But a fourth triumph in the country's history was anything but an overnight success; it was the product of a development model that no longer exists in Italian football. While the Premier League clubs benefit from ever-increasing TV deals and other European leagues attract heavy investment, Serie A has seen that source of revenue stagnate. European football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Sport: "The academies in Italy are not producing enough players, or players who are fit to play in their first team. The way they spend their money is not what we are used to from Italian clubs." A telling stat is that only eight of the 487 goals in this season's Champions League league phase were scored by Italians.

Source: BBC March 25, 2026 15:17 UTC