5 former European giants who could rise from the ashes
Every now and then, football throws up a real surprise package whether its a team, a player or a match, there is always room for a shock along the course of a season.However, the key draw for football fans is the fact that the heavyweights are always in competition with each other; they nearly always crop up with a gargantuan battle of physicality, witand determination. That said, the story of a former heavyweight fighting to reclaim their place among the best in the game remains one of the most compelling attractions in the game today.This season, the early rounds across the board have shown that there are quite a few big clubs, who have experienced a dip in fortune over the past few years, who look ready to get closer to their illustrious past, and not all of them are as obvious as you might think.Whether it has been in the Premier League, Dutch Eredivisie, Serie A or elsewhere, there have been quite a number of clubs vying for success in a bid for revival.So, lets take a look at five prime examples.
#1 Inter Milan
Impressive in the Italian top flight so far this campaign, the Nerazzuri have battled hard to claim their spot at the summit – whether or not they manage to stay there for the remainder of the campaign, however, remains to be seen.
Their opener against Atalanta towards the end of August was a terrific start, and they have done well to pick points up with regularity ever since then, something their fans will hope continues as less than a fad and more of a healthy habit.
Blowing off the cobwebs of the last few seasons which saw them struggle to find form, they were a shadow of their former selves and a real far cry from the club which won so many trophies and accolades. Indeed, it has been over five years since they last won a domestic trophy and four since they were led to a thrilling – and successful – European finale by Jose Mourinho.
Last season, they wound up finishing eighth in the league table, miles behind the all-conquering Juventus who snatched a terrific double, but their victory over A.C Milan in September has gone some way to easing those wounds. Of course, many have pointed to the Old Lady’s failures as part of the reason behind Inter’s recent good form, but that would be a real injustice because the Milanese club have been terrific in their own right so far with Stefan Jovetic in particular providing plenty of threat up front.
Could this be their comeback season? That’s debatable, but it will certainly be entertaining watching them try to make it happen.