Serie A Friendlies: How Are Top Clubs Adapting Their Squads?

Defending champions Inter Milan face a demanding calendar across the league, domestic cup, and Champions League. The departure of stalwarts like Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij, alongside Dumfries' move to Real Madrid, forced a tactical recalibration. They secured Spence and Stones to lock down the defensive flanks, while integrating Akanji and Stankovic into their signature 3-5-2 setup. An aggressive pursuit of Curtis Jones highlights their need for versatile ball progression. A five-game unbeaten streak in summer exhibitions suggests the system holds, but squad stamina will be severely tested under three-front pressure.

Across the city, AC Milan's pre-season exposed lingering defensive fractures. Despite signing Gila—a capable center-back from the Real Madrid academy—and forward Ramos, their warm-up results reflect inconsistency, marked by a sharp 0:3 defeat to Chelsea. Even a 4:2 victory showed vulnerability at the back. The midfield retains legendary vision with Luka Modric expected to feed the frontline, and talks for Belgian winger Diego Moreira hint at further offensive upgrades. Yet, integrating the backline before matchday one remains their most pressing objective.

Juventus opted for volume in attack, spending heavily on Loïs Openda and Randal Kolo Muani with transfer fees exceeding 40 million euros each, supplemented by the 32-million-euro acquisition of 18-year-old winger Kerim Alajbegovic. A defense bolstered by Jhon Lucumí and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario (on loan from Tottenham) seems solid on paper. Still, a 1:2 friendly loss to Inter indicates a gap remains between them and the titleholders. Down south, Napoli leans on an aging Kevin De Bruyne following Lukaku's exit, hoping new arrivals Rasmus Højlund and Alisson Santos can convert chances. A 6:2 pre-season thrashing showed promise, though breaking the top three will be difficult. Meanwhile, Atalanta's clever conversion of new signing Nicola Zalewski into a central midfielder has looked sharp, positioning them as serious contenders for a top-four finish.