanged
Percentage of Whites per team:
Sassuolo 97% (+1% vs last year)
Torino 94% (+2%)
Chievo 94% (+4%)
Verona 92% (-8%)
Cesena 92% (new)
Atalanta 88% (-8%)
Parma 88% (+8%)
Empoli 88% (new)
Cagliari 88% (no data for last year)
Sampdoria 86% (-6%)
Napoli 84% (-6%)
Genoa 84% (+2%)
Palerno 82% (new)
Fiorentina 79% (-9%)
Juventus 76% (-4%)
Lazio 76% (unchanged)
Inter 73% (+6%)
Roma 70% (-16%)
Milan 70% (+14%)
Udinese 67% (-14%)
Breakdown team-by-team in detail:
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Juventus (339M Euros -18M Euros vs. last year), Whites 76% (-4%), Blacks 15%, Mesitzos/Amerindians 9%
28 Players, 13 foreigners (47%)
Blacks 5:
Angelo Ogbonna (Italy)
Patrice Evra (France)
Paul Pogba (France)
Kwadwo Asamoah (Ghana)
Kingsley Coman (France)
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 3:
Carlos Tevez (Argentina)
Romulo (Brazil)
Arturo Vidal (Chile)
Notable arrivals:
Morata (Real Madrid), Evra (Man United),
Notable departures:
Osvaldo (Inter), Vucinic (Al Jazira), Quagliarella (Torino), Isla (QPR)
Comment: Juventus remains the favorite to win the title (4th in a row), even though it will remain to be seen how the team will work with the new coach Allegri. Also, the main competitors are stronger this year. the team is slightly less white then last year, with the questionable acquisition of Patrice Evra.
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Napoli (266 M Euros, +27M), Whites 84% (-6%), Blacks 10%, Arabs 3%, Turks 3%
26 Players, Foreigners 20 (77 %)
Blacks 4:
Kalidou Koulibaly (France)
Camilo Zúñiga (Colombia)
Jonathan de Guzmán (Netherlands)
Duván Zapata (Colombia)
Arab 1:
Faouzi Ghoulam (Algeria)
Turk 1:
Gökhan Inler (Turkey)
Notable arrivals:
De Guzman (Villarreal)
Notable departures:
Reina (Bayern Munich)
Comment: Napoli (with Rome) is Juventus' main competitor this year for the scudetto. The team is stronger and more valuable than last year, and Benitez has done a good job last year in building the first squad. This year more results will be expected of him, this is not a "transition year" anymore. The team is less White then last year, but not in the first 11.
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Roma (266M Euros, +40M)
31 Player, 20 Foreigners (65%), Whites 70% (-16%), Blacks 15%, Mesitzos/Amerindians/Amerindians 6%, Arabs 3%, Turks 3%, Asians 3%
Blacks 5:
Ashley Cole (England),
Urby Emanuelson (Netherlands)
Maicon (Brazil),
Seydou Keita (France),
Gervinho (Ivory Coast)
Mesitzos/Amerindians/Amerindians 2:
Antonio Sanabria (Paraguay),
Juan Iturbe (Paraguay)
Turk 1:
Salih Ucan (Turkey)
Asian 1:
Radja Nainggolan (Belgium)
Arab 1:
Mehdi Benatia (Morocco)
Notable arrivals:
Borriello (West Ham), Keita (Valencia), Emanuelson (Milan)
Notable departures:
-
Comment: On paper Roma is stronger than last year (40M more valuable), but many of the new arrivals are expensive Blacks that have high flop potential (Ashley Cole, Urby Emanuelson etc.). On paper - contender for the title, in reality it has a potential of a huge dissapointment.
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Inter (259M Euros, +33M) - Whites 73% (+6%), Blacks 15%, Mesitzos/Amerindians 9%, Asians 3%
30 Players, 24 Foreigners (80%)
Blacks - 5
Ibrahima Mbaye (Senegal)
Isaac Donkor (Ghana)
Yann M'Vila (France)
Fredy GuarÃn (Colombia)
Joel Obi (Colombia)
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 3
Juan Jesus (Brazil),
Gary Medel (Chile),
Hernanes (Brazil),
Asians - 1
Yuto Nagatomo (Japan)
Notable arrivals:
Vidic (Manchester United), Osvaldo (Juventus)
Notable departures:
Zanetti (end of career), Cambiasso (end of contract), Samuel (Basel), Mudingayi(end of contract), Milito (Racing Avellaneda), Taider (Southampton)
Comment: Inter has a potential of achieving one of the Champions League spots, but also of dissapointing. Vidic and Osvaldo are good buys, but there is a generational change to be managed by coach Mazzarri, and that is never easy.
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AC Milan (205M Euros, -12M) Whites 70% (+14%), Blacks 15%, Arabs 9%, Mesitzos/Amerindians 3%, Asians 3%
29 Players, Foreigners 14, 48%
Blacks - 5
Cristian Zapata (Colombia),
Nigel de Jong (Netherlands),
Michael Essien (France),
Sulley Muntari (Ghana),
M'Baye Niang (France)
Arabs - 3
Adil Rami (France),
Hachim Mastour (Italy),
Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy),
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 1
Alex (Brazil),
Asians - 1
Keisuke Honda (Japan)
Notable arrivals:
Niang (Montpellier), Menez (PSG), Diego Lopez (Real Madrid)
Notable departures:
Balotelli (Liverpool), Taarabt (QPR), Emanuelson (Roma), Constant (Trabzonspor), Robinho (Santos)
Comment: Milan has a great upside potential this year. The new (and somehow inexperienced) coach Pippo Inzaghi has sold some expensive Black/Arab flops accumulated in the Allegri era (Balotelli, Emanuelson, Constant, Robinho, Taraabt). Their disgraced owner Silvio Berlusconi does not have the resources for huge transfers anymore, so they mostly bought little known, younger, mostly White players (Whites +14%). However, there will be a lot of work to re-build the squad. Borderline CL/EL spot material.
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Fiorentina (204M Euros, +34M) Whites 79% (-9%), Blacks 7%, Mesitzos/Amerindians 7%, Arabs 7%
35 Players, 25 Foreigners (71.4%)
Blacks - 2
Steve Beleck (France)
Juan Cuadrado (Colombia)
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 2
José MarÃa Basanta (Argentina),
David Pizarro (Chile),
Arabs - 2
Ahmed Hegazi (Egypt),
Mounir El Hamdaoui (Netherlands)
Notable arrivals:
Alonso (Sunderland)
Notable departures:
Matri (Genoa), Diakitè(Sunderland)
Comment: Fiorentina has a potential to remain close to the top squads. The team is similar to last year and they play together for a long time, with their owner, shoe industrialist Diego Della Valle, invesing significantly in the club. The team is somewhat "darker" but not in the main positions, mostly in reserves. EL potential, possible upward surprise.
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Lazio (148M Euros, -6M)
32 Players, 26 Foreigners (81%) - Whites 76% (unch.), Blacks 18%, Mesitzos/Amerindians 6%
Blacks - 6
Mickaël Ciani (France),
Edson Braafheid (Netherlands),
Abdoulay Konko (France),
Luis Pedro Cavanda (Belgium)
Ogenyi Onazi (Nigeria),
Keita Baldé Diao (Spain),
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 2
Vinicius (Brazil),
Brayan Perea (Colombia)
Notable arrivals:
De Vrij (Feyenoord), Basta (Udinese), Parolo (Parma)
Notable departures:
-
Comment:
Although still pretty "dark", especially for a club with such a right-wing reputation, Lazio has brought some very interesting young White players and should fare better than last year. Probably EL potential.
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Udinese (98M Euros, +6M)
34 Players, 25 Foreigners (74%) - Whites - 67% (-14%), Blacks 21%, Mesitzos/Amerindians - 12%
Blacks - 7
Naldo (Brazil),
Molla Wague (France),
Allan (Portugal),
Emmanuel Badu (Ghana),
Gabriel Silva (Brazil),
Masahudu Alhassan (Ghana),
Luis Muriel (Colombia)
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 4
Guilherme (Brazil),
Jádson (Brazil),
Iván Piris (Italy),
Alexis Zapata (Colombia)
Notable arrivals:
Thereau (Chievo), Kone (Bologna)
Notable departures:
Basta (Fiorentina)
Comment: More than a club representing the city of Udine, Udinese is an import-export agency for foreign players managed by the super rich Pozzo family (who also owns Watford in England and Granada in Spain). Giampaolo Pozzo uses Serie A as a shop-window. They also have a new coach - Stramaccioni, who didn't do well with Inter a few years back, and this is always a risk. As one would expect, the team is very multi-kulti. As for Roma, on paper, a strong (middle of the table) team, in practice there is a potential for disaster and even relegation zone.
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Torino (79M Euros, +31M)
28 Players, 16 Foreigners (57%) - Whites - 94% (+2%), Arabs 3%, Mesitzos/Amerindians - 3%
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 1
Josef MartÃnez (Colombia)
Arabs - 1
Omar El Kaddouri (Belgium)
Notable arrivals:
Quagliarella (Juventus), Sanchez Mino (Boca Juniors)
Notable departures:
Immobile (B. Dortmund). L.Gomis (Trapani)
Comment: Torino this year has lost Serie A's top scorer (and Italian national team player) Ciro Immobile, and this loss will not be easy to replace. Another great player - Alessio Cerci, may go. They did buy some good players, like Quagliarella from Juventus, but there is a downside potential. Mid-table team.
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Sampdoria (79M Euros, +11M) Whites - 86% (-6%), Blacks - 11%, Mesitzos/Amerindians - 3%
26 Players, 10 Foreigners (39%)
Blacks - 3
Alfred Duncan (Italy),
Pedro Obiang (Spain),
Stefano Okaka (Italy)
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 1
Eder (Italy)
Notable arrivals:
Bergessio (Catania)
Notable departures:
Maxi Lopez (Chievo), Mustafi (Valencia)
Comment: Sampdoria sold some important players this yea (Mustafi was one of their best defenders) and may be weaker this year. Mid table team with potential of being pulled into relegation zone.
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Genoa (78M Euros, +12M)
32 Players, 15 Foreigners (47%) Whites 84% (+2%), Blacks 16%
Blacks - 5
Allan Blaze (France),
Edenilson (Brazil),
Moro Alhassan (Ghana),
Isaac Cofie (Ghana),
Sebastien De Maio (France)
Notable arrivals:
Matri (Fiorentina)
Notable departures:
-
Comment: Genoa's position is similar to that of Sampdoria, probably mid-table team, with downward potential.
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Sassuolo (73M Euros, +34M) Whites 97% (+1%), Blacks 3%
27 Players, 3 Foreigners (11%)
Blacks - 1
Raman Chibsah (Italy)
Notable arrivals:
Vrsaljko (Genoa), Peluso (Juventus)
Notable departures:
-
Comment: Sassuolo is the whitest team in Serie A, and already this is a positive. In addition, they invested significantly in younger players (the team value is almost double). Probably middle of the table team with EL surprise potential.
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Atalanta (69M, +5M) Whites 88% (-8%), Blacks 6%, Arabs - 3%, Mesitzos/Amerindians 3%
31 Player, 8 Foreigners (26%)
Blacks - 2
Boukary Dramé (France)
Richmond Boakye (Ghana)
Arabs - 1
Yohan Benalouane (France)
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 1
Marcelo Estigarribia (Italy)
Notable arrivals:
-
Notable departures:
Yepes (end of contract)
Comment: Atalanta did not change much the team from last year, the solid Argentinian striker Deniz is still there as is their great attacking middlefielder Bonaventura. This is a typical provincial team that know how to fight for every point. Collantuomo is a great coach, with them for many years now. Lower-mid table team with upward potential.
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Parma (62M, -7M) Whites 88% (+8%), Blacks 6%, Arabs 6%
29 Players, Foreigners 11 (38%)
Blacks - 2
Fabiano Santacroce (Italy)
Afriyie Acquah (Ghana)
Arabs - 2
Djamel Mesbah (Algeria)
Soufiane Bidaoui (Morocco)
Ishak Belfodil (France)
Notable arrivals:
Belfodil (Livorno), Mesbah (Livorno)
Notable departures:
Parolo (Lazio)
Comment: Parma is a somehow weaker team than last year and there are rumours of Cassano stirring troubles in the locker room. Lower mid-table team, with potential of being dragged into relegation zone.
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Cagliari (52M Euros -), Whites 88%, Blacks 12%
27 Players, 9 foreigners (33%)
Blacks :3
Godfred Donsah (Ghana),
Caio Rangel (Brazil),
VÃctor Ibarbo (Columbia),
Notable arrivals:
-
Notable departures:
Astori (Roma)
Comment: Cagliari kept most of the last-year's squad, except Astori, the solid defender being transfered to Roma. They did pretty well last year, given that they had to play most of their games on neutral venues due to issues with their stadium. In a way, the greatest change is the new coach Zdenek Zeman, known for his inclinations towards attacking football, unusual for Italy. Sometimes it works (as with Pescara 3 years ago), sometimes it's a disaster (as with Roma 2 years ago). I would predict a lower-middle of the table team with upward potential.
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Palermo (52 M - newly promoted) Whites 82% (new), Blacks 12%, Arabs 6%
31 Player, 17 Foreigners (55%)
Blacks - 4
Granddi N'Goyi (France)
Robin Quaison (Sweden)
Carlos Embalo (Portugal)
Abel Hernández (Uruguay)
Arabs - 2
Achraf Lazaar (Italy),
Zouhair Feddal (Spain)
Notable arrivals:
-
Notable departures:
-
Comment: The team was promoted at a top Serie B spot. Probably lower mid-table team with relegation potential, but also with potential to enter the EL zone. An unknown at this point.
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Chievo Verona (50M Euros, +13M) Whites 94% (+4%), Blacks 6%
30 Players, 14 Foreigners (47%)
Blacks - 2
Marcos Miranda (Italy),
Edimar (Brazil)
Notable arrivals:
Maxi Lopez (Sampdoria)
Notable departures:
Dramè (Atalanta), Thereau (Udinese)
Comment: Last year Chievo grabbed safety from relegation at the last moment, this year it will probably be more of the same. Relegation zone candidate.
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Hellas Verona (32M, -6M) Whites 92% (-8%), Mesitzos/Amerindians 4%, Arabs 4%
26 Players, 19 Foreigners (73%)
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 1
Rafael Márquez (Spain)
Arabs - 1
Mounir Obbadi (France)
Notable arrivals:
Tachtsidis (Torino)
Notable departures:
Donadel (Napoli), Iturbe (Roma), Romulo (Juventus)
Comment: Hellas was somewhat of a surprise last year, where they came close to grabbing an EL spot with a budget team and the written-off 38 year old veteran Luca Toni who had a great season. This year they sold some important players (Iturbe, Romulo, Donadel) and also don't have an all-White team as last year :sad: (although having a Black player is still taboo for them :icon_mrgreen: ). They will probably struggle to remain in Serie A, but may surprise again.
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Empoli (30M - newly promoted) Whites 88% (new), Blacks 8%, Mesitzos/Amerindians 4%
27 Players, 10 Foreigners (37%)
Blacks - 2
Dramane Konaté (Ivory Coast)
Rodrigo Aguirre (Uruguay)
Mesitzos/Amerindians - 1
Diego Laxalt (Uruguay)
Notable arrivals:
-
Notable departures:
-
Comment: Empoli is an unknown entity. They were promoted into Serie A as the 2. team in Serie B, but have a very low budget team, which usually means a bitter struggle for survival in Serie A. Prime relegation candidate.
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Cesena (22M - newly promoted) Whites 92% (new), Blacks 8%
27 Players, 7 Foreigners (27%)
Blacks - 2
Abdul Yabré (Italy)
Grégoire Defrel (France)
Notable arrivals:
-
Notable departures:
-
Comment: Cesena has the cheapest team in serie A. They were promoted in serie A through the Serie B play-offs. As Empoli, they are a prime relagation material.
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Let the games begin!
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