There's no way you should be taking odds-on about Inter Milan winning the Scudetto this season - their arch rivals
AC Milan are much better value to land the title at 9/4 with Skybet.
It's been anarchic in Italy over the summer, with Serie A imploding after revelations that the league has been rife with corruption during recent months.
Juventus have been hardest hit, with the Bianconeri relegated to Serie B for their sins, while a number of other highly rated sides have been docked points before the new campaign has even begun.
Where does this leave the betting then?
Well, the three main protagonists set to fight it out this term, if the market's got it right, are the Milanese pair, followed by a rapidly improving Roma.
Inter head the betting at around 10/11, but are they likely to make all the running?
In a nutshell, the answer's no, because the way things have panned out in Italy during the close-season, neighbours AC Milan look the better bet.
How, so you'll say, when Carlo Ancelotti's side have been docked eight points prior to kick-off - doesn't that put Inter in the driving seat?
Not necessarily no, because if you look back at last season's league table, it's clear that AC Milan won't find the handicap impossible to overcome - after all, they finished 12 points ahead of Inter then, so why will a minus eight figure automatically stop them this time out?
Originally, when the Italian football authorities, the Calciopoli, announced their decision, the points deduction for the Rossoneri was way higher at 15, and that really would have been a big ask -
but eight? That's certainly doable.
There are other reasons to be backing AC Milan too, notably the shedding of ageing Andrei Shevchenko to Chelsea, which has led to Ricardo Oliveira's arrival from Spain - his goal-scoring prowess should stand Kaka and co in good stead for the season ahead.
He'll be working closely with Pippo Inzaghi of course, whose form in the Champions League qualifiers, and in the recent World Cup, suggests this duo could soon become feared across Europe.
We'll see whether rivals Inter ought to be starting as favourites over the next few months of course, but, at this stage, they don't look very appetising.
Yes, they've made some good signings, picking up the likes of Patrick Vieira, but it's still worth bearing in mind that Inter lost twice on their own patch last season, and scored less goals away from home than any other side in the top six.
Unless they can change that sort of form, there's no reason to automatically believe Roberto Mancini's crew will be lifting the Scudetto next May.
It's the same with Roma.
Ok, the Wolves are looking for their fourth league title, and at 9/2, there will be a few takers.
But frankly, Roma's form last term was questionable to put it mildly.
They failed to win eight of 19 home games in 2005/06, and although they were better on the road than many, Roma still finished way off the pace in the end.
No, we can safely say that all roads lead to AC Milan in Italy this season and, at 9/4, they're a great price to lead their nearest rivals a merry dance during the tussles ahead
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