The post-Scudetto cleanup in Naples took more than a month, local authorities reporting they had gathered up enough banners and blue and white ribbons to cover the length of 400 football pitches. Those were just the ones hung on public property. In bars, restaurants and the windows of homes all over the city, Napoli’s first Serie A title in 33 years will continue to be celebrated as long as there are people to remember it.
Now, though, they must defend their crown. Easier said than done: Italy has had a different champion in each of the past four seasons. A near-decade of Juventus hegemony was broken by Inter, who were dethroned by Milan before the Partenopei’s triumph last term. All of those teams could challenge again, but each has questions to answer.
