Football Season Guide

Even though they are no longer a sensation as in the early years 2000, when they first reached the Serie A, Chievo Verona keep on being among the protagonists of the Italian football despite some limited financial sources. Having reached a last-minute safety for the second time in a row thanks to coach Corini, this time around the management preferred trusting him with the team since the very beginning of the season. And, in the long run, this might prove the right choice. As usual, Corini should opt for a 4-3-1-2 formation, to be turned into a 5-3-2 in the trickiest games against the top teams, as occurred in the past two campaigns. Unable to offer big wages and the spotlights of the top half of the table, Chievo Verona were incapable of confirming some of their key players, such as Thereau, who left for Udinese, Drame, who joined up Atalanta, and Rigoni, who reached Palermo. Moreover, several loanees, who had not been particularly impressive in the past campaign, such as Bernardini, Paredes and Obinna, returned to their parent clubs. Such departures were followed by the arrival of some hopeful youths, such as Bellomo, Bardi and Biraghi, and some players in need of a redemption. This is certainly the case of Maxi Lopez, Meggiorini, Birsa, Izco and Gamberini, who spent more time sitting on a bench than playing in the past campaign. With Bardi in goals, Frey and Biraghi should be the full-backs while experienced Dainelli and Gamberini should act in the heart of the defence. Izco, Guana and Hetemaj should be the midfielders with Birsa to support the forward two formed by Paloschi, expected to repeat the wonders shown just a few months back, and one between Meggiorini and Maxi Lopez.