Paulo Dybala

José Mourinho couldn’t keep his perfect record in European finals intact on Wednesday as his Roma side fell to Sevilla 1-1 (4-1 on penalties) in the Europa League final.

Mourinho has now won five of the six European finals he’s managed in.

Roma opened the scoring in the 34th minute through Paulo Dybala. The Argentine was a surprise start after missing the last seven weeks with injuries, most recently an ankle issue.

The San Siro, Italy’s modern Colosseum, was the stage for a battle between two of Serie A’s finest. Roma traveled north to face Inter Milan on Saturday, and after a thoroughly impressive beginning to the season for new signing Paulo Dybala, The Eternal City appears to have a new Caesar. 

WHAT A HIT FROM PAULO DYBALA! pic.twitter.com/nRNuTRHHYz

Walking out, pointing skyward, Paulo Dybala’s return to the Allianz was clearly emotional. A cathedral that was home to many of his best moments in the black and white of Juventus was the host of his third match for rivals Roma. After a lap showing love for his old fans, and extra time greeting his former teammates, Dybala and Roma left Turin with a 1-1 draw. 

With nine successive Serie A titles followed by two campaigns where Champions League qualification seemed a shallow silver lining, Juventus’ fall from grace has been clear to see in recent years. This summer has seen several big names depart Turin, and the Bianconeri will be hard-pressed to find adequate replacements in order to once again fight for the Scudetto.

This weekend, Serie A kicks off following a transfer window that changed the dynamic of the entire league. Former favorites have failed to impress while good investments have helped others emerge as contenders. 

A relatively unassuming first weekend of games gives way to a title fight that has the potential to include as many as five clubs. Relegation will be a trap door that many will need to be aware of, including some relatively big teams. 

For the majority of its history, Palermo FC has bounced between the top two divisions in Italy and has given many great stars their big break. After a financial meltdown, demotion and subsequent rebirth, the club now finds itself back in the second division and, potentially, under new ownership.

Look what it means to the most historic side in southern Italy - Palermo.

Once in Serie A, expelled to Serie D due to financial issues + formed new phoenix club. Now back up to Serie B from Serie C.

The list of soccer free agents 2022 is full of players we've spent an ungodly amount of time speculating over the last few years — Kylian Mbappé, Paul Pogba, Paulo Dybala, Ousmane Dembélé — so it's somewhat strange to see them all leaving their respective clubs on free transfers as out of contract footballers.