A clash between champions Milan and highly improved Lazio side is set to open the new Serie A campaign and there is every chance we will see a lot of fireworks at San Siro.

The Rossoneri defied the odds to win the Serie A title last term, but with Inter much weaker than last season, Massimiliano Allegri’s side look like a good bet to defend the league title, at odds of 2.38 (11/8) offered by Victor Chandler.

Understanding that title defence is always a tough task, club chiefs made sure to add several very good players to the ranks over the summer, so Milan now look even stronger than last term.

Taye Taiwo, Philippe Mexes, Stephan El Shaarawy, Alberto Aquilani and Antonio Nocerino all arrived, whereas Andrea Pirlo, Rodney Strasser and Alexander Merkel left the club.

Milan came from a goal behind to beat Inter in the Italian Super Cup played in Beijing, and the Rossoneri are now 1.62 (8/13) with Paddy Power to win their first league game of the season.

Massimiliano Allegri has some doubts over the fitness of Mark van Bommel, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Antonio Cassano, Alberto Aquilani and Antonio Nocerino after they played for their respective national teams on Tuesday, and few of them could be rested for the Barcelona game.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-1-2): Abbiati – Abate, Thiago Silva, Nesta, Antonini – Gattuso, Ambrosini, Aquilani – Boateng – Ibrahimovic, Pato.

Lazio largely impressed last season and they were very unlucky not to have clinched Champions League qualification, but people at the club were, nonetheless, satisfied with a place in Europa League.

Seeing that the Biancocelesti were not that far away from Italy’s top sides, the club chiefs went the extra mile to further reinforce the squad over the summer and we can already say they have done a great job.

Djibril Cisse and Miroslav Klose added much needed quality and experience to attack, whereas Cana, Konko, Marchetti and Stankevicius arrived to boost the defensive department.

Claudio Lotito also managed to get rid of disruptive influence that was Mauro Zarate, meaning the Biancocelesti now have all the ingredients to make this a very successful season. Odds of 2.00 (1/1) offered by Unibet on Lazio to finish in Top 6 look like a real gift.

Djibril Cisse managed to shake off minor injury and he is set to start in attack alongside Miroslav Klose, but Lorik Cana, Stefan Radu and Federico Marchetti are unavailable.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-1-2): Bizzarri – Konko, Biava, Dias, Zauri – Mauri, Matuzalem, Ledesma – Hernanes – Cisse, Klose.