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Serie A Power Rankings: Inter start on top, AC Milan back on track; Fiorentina set to surprise

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Serie A is finally back! The 2026-2027 Serie A season will kick off this weekend in Italy, with Inter, the 2025-2026 Scudetto winners, looking to defend the title in the new season. AC Milan, their cross-city rivals, made some key signings in the summer after replacing the coach and the whole club hierarchy after the disappointing end of the last campaign, and appointed former Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim to lead the new cycle. Six teams replaced their coaches, including Napoli, which saw Antonio Conte leave the Azzurri after two seasons and appointed former AC Milan and Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri. Let’s take a look at our power rankings ahead of the upcoming season: 

1. Inter 

The 2025-2026 Serie A champions are still the favorites to replicate the success of the past season. They lost a key player in Denzel Dumfries, who joined Real Madrid, but replaced him with Djed Spence and signed other players like John Stones and Curtis Jones who can help Cristian Chivu win another Scudetto. Overall, they have a stronger squad compared to the one that won the most recent Serie A title. 

2. AC Milan 

The Rossoneri spent big money in the summer to support American Christian Pulisic and signed striker Goncalo Ramos from PSG who became the highest paid player in the history of the club, after Gerry Cardinale’s side spent over $70 million to sign the Portuguese striker. On top of him, they also signed Mario Gila from Lazio for around $20 million and Diego Moreira from Strasbourg for more than $60 million. However, the biggest decision was to appoint Ruben Amorim to replace Massimiliano Allegri, who failed to bring the Rossoneri back to Champions League soccer. 

3. Napoli

It didn’t take long time for Allegri to find a new club as Napoli decided to hire him after Antonio Conte’s decision to leave the Azzurri ahead of the summer. Allegri, who has signed a three-year deal with the Italian club, will be expected to improve Napoli’s performances, particularly in the Champions League, as demanded by club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis. Napoli have a strong squad, but last season their campaign was severely affected by injuries.

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4. AS Roma  

The side coached by Gian Piero Gasperini clinched a Champions League spot at the end of a successful campaign, but it will now be much more complicated to replicate the same success. They have a chance to make a deep run, and the roster is also strong enough to achieve the targets requested by the fan base and the ownership. Winning a trophy, maybe the Coppa Italia, could be a major milestone for the new project, now entering its second year, led by the former Atalanta manager. 

5. Como 

Como were one of the biggest surprises of the 2025–26 season but maybe not entirely unexpectedly. Their fourth-place finish and historic qualification for the Champions League were remarkable, but the team led by Cesc Fabregas wants more. They re-signed Nico Paz from Real Madrid for $60 million, arguably the most important Serie A signing of the summer. The only doubt about them is how they will deal with the two major competitions at the same time, but watch out for them, once again. 

6. Juventus

Despite confirming head coach Luciano Spalletti for at least another season, everything has changed again at the club with a new CEO in Giovanni Carnevali, an experienced Italian director who can lead the new cycle. Some of the signings were interesting, such as the one of Kerim Alajbegovic from Bayer Leverkusen or the one of Randal Kolo Muani from PSG. Others, like the one of Guglielmo Vicario on loan from Tottenham as the new starting goalkeeper, are not what we expected. 

7. Fiorentina

I strongly believe they will be the surprise of the season, after risking relegation last year. Former Tottenham and Juventus director Fabio Paratici is leading the sporting project and has signed multiple talents, starting with Franco Mastantuono on loan from Real Madrid, and appointed a young talented coach like Fabio Grosso, who previously coached Sassuolo in the Italian first division. Fiorentina might finally be back. 

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8. Atalanta

Nothing against the club and the job they’ve done over the past years, but when you sign a coach like Maurizio Sarri you can expect your team to perform more on the long term, missing out some key points in the first part of the season. This is why I think they can aim for European soccer, but it won’t be that easy. 

9. Genoa

Another team I think will do well. Under Daniele De Rossi’s management, Genoa were a surprising side in the second part of the season, and in his full campaign in charge I think there’s a big chance to see them as one of the surprises of the Serie A season. 

10. Bologna

It will be difficult for them after Vincenzo Italiano decided to leave the Italian side to join Besiktas. They hired a coach like Domenico Tedesco, who will make his Serie A debut this weekend: A risky choice. 

11. Udinese

One of those teams that always seem to find themselves in the same position at the start of the season: unlikely to face a relegation battle, but equally unlikely to challenge for a European spot.

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12. Torino 

I’m curious to see the impact of Ignazio Abate in Serie A after bringing Juve Stabia, a team that was placed under judicial administration as prosecutors stated the Serie B club was used as a tool by the local Camorra mafia clan, to the playoffs last season; now he has his first big chance in the Italian top flight. 

13. Sassuolo

Giovanni Carnevali, the former club CEO and the mastermind behind the success of the Neroverdi in the past years, has left his position and joined Juventus this summer. While Fabio Grosso left the club to take over at Fiorentina and most of the key players stayed, the club appointed Alberto Aquilani as his successor. Aquilani, who led Catanzaro to the Serie B playoff final in June, is widely regarded as one of the most talented young managers in Italy.

14. Parma

The Crociati survived the Italian first division under Carlos Cuesta last season, the youngest coach in the league and aim to do the same this year despite selling some key players, such as Zion Suzuki and Gabriel Strefezza. 

15. Cagliari

The first season under Vincenzo Pisacane was a success overall as the team managed to avoid relegation, and this season we can expect more from them, but it won’t be easier. 

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16. Lazio

There are not many hopes around Lazio this season after hiring Gennaro Gattuso as the new head coach. The Biancocelesti had another disappointing summer transfer window, as they saw some key players leaving such as Mario Gila who joined AC Milan and had to face a net-zero transfer window for the summer 2026 session. In this worrying financial environment, a tumble down the table is a real possibility

17. Venezia

Their plans for a new stadium are already underway, but if you get the chance to go and watch a match at the current Penzo Stadium, do it. It’s an unforgettable experience.

18. Monza

The club made some signings in the summer, but none of them are capable of keeping the team in the first division. Am I too drastic? Probably not. 

19. Lecce

Eusebio Di Francesco finally managed to keep Lecce in the top flight after suffering relegation twice in two years with Frosinone and Venezia. However, I think keeping them up this time will be an even bigger challenge.

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20. Frosinone

This is what Massimiliano Alvini, the head coach, said about the transfer window. “I wasn’t involved. As the coach, you have to understand the characteristics of the new signings. It will take time, months, to fully integrate them.” I don’t see them avoiding relegation, do you? 

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Buggsy’s 2026 spring campaign kicks off at Sandown

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Jockey in green silks riding a dark brown racehorse with a blue number 3 saddle cloth, mid-race on a grassy track.

Many trainers with a promising young horse often have the allure of a significant spring race firmly in their sights.

This sentiment is certainly shared by Cranbourne-based trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.

With Golden Slipper winner Guest House already earmarked for ambitious targets, they are eager to see Buggsy follow a similar path towards spring success.

However, the immediate priority is to assess Buggsy’s condition in his first start back at Sandown on Saturday, competing in the Chef’s Hat Handicap (1000m).

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Buggsy made a winning debut over the same course and distance in March and followed this with a third-place finish in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on April 11.

Kent Jnr has observed that Buggsy has ‘come of age’ this campaign.

“He won track and distance on debut, albeit very greenly, and he had probably come to the end of his prep when he ran third in a Listed race,” Kent Jnr explained.

“Whilst he only got beaten a length and ran third, I thought there was a bit more there and that he had come to the end of it by then, so we gave him a nice break, and have set him for the spring.

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“He’s trialled up well and I think there’s improvement to come. His trackrider thinks the run will bring him on and it’s hard to disagree with him.

“He’s a strong colt but I think he’s forward enough for 1000 metres.”

Although Kent Jnr believes Buggsy is fit enough to race and potentially win over 1000m on Saturday, he highlighted the challenges involved in preparing the colt on tracks that have been affected by rain.

“It’s the same every spring,” Kent Jnr remarked.

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“We’re ducking and diving, avoiding Polytrack trials and waiting for the grass, but we’ve had a pretty good run with him.

“He’s had two good grass trials, he went well in the second one when he went head and head with a Group 1 filly from New Zealand (Lara Antipova) and they cleared out from third.

“He’s a sprinting colt. We don’t think we’ll get him out to a mile this preparation.

“That’s our feel at the moment and the obvious races beckon if he goes well on Saturday.”

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Craig Williams, who rode Buggsy to his inaugural victory, will be reunited with the colt for Saturday’s race.

Compare the latest racing odds from leading bookmakers for the Sandown meeting.

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5 players from RCB’s WPL 2026-winning squad who have been picked for Asian Games 2026 ft. Smriti Mandhana

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The Indian women’s cricket team are all set to take part in the upcoming Asian Games 2026, which will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4. The Women in Blue won the gold medal in the women’s cricket competition in the 2023 edition held in Hangzhou. They beat Sri Lanka by 19 runs in a low-scoring final, defending a score of 116.

The selectors have named a strong India Women squad for Asian Games 2026. The team will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, while Smriti Mandhana remains the vice-captain. India Women, however, have been dealt a big blow ahead of the competition as experienced batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out due to a right hamstring injury she picked up while playing in The Hundred in England.

India Women‘s Asian Games 2026 squad is dominated by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) players. In this feature, we look at five players from the squad who were part of RCB’s triumph in Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026.


#1 Smriti Mandhana

Mandhana led RCB to victory in WPL 2026. In nine matches, the 30-year-old opening batter scored 377 runs at an average of 53.85 and a strike rate of 153.25, with three half-centuries. The southpaw slammed 96 off 61 balls against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the DY Patil Stadium, hitting 13 fours and three sixes.

Mandhana hit 87 off 41 balls in the final of WPL 2026 against DC in Vadodara. Her knock featured 12 fours and three sixes as RCB chased down 204 in 19.4 overs. Overall, she has played 35 WPL games, scoring 1,023 runs at an average of 31 and a strike rate of 136.76, with seven half-centuries.


#2 Richa Ghosh

Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh will be a key member of India Women’s Asian Games 2026 squad. She has that X-factor in her batting to make a big difference. In nine matches for RCB in WPL 2026, she contributed 189 runs at an average of 31.50 and a strike rate of 151.20. Ghosh slammed 90 off 50 balls against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Vadodara, hitting 10 fours and six sixes in a losing cause.

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Ghosh has featured in 35 WPL matches so far. In 33 matches, she has scored runs at an average of 33.91 and a strike rate of 151.02, with five half-centuries.


#3 Shreyanka Patil (subject to fitness)

Off-spinner Shreyanka Patil’s availability for Asian Games 2026 remains subject to fitness. She was stretchered off the field after twisting her right ankle during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match in Leeds on June 17.

Shreyanka played nine matches for RCB in WPL 2026, claiming 11 wickets at an average of 25 and an economy rate of 9.01. The 24-year-old registered figures of 5-23 from 3.5 overs against Gujarat Giants (GG) at DY Patil Stadium. Overall, she has played 24 matches and has claimed 30 wickets at an average of 20.80 and an economy rate of 8.72.


#4 Radha Yadav

Experienced leg-spinner Radha Yadav has also been picked in India Women’s Asian Games 2026 squad. She played nine matches for RCB in WPL 2026, but claimed only two wickets at an average of 74 and an economy rate of 7.78.

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Radha, however, played a crucial role with the bat in hand, scoring 114 runs at a strike rate of 140.74. The 26-year-old slammed 66 off 47 balls against GG at DY Patil Stadium. She also hit the winning runs in the final, smashing 12* off five balls. Radha has played 29 WPL games in which she has claimed 16 wickets, with one four-fer. With the bat, she has scored 188 runs at a strike rate of 142.42.


#5 Arundhati Reddy

Pacer Arundhati Reddy has also been picked in India Women’s Asian Games 2026 squad. In seven matches for RCB in WPL 2026, the right-arm pacer claimed two wickets at an average of 96.50 and an economy rate of 8.77. Overall, the 29-year-old has played 27 WPL games, picking up 16 wickets at an average of 39.31 and an economy rate of 8.40.