Italy’s football teams could be on the verge of a remarkable resurgence, marking a substantial turnaround since the Calciopoli scandal.

According to a fresh report, the Italian national league appears to be undergoing a renaissance, as it enjoys the highest number of Serie A clubs advancing to European semi-finals in a decade.

It may seem improbable today, but Italy once wielded considerable influence in European club football. From 1963 to 2007, AC Milan claimed the prestigious European Cup, now known as the Champions League, an impressive seven times and secured second place four times. This exceptional achievement only fell short of Real Madrid’s dominance and reflected the elevated status of Italian football before scandal and financial difficulties struck two decades ago.

The Calciopoli scandal had a seismic impact on Italian football across its top two divisions. In 2006, intercepted telephone conversations between club executives and referee organizations raised allegations of top clubs manipulating referee choices during the 2004/05 and 2005/06 football seasons.

This implicated Juventus, the reigning league champions, along with other clubs like Fiorentina, Lazio, Milan, and Reggina.  As a result, Juventus had their titles from those seasons revoked and were administratively relegated to Serie B as punishment. Milan, while managing to win the final Champions League trophy in the subsequent season, rapidly lost its position of dominance in Europe.

Similarly, neighboring Inter clinched the title in 2010, becoming the last Italian club to win Europe’s top honor but soon found it challenging to retain top talent as Serie A lost its luster.  Could This Be a Revival?

A decade ago, Juventus was the sole Italian representative in the final four of a European tournament, having bounced back from relegation and subsequently securing nine consecutive Serie A titles.  Today, Italy boasts five clubs in European semi-finals, with Inter, AS Roma, and Fiorentina even reaching the finals of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, respectively.

Even with the introduction of the Europa Conference League, in which Fiorentina is the sole Italian representative, Italy hasn’t seen four teams in Uefa semi-finals for a decade. Some of this newfound success may be attributed to a more competitive domestic league. The Scudetto has been claimed by different winners in each of the last four seasons – Juventus, Inter, Milan, and now Napoli. This fierce competition has undoubtedly prepared Italy’s elite clubs to take on foreign opponents more effectively. 

Nevertheless, the question remains whether this marks the beginning of a sustained revival. Juventus currently holds the highest staff costs in the league, totaling €337 million annually. However, a failed attempt to join Europe’s ill-fated Super League and ongoing allegations regarding potential wrongdoings in the transfer market, which are set to go to trial, have left Juventus exposed to a finely balanced set of financial risks.  Moreover, Italian clubs face substantial challenges in increasing revenue through stadium moves due to bureaucratic hurdles faced by owners.

Recent stories of Fiorentina and Venezia, as well as long-standing challenges of AS Roma, Inter, and Milan, highlight the difficulties these clubs encounter in reaching a consensus among numerous stakeholders.

Considering these factors, Italy’s top clubs face an uphill battle in attracting or retaining top talent. In the current season, none of the top 10 European transfers involved Serie A clubs. The only Italian involvement was the sale of Dutch central defender Matthijs De Ligt from Juventus to Bayern München. 

Just last year, AS Roma triumphed in the Europa Conference League, becoming the first Italian team to secure a European club trophy since 2010. Additionally, despite World Cup disappointments, Italy’s victory at Euro 2020 suggests a wealth of talent that could propel its clubs to success, whether or not they have an expanded budget.

Looking forward, the researchers conclude, “The resurgence of Milan-based giants after years of disappointment, the rise of Napoli and Fiorentina, and the consistent performance of Juventus and AS Roma all indicate that European powerhouses will once again have to contend with Italian teams. Only time will reveal whether this competitiveness on the international stage will lead to trophy victories, and whether it can be sustained year after year or is merely a one-season wonder.”