In an interview with 365Scores, Walter Zenga stated that Inter Milan will remain the strongest team in Serie A this season.
How do you explain Italy's consecutive absence from the last two World Cups, and their elimination in the group stage in the two tournaments before that?
"This cannot be explained by a single reason. Seeing that Italy has not participated in the World Cup for three consecutive editions, and that it was eliminated in the group stage in its previous two appearances, it is clear that the root of the problem is deep and not easy to solve."
Do you think the problem lies with the head coach or with the Italian football system?
"The problem isn't with the coaches, but with the Italian football system. This system no longer produces champions and geniuses like it used to. We need to examine the entire system, not just the coaches."
What are your thoughts on the competition in Serie A next season? Who are the favorites to win the title?
"It's hard to talk about this right now, especially with the transfer market still open. But if Roma and Como can maintain their current level, Juventus and AC Milan will have to have an extraordinary season to qualify for the Champions League. Inter Milan is far the strongest team, and in my opinion, the only one that could possibly lose the title. Napoli is still a strong contender, Atalanta is also striving to return to the Champions League, and I think Fiorentina could be the dark horse of the season."
Why are some Italian teams financially more strained than clubs in major European leagues?
"It's hard to explain, and to be honest, I don't have a single, definitive answer. It's all about the club's finances, but the problem isn't just that."
Do you think the financial gap has become the most important factor in the competition between Italian clubs and European giants?
"It's very likely that budget determines the gap. Osimhen's situation illustrates this point. It's currently very difficult for Italian clubs to compete with Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, and other clubs with huge sums of money."
What do you think about big-name players like Salah, Lukaku, and Vlahovic who previously played in Serie A moving to the Turkish league?
"Lukaku, Vlahovic, and Salah, these three stars came to Turkey, and many people underestimated them, especially considering the passion and financial strength of some Turkish clubs. I think Turkish football has great potential, it's just that perhaps not everyone has fully seen it."
What do you think about expanding the World Cup to 48 teams?
"On the one hand, it's great to see teams that we might never have seen under the old format participating. On the other hand, the level of competition, especially in the early stages, wasn't particularly good. Personally, I would prefer to go back to the 32-team format and have a higher-quality tournament, but that's just my opinion."
Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón has broken your record for consecutive World Cup clean sheets. How do you view this achievement compared to your personal record?
“I want to congratulate him because it’s not easy to stay clean for so long. But there’s a difference between us: my record was achieved in one World Cup, while his record spans two.”
