Ravanelli: Juventus still favourites for scudetto
Fabrizio Ravanelli insists former club Juventus remain favourites for the Serie A title despite Roma’s perfect start to the season.
The Old Lady lifted their 29th top flight title in 2012/13 in style, finishing nine points ahead of Napoli and 15 above Massmiliano Allegri’s Milan in third.
The Turin giants look set to be given a rougher ride as they seek a 30th scudetto this term. Although Juventus have won eight and lost just one of their opening 10 league fixtures, Napoli have matched it while Roma have surpassed them both.
The Stadio Olimpico side, under the guidance of Rudi Garcia, have won 10 out of 10, a record that no team in the history of the Italian top flight can match. Juventus enjoyed a nine-match winning run from the start of 2005/06, but that is no longer recognised after the title triumph was stripped due to match-fixing.
Nevertheless, Ravanelli, who won Serie A and Champions League titles wih Juve in 1995 and 1996 before moving to England with Middlesbrough and Derby, believes Antonio Conte’s squad will still emerge on top come the end of the campaign.
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Perugia (1986-89) 90 (41)
Reggiana (1990-92) 66 (24)
Juventus (1992-96) 111 (41)
Middlesbrough (1996-97) 35 (17)
Marseille (1998-00) 64 (28)
Lazio (2000-01) 27 (4)
Derby (2001-03) 49 (14)
Dundee (2003-04) 6 (3)
Perugia (2004-05) 41 (9)
Speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo, the ‘White Feather’ – now manager of Ajaccio in France – said: "There’s absolutely no question about it. They’re too strong and they have a coach [Antonio Conte] who knows football inside out. In my opinion he’s one of the best coaches in the world.
“They’re still good enough to win the title easily – even this year.
"Roma have made a fantastic start but even taking that into account, there’s no doubt Juventus have still got the quality win it.”
Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.