Preview: Unstoppable Milan head to Genoa, rest of top five set for difficult tests also

Milan kick off this weekends action with a visit the Marassi to take on Sampdoria, a side that have at least on their home turf become something of a bogey side in recent years. Indeed, their last victory against Samp in Genoa was a stonking 5-0 reverse in October 2007. Thats the only win achieved there over the last five years and this alone illustrates the difficulty lying in wait tomorrow at 5pm. One problem Milan don't have to worry about is Antonio Cassano who has been totally frozen out of the Sampdoria squad after crossing the line against Club President Riccardo Garrone who currently is attempting to dissolve his contract. Additionally, aside from a 3-2 win in Lecce Sampdoria have really been struggling for goals of late and have been relying on striker Pazzini to find the net. He did against Lecce with a hatrick and his partner Guido Marilungo has looked like a decent prospect for the future, but without Cassano up front Milan's chances of recording three points in Genoa, a rare thing for anyside, have increased significantly. And, if they do register a win it will virtually end Inter's chances of becoming Winter Champions, a title that has become indicative of who goes onto win the Scudetto at the seasons end, most of the time.

With Milan seemingly having the most difficult challenge this weekend, based on historical results at least, the rest of the top six have the chance to close ranks. Juve however take on a rejuvenated Fiorentina at home and will hope the guile and craft of Krasic and Aquilani continue to open up opposition defences. For Fiorentina however this is a derby, one steeped in rivalry paved out through the sale of Baggio to Juve when Florence seemingly turned into a war zone in the early 90s. Last years fixture finished in a draw, but I'd bet Juve go one better this on current form. Bitter rivals Inter face Parma early on Sunday, and after their win over Twente midweek they will look to resuscitate their season with a win here against a Parma side that have limped through the league so far this campaign. They same cannot be said of Lazio who sit in second as things stand and will look to beat Catania at home on Sunday before two crunch fixtures, the first against Inter Milan next Friday and the second away at Juve a week later.

Napoli face a difficult challenge this weekend. Sitting third at the moment, a magnificent achievement, they head to Udine to face Udinese who have recovered from an appalling start to the season, sitting only three points behind Inter as things stand. It was not a happy hunting ground for them last season, loosing three one to Udinese and given the home form they have shown of late it may be a difficult afternoon for the Napoli faithful. Finally in the race for the Scudetto Roma head to Palermo, 5th v 7th, for a three points that really could push one of these sides right into the upper echelons of the table. It's never a dull game, the proof in the pudding being a 3-3 draw that is just one meeting between the two teams that contributed a plethora of goals and it should provide an entaining end to this rounds action on Sunday night.

Champions League: Italian Trio win

All three Italian clubs were victorious in the Champions League this round, with Milan and Inter both securing qualification into the next phase. Milan put two past French side Auxerre to secure their passage into the next round. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a fantastic goal to put Milan in front, with Ronaldinho adding the second after some wonderful play by himself and Robinho. City rivals Inter also secured their passage tonight, beating Twente 1-0 thanks to a strike from Estaban Cambiasso who provided Inter with the sort of quality and technique that has been missing in that position. 

However, performance of the round was reserved for Roma who came back from 2-0 against Bayern Munich, last years beaten finalists, to win 3-2. Marco Boriello scored when it seemed impossible to do so after virtually lying on the floor. Danielle De Rossi leveled with a tap in before Francesco Totti converted from the spot to assure the win. Roma need to sweat a little more however and need one point to assure passage to the next phase, although if Basel loose to Bayern then Roma will be through anyway.

If your expecting Europa league action this week, then you'll be disappointed as next Wednesday and Thursday will host the fifth round of that.

Serie A: Inter fall in Verona, while Milan win again

The Scudetto race has been blown wide open thanks to a second consecutive defeat for Inter who fell in Verona. Sergio Pellissier lead the charge for Chievo as they beat Inter 2-1. Eto'o pulled one back late on but should have seen red for a head butt that was reminiscent of Zidane's infamous use of the cranium on Marco Materazzi in the 2006 world cup. Milan however are reveling in their rivals misery as they won their fourth game on the trot thanks to a wonder goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His overhead kick was the difference between Milan and Fiorentina. With Inter stalling, Roma, Juve and Napoli all won against Udinese, Genoa and Bologna. Napoli were arguably most impressive, with Hamsik hitting two and answering the critics with regards to his supposed slump in form. Once agains Edison Cavani was on target with a smart finish, but Lavezzi once again arguably stole the show with a non stop tireless performance. Lazio however could only draw away at Parma, coming from behind after old friend Hernan Crespo put them in front. Sergio Floccari answered after the break, but despite dominating Lazio could not find a way to obtain three points.

It's incredibly tight at the top, and it's only got tighter this week with Palermo joining the party level on points with Inter now in joint sixth after a 2-1 win in Cesena. Chievo are now on 19 points as well, and with Sampdoria winning in Lecce this weekend thanks to a superb Pazzini hatrick there really is all to play for as we enter the final phases before the winter break. 

At the other end of the table Cagliari's decision to hire Donadoni had it's usual initial first game win effect with them achieving a strong win away at Brescia who find themselves slipping down the table. One team however going nowhere is Bari, who after a superb season last year find themselves rooted to the bottom after yet another defeat, this time at Catania. The Massimino is no easy place to go as most sides will testify, and this alone should be enough to see Catania maintain their status in Serie A as a midtable side. This time last year they were approaching crisis point, until a majestic win in Turin against Juve and the introduction of Mihajlovic as allenatore. This year however, its a different story as they now sit on 17 points, just three behind Inter. Still unbeaten at home, Catania have quality and could be a dark hourse for a European place as the season progresses.

Remember when?: Lazio beat Real Mallorca to the Cup Winner's Cup

Ok, here's a new facet to the site. Remember when...Given that I was actually at this game 11 years ago, I should remember this one.

Round 13 Preview: Given 180 minutes, the time bomb is ticking

180 minutes. Not a lot of time. But it seems that's all Rafa Benitez has to save his job. He could be gone from Inter by midweek if results don't go their way against Chievo Verona and FC Twente. In many respects, this is a fair deal given to Benitez by Padrone Moratti. Get Inter back into the Scudetto race and into the last 16 of the CL, or get out. Yes, there has been the absence of players like Milito, Cambiasso and now 'The Wall' Walter Samuel, but to be unable to get past Lecce, Brescia, and suffer humiliation and the hands of Tottenham in Europe, as reigning European Champions, says a lot about how Inter have suffered this season. So, for Rafa, the first port of call in winning in Verona, something that they did do last season and will be expected to do this season. But, if they struggled against Lecce and Brescia, both in Serie B last season, what price that they struggle against Chievo. This is a side, after all that is riding high at the moment in 11th place in the table, comfortably away from the relegation zone and carving out a place in the regular set of side that adorn this league year upon year. This won't be easy for Benitez and Inter, but if they come through this roughest of rough patches for them post Calciopoli, then it could galvanise them into the side that won it all last year. Make or break.

Round 13 preview: Renaissance in Florence, but surely not enough to bring down Milan

It's amazing the difference a year can make. Scratch that, it's amazing the difference a month or so make. Since beeing given the run around by Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, Massimo Allegri has taken stock, and changed up. A three man holding midfield has almost bulldozed it's way through the opposition of late, leaving Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pato and Robinho to clean up in the final third. Whether it be Ambrosini, Gattuso, Flamini, Pirlo or Boateng in the middle, it so far has worked and they look a much more solid, and robust, team than they did under Leonardo. Tommorow however they come up against a rejuvenated Fiorentina, basking in the light of a recent renaissance especially at home in the beautiful city of Florence. Sinisa Mihajlovic has overcome a tough start and put his side within touching distance of the European places. Indeed, the Florentines have only lost one of their last five, and put three wins on the board in this stretch. Much of this renaissance has to do with the return of the likes of D'Agostino, Vargas and Mutu to the side, allowing Mihajlovic the sort of squad depth that he had hoped for right from the word go. There's still no Stefan Jovetic, the wonder that hurt so many teams in the Champions League last year, but there's enough for Fiorentina to given Milan some headaches tomorrow. Probably not enough to register three points, but enough certainly to put a spanner in the works of Allegri's quest for the Scudetto. If there's one thing Fiorentina have shown, in Europe especially, over the last year, it's their ability to raise their game against the big boy's. Can they do it against Milan? We shall see.

Calcio Video: Highlights of the Milan Derby

Round 12: Milan and Lazio fly as the top six clash

A mega and quite unique weekend of calcio pitted the top six against each other, and if that was not enough there was the Sicilian derby to contend with as well. First up were Juve and Roma, and a high tempo game was given a fantastic goal after Aquilani delivered a superb ball for Vicenzo Iaquinta to volley home. Francesco Totti however leveled the tie however before half time from the spot, as he did last year before they went onto win, after Simone Pepe was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area. This time however there was no win for Roma, and only a fine Julio Sergio save denied Fabio Quagliarella from a wonder goal late on.

In the next top six clash Lazio pushed past a talented Napoli side to secure their first win since week nine after two consecutive defeats against Roma and Cesena. Mauro Zarate put in an excellent performance open the scoring after a wonderful assist from Italy International Stefano Mauri. Zarate later turned provider to allow Sergio Floccari to hit his fourth goal of the campaign so far with a tidy finish past Morgan De Sanctis. Napoli however were desperately unlucky not to level the tie in the early going after Lavezzi, in wonderful form, beat two Lazio players and rattled the bar from 25 yards with Muslera motionless on the goal line. It was not Napoli's day however, but they remain third in the table. 

Milan remain first however thanks to a win over bitter rivals Inter, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic on target from the spot after just five minutes. It was a game won with ten men by Milan, and could have been of a higher margin as both Seedorf and Ibrahimovic came close on more than one occassion. Inter fans thought they had leveled the tie when a wonderful Sneijder freekick skimmed the netting in the first half, but they did not make the most of their one man advantage and went down to their second defeat of the season so far.

Elsewhere, Palermo blew Catania away in the derby with a Javier Pastore ha rick, while Bologna picked up another solid home win against Brescia thanks to, you've guest it, Marco Di Vaio. Parma continued their resurgence with a 1-0 away win at a troubled Bari, while Fiorentina did the same with a 1-0 win against Cesena thanks to a superb Gilardino volley. Genoa, under new management in former Lazio flop Davide Ballardini, won their second game on the bounce to take them up to 17 points against Cagliari. Joining them on that mark is a totally changed Udinese side who thrashed Lecce 4-0 with Antonio Di Natale on target with a hatrick. Considering they were rock bottom in the seasons early stages, their position now just three points away from fourth places is quite an achievement. One side really struggling right now however is Sampdoria as they failed to score for the third game running, with Antonio Cassano still frozen out of the squad. Another goalless outing saw them draw 0-0 with Chievo at the Marassi. They look a far cry from the team that finished fourth last season.

Calcio comment: Juve and Roma draw, advantage Milan?

Juve and Roma played out an entertaining draw in Turin tonight. Both teams will probably be dissappointed with the draw, especially Juventus who arguably had the better of the possession and pressure in the second half especially. However, for Roma this is another good result to put alongside their increasingly good position in the table as they continue to show that they are far from out of the picture in the Scudetto race. Indeed, they sit just four points off the summit at the moment before tommorows monumental clash in the San Siro between AC and Inter Milan. Juve sit just three behind, but quite how the table will look at the end of play tommorow night is currently anyone's guess. A win for Inter could put them top if Lazio or Napoli fail to win in their game against each other, whereas a win for either of the aforementioned clubs could put them top if AC Milan fail to win their game. What does this mean? It's been labled a six horse race at the top and with arguably three of the strongest contenders sitting in 6th, 5th and 4th currently that's exactly how it seems to be as we approach Christmas. However Milan at the top of the pile seem a different proposition this year, growing in confidence week after week. The injury to Pato will be a big blow, but certainly not an excuse given the near critical injury list that their city rivals, and Juve, have suffered so far this campaign. But, there is one positive piece of news on that front, or three if you like, with the return of Cambiasso, Stankovic and Julio Cesar for the Milan derby for Inter fans at least. Still, they will not be at full fitness clearly, and with Roma and Juve not picking up maximum points this could be advantage Milan.With Ibra and Robinho in rich form and a rejuvenated Mathieu Flamini returning to the midfield they certainly go into this game in confident mood especially after conquering their usual banana skin in Palermo midweek.

One team going into this round not in good form are former league leaders Lazio, who take on Napoli tommorow to complete this unique set of fixtures at the top that saw all the teams in the top six play each other. Napoli roll into the Olimpico after two straight defeats for the Aquile. Napoli however approach this game with three straight wins and would go top of the league if they leave Rome victorious. Indeed Mazzari's men seem unstoppable on their travels at the moment. It'll be tough for Lazio, but if they are to confirm themselves as a changed side and involved in this titanic six way at the top, then they need a response to their two defeats right here, right now.

Round ten preview: A derby like no other

Ask any casual observe of Italian football to name it's biggest derby and undoutably they'd go for Inter v Milan. Two giants of the Italian and European game, ten Champions League trophies between them and an endless array of world renowned players both now and in the past. However, scratch beneath the surface of the casual observer and you'll find two derbies, that in my opinion at least, surpass the Milan classic in terms of passion and rivalry at least. The first is Inter v Juve, the Derby D'Italia, a phrase coined by Italian Journalist Gianni Brera in the 60s that epitomised a match up between the two clubs in Italy that had won the most International and domestic trophies. Undoubtedly, passion runs high in this encounter and thats' seen, even in recent years, altercations on the pitch between, in last years case Gianluigi Buffon and Thiago Motta. However, one derby surpasses both of these for me. The Rome derby, and that's the classic we have to entertain us this weekend at 2pm on Sunday afternoon as Lazio, top of the league, host Roma, currently in 9th place and ten points behind. Last year Roma won both encounters, so despite being top of the league that will count for little for the Lazio fans for these 90 minutes as avenging both defeats of last season will be heavily on the mind. For Roma, revenge of a different sort may be in the offing, as they look to get their season back on track and close the gap on the leagues front runners. 

But, as has been suggested, more than just football has taken place at these encounters over the years with two prominent events making their mark in tragically devastating fashion. In 1979 a Lazio fan was killed by a flare fired from the Curva Sud, while in 2004 the game was suspended after false rumours were spread about a child being killed. Unprecedented scenes even saw Ultra leaders on the pitch conversing with club captains to give their account. These sad scenes are the exception to the rule, against which most derbies have been played out to backdrops of spectacular choreography of the Lazio ultras in the Curva Nord and the Roma Ultras in the Curva Sud. But the rivalry, as you can tell, is fiercely strong ever since the first meeting of the two sides in 1929 not long after Roma were formed as a club. Roma, who came about after the merger of three sides to which Lazio resisted, were victorious on the first occasion and up to today hold the better record of wins between to the two clubs in Serie A and all competitions. But, that will count for nothing come Sunday afternoon, and whatever the result it is sure to be a passionate and colourful affair. 

Elsewhere, Milan take the perilous road to Bari, will a injury ravaged Inter and Juve both have easier games against Brescia and Cesena respectively. Napoli host Parma while in the big Sunday night game Palermo host Genoa in a match that could set one team on the way to European qualification.

Round Nine: Juve Lions roar in Milan, Lazio and Inter both win on the road

Inter Milan began this round, and picked up three points as they usually do in Genoa against the Grifoni. This time however, unlike last years 5-0 rout, there was a strong element of luck surrounding Inter's win. Sulley Muntari, coming on for the injured Estaban Cambiasso, struck from distance only for Genoa keeper Eduardo to flap at the strike and concede in the worst possible fashion. This burst Genoa's bubble, who up to that point had put Inter under significant pressure for much of the first half although Inter had had the best chance with Samuel Eto'o, for once, not hitting the back of the net when clear through. This was a great result for Inter given that Milan and Juve had to face off on Saturday night at San Siro. For many the smart money was on Milan, especially given the absence of Milos Krasic. But, Juve surprised the division by being the first club to win there this season on their travels, and putting a small dent in Milan's title challenge. A wonderful Quagliarella header gave Milan the lead in the first half, although Zlatan Ibrahimovic had come very close to giving Milan the lead in the early going, rattling the bar from all of 25 yards. The writing for Milan was on the wall however when Del Piero doubled the lead mid way through the second half, and although Zlatan did pull one back it was nothing but a mere consolation in the end.

Lazio continued their stunning start to the season, confirming their serious nature in this campaign by winning away in Palermo thanks to a world class Andre Dias strike after Ledesma delivered an inch perfect free kick. Palermo should however have been in front after 30 seconds but Pastore fluffed his lines when clear through on goal. Muslera saved then, and did so again and again in consummate fashion after Giuseppe Biava was sent off for a reckless challenge. Indeed, he was the star of the show as and certainly earned Lazio the extra two points on Sunday afternoon. For Lazio, they became only the second team to win in Palermo in recent years, with the Sicilian outfit unbeaten their for all of last season.

Elsewhere Roma continued their recovery at home against Lecce in a 2-0 win, with Vucinic on target. Udinese have recovered well also registering their fourth win away at Bari, who are now rock bottom. For Udinese however this was their fifth game without defeat and they now find themselves in 8th, compared to 20th just five rounds ago. Francesco Guidolin has more than rescued his job in the last five rounds, and now perhaps can give the Friuliani faithful a successful campaign as opposed to the flirt with relegation that occurred last season. 

Napoli bounced back from defeat to Milan away at Brescia with a 1-0 win in dull and turgid conditions thanks to Lavezzi's second goal in two rounds, abley assisted about Marek Hamsik. It was a similar hard fought victory for Sampdoria who left it very late to take three points from Cesena. They had Giampaolo Pazzini to thank as Antonio Cassano was left out due to an internal problem at Sampdoria. One player returning to action this weekend was Adrian Mutu, yet he could not inspire Fiorentina to a win in Catania. Maresca came closest to scoring, his superb freekick left Frey stranded but could not beat the woodwork.

Finally, Parma continued to struggle at Palermo as Pasquale Marino's side continued to struggle to put the ball in the net, this time against Chievo. Cagliari however did not struggle to score as they put two past Bologna without reply. Amazingly this was only the second time Cagliari had won in their last 23 Serie A fixtures, the other 21 games being 10 draws and 11 defeats.