Round 35 Preview: Can Napoli and Lazio get back on track?

With the Scudetto almost wrapped up for Milan the attention in Serie A now turns to the battle for fourth place and with this in mind Lazio entertain Juventus in the big game on Monday night. Juventus have had another below par season and are in danger of not even making the Europe League as things stand while Lazio have returned to the side of the table that they should be in, rather than battling relegation. At stake in this encounter, for Lazio at least, is another step into the Champions League qualifying round. But Juve have improved of late and are unbeaten in their last five games and the last time Lazio actually beat Juve in Serie A is as far back as 2003. And with Lazio needing a win here that record will need to be broken or they run the risk of letting Udinese and Roma close in upon that vital fourth place berth. 

Elsewhere Napoli will look to bounce back from two straight defeats and not let their good work go to waste this season. They take on an improving Genoa on Saturday night and will look to take three points of Ballardini's men now the pressure of chasing the Scudetto has all but subsided. Three points here could well see them clinch Champions League football next season depending upon Udinese result in Florence on Sunday afternoon.

The battle to avoid relegation is really heating up and Sampdoria have avoided total free fall by beating Bari last week. They take on Brescia at the Marassi this Sunday and for Samp this is a must win game considering the results that went the way of Parma, Cesena and Catania last week. A win for any of those three would move them virtually into safety as any of them would reach the 40 point barrier. For Lecce, also on 35 points with Samp, they need to continue their free scoing form away at Chievo but need to halt the ridiculous amount of goals conceded so far this season. Currently this is a division worst of 60 goals conceded in just 34 games. Food for thought for Gigi Di Canio as he looks to take something away against a dogged Chievo side.