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LEGA CALCIO: Star striker says champs are still the team to beat

Inter’s Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, right, prepares to shoot as Roma defender Juan looks on during their Italian Supercup match at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Sunday. PHOTO: AP

Inter Milan’s star Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic says the champions are still the team to beat ahead of the Serie A kick-off this weekend.

Inter have won the last three titles but AS Roma pushed them to the wire last season and AC Milan have recruited well during the off season, bringing in Ronaldinho, Andrei Shevchenko, Gianluca Zambrotta and Mathieu Flamini, as well as Swiss defender Philippe Senderos on loan.

But Ibra insists that with coach Jose Mourinho at the helm, Inter will still finish top of the tree.

Asked if Milan, Juventus and Roma would present the toughest opposition this season, Ibra told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I also like Fiorentina but everyone will finish behind us. Inter are still the best.”

Inter open their campaign with a tricky trip to Sampdoria tonight and are sure to be caused problems by Italy forward Antonio Cassano.

Milan have a less demanding challenge in a home match against Bologna while Roma host Napoli.

Both sides will be desperate to get off to a winning start to ensure they don’t cede any early ground to Inter.

Milan scuppered their own title hopes last season by failing to win any of their first seven home league matches.

That, coupled with their participation in both the European Supercup and Club World Cup, meant that by Christmas they were already more than 20 points off the pace and with a fixture backlog facing them.

Roma’s title hopes the last two seasons, in which they have finished both as bridesmaids, have been dented by dropping points against so called lesser teams so Luciano Spalletti will be hoping his new signings Julio Baptista and Jeremy Menez gel quickly, particularly with talisman Francesco Totti out of their Serie A opener.

The match of the weekend will take place in Florence where Juventus will be the visitors to Fiorentina.
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