In the 1990s and 2000s, the city of Milan dominated Italian and European football due to the success of AC Milan and Inter Milan. Between 1990 and 2011, Milan won the Scudetto on seven occasions along with four Champions League crowns, while reaching the final a further three times. It took time for Inter to catch up, but once the Nerazzurri did, they were dominant for five seasons, winning five-straight crowns and their third Champions League title in 2010.
The two sides were truly dominant at the top of Italian football, then came Juventus. The Bianconeri returned to Serie A with a point to prove against their rivals and duly conquered all comers over the next decade by winning nine-straight Scudettos. The brilliance of Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri ensured that the club tormented their rivals for a decade, winning not only the league but also multiple Coppa Italia titles.
Milan and Inter have regained control of Italian football
Stars such as Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo, Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo ensured that no side could touch them in Italy, although it did not translate to the ultimate success in the Champions League. The Bianconeri failed where their rivals triumphed, losing two finals to Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. All good things must come to an end and Juve’s period of dominance ended in the 2020/21 season as Inter rose to strike down their rivals with Conte returning to Italian football to dislodge his former team after a spell at Chelsea.
Despite the departure of Conte, Simone Inzaghi has ensured that Inter have remained a force at the top of the table, competing for their second Scudetto in a row. However, unlike in past seasons, there is real intrigue heading into the stretch run of the term as Milan have a real chance of beating their bitter rivals to the crown to earn their first title since 2011. Stefano Pioli has brought a resilience back to the club and has brought out the best in talents such as Franck Kessie, Sandro Tonali and, of course, Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the final third.
Both teams have been forced to endure their fair share of hardships and the rebuild has been long and arduous. Their rise has brought a new level of fandom back to Italian football, and there are hopes of a return to the glory days of the 1990s and 2000s when it was arguably one of the most entertaining leagues in the world. Not only has it brought interest back into Italian football for spectators, but also sports bettors, who now have more options available for wagers on the Scudetto outside of Juventus.
Juve’s nine-year dominance of the crown was fairly predictable, but now the Milan clubs are back on form, the title race is intriguing right down to the closing stages of the campaign. Betting sites across the world will have their odds prepared for both teams to win the Scudetto, with the title race hanging on the edge of a knife.
When Italian football was at the peak of its power in the 1990s, Serie A was arguably the most popular league in the world to watch. Now that the Milan teams are back to their best it might raise interest in the league back to that level with the added element of betting interest all over the world, especially considering the teams and players involved, such as Ibrahimovic.
As an example of its popularity outside Europe, at the best betting sites in India, you can find odds for who will win the league title with Milan leading their city rivals alongside other markets at the major bookmakers, which highlights how Serie A sits alongside the Premier League and La Liga as the top leagues in football.
Milan need the Scudetto more than the Nerazzurri to announce themselves back on the major stage in Italian football. It has been 11 years since the Rossoneri last lifted the crown and a victory would make them once again a destination for the major players across Europe as they were at the peak of their powers. It has been too long since one of the most famous clubs in the world was a major power, and a Scudetto triumph could kickstart a new era at the club.
