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Inter hoping for another "Special" season

Fri 29th, August 2008

Milan, Italy (Sports Network) - There were many big transfers in Serie A over the summer, but Inter Milan's appointment of former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was just as big a story as any of them.

The "Special One" joined the defending three-time league champions after the departure of Roberto Mancini, and fans of the Nerazzuri will be expecting Mourinho to deliver another Scudetto at the end of the season.

Inter was hoping to reunite Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard with his old boss, but the move fell through. However, the club was able to lure playmaker Amantino Mancini from Roma, which will certainly bolster the midfield.

Outside of Mancini, however, Inter was pretty quiet, but they already had plenty of offensive firepower with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored 17 goals last season, as well as the return of Brazilian striker Adriano, who is back after a six-month loan spell in his native country.

Mourinho's men will open their campaign on the road at Sampdoria on Saturday, and although they may still be favorites to claim another Serie A crown, the gap has closed from last season.

While Inter was rather passive over the summer, city-rivals AC Milan were quite active. After finishing in fifth place last season, the Rossoneri were bound to throw some money around over the summer in an effort to return to the top of the league.

The team made a big splash by bringing in Brazilian star Ronaldinho, although it remains to be seen if he can return to top form after a disappointing season with Barcelona last year.

He will be joined by fellow Brazilians Kaka and Alexandre Pato in attack, while the team lost striker Alberto Gilardino to Fiorentina. In his place, Milan added 19-goal man Marco Borriello from Genoa, and brought back a familiar face in Ukrainian sniper Andriy Shevchenko, who is back after two terrible seasons with Chelsea.

Milan also added Mathieu Flamini from Arsenal, which strengthens a midfield that already includes Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini. The back line is the biggest concern for manager Carlo Ancelotti at the moment, with 40-year-old Paolo Maldini and injury-riddled Alessandro Nesta. However, the additions of Gianluca Zambrotta and Philippe Senderos will ease some of those worries.

The Rossoneri open their season at home on Sunday against Bologna, while last season's runners-up, Roma, host Napoli.

Roma will no doubt miss the creativity of Mancini, but their midfield is still loaded with Daniele De Rossi, Alberto Aquilani and Simone Perrotta. The team signed former Real Madrid striker Julio Baptista and midfielder John Arne Riise from Liverpool, but the health of star frontman Francesco Totti will once again go a long way in determining Roma's fate.

The best match of the opening weekend comes on Sunday when top-four sides Fiorentina and Juventus get together at Artemio Franchi.

Juve made a pair of good signings in Brazilian forward Amauri and Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg. Amauri bagged 15 goals for Palermo last season and will join an already strong attack that includes Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet, who scored 21 and 20 goals respectively last season.

Fiorentina's attack also got stronger with the addition of Gilardino from Milan, and he will team with Romanian striker Adrian Mutu, who scored 17 times in Serie A for the Viola last year.

Palermo visits Udinese in the other game on Saturday, while the rest of Sunday's action includes Atalanta hosting Siena, Lazio invading Cagliari, Catania entertaining Genoa, Reggina visiting promoted-side Chievo, and Lecce squaring off with Torino.

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