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.

Fiorentina focus: Dunga dreams of Fiorentina, but do the Viola?

It's no secret that this season has been one of immense disappointment for Fiorentina. After having a fantastic season in Europe last season la viola were expecting much more than a mid table finish this season, but that's what looks set to be the case for them. Yes, they have been without Stefan Jovetic amd the troubled Adrian Mutu for a large portion of the season but Mihajlovic would have been expected to achieve more than he has up to this point. There season has never really got going and from the the word go they have never been in the race for major European berths, all the while they have had a relatively un-congested fixture list.

And now Dunga enters the frey. A former Fiorentina and Brazil legend Dunga was not exactly the most popular Brazilian manager to lead the selecao at a world cup with a more defensive a tactical approach to the usually free flowing style of Brazilian play. The question is however whether he would be the right fit for Fiorentina. There's no question Sinisa Mihajlovic has talent as an allenatore after his display with Catania but where there is more pressure, as there is in Florence, you have to deliver quick or face the axe. 

Pressure is something Dunga is used too. Managing Brazil is without question the definition of pressure. It's either win the world cup or simply exit stage left. He ended up taking the latter option but with this in mind for Fiorentina he has the nous to manage big game players and take them up to where they belong, battling for the top European places. And with them not doing this in the season, it is hard to see Mihajlovic lasting in Florence for when the 2011-2012 season kicks off, not least because they only had Serie A to focus on this season. Time for a new approach, perhaps.

Inter focus: Scudetto stranglehold all but over. What next?

With Milan sitting eight points clear at the top of Serie A it looks almost certain that Inter's domination of the Scudetto is over. Milan will more than likely require just one point after the weekend game against Bologna and even today the preperation for next season seems already underway as rumours suggest Milan have agreed terms with talented left Marseille left back Taye Taiwo. This re-enforces the believe that Allegri is the right coach for Milan. He has taken the same defense and made them, so far, conceded only 23 goals compared to the 39 they did last season. Just imagine what he could do with world class wing backs and a top notch replacement for Nesta. These are the areas Milan are likely to enforce in the summer with Fiorentina's Ricardo Montolivo rumoured to be joining as well. Exciting times them, but what for Inter last years European Champions. 

There is no question big changes are needed to a squad that saw no one come in last summer. The biggest change could well be on the bench although this seems unlikely given Moratti providing Leonardo with a welcomed boost in confidence recently. But, surely this summer we will see Inter return to the market and invest some serious cash as they look to re-enforce ahead of next season.

The rumour mill has of course started early but if the rumours are to be believed Leonardo has asked for two major purchases this summer, with one though to be Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez. It's no secret Tevez has wanted out of England for a while and Inter, with all their Argentine stars, could well be odds on to land the star forward. And this is a department they certainly need to invest in. Diego Milito this season has been virtually a spectator thanks to injuries and so much pressure has been put on Samuel Eto'o to deliver. Giampaolo Pazzini has arrived but one questions whether really he can deliver at the very highest level, as Tevez has done in the past. Udinese's Alexis Sanchez has also been heavily linked after a break out season and he could well provide the depth of quality upfront that Inter, without Milito for so long, have been lacking this season.

Midfield is also likely to be invested in as well. First and foremost however Wesley Sneijder must not be sold. Without question he makes Inter tick in the creative department and to part company with him would be a monumental body blow. If they have to sell to make big signinig this summer then Milito and Maicon are arguably the two that should move on, with Inter covered in the wing back positions with the exciting Nagatomo and Davide Santon returning from his loan spell at Cesena. The big rumour in midfield recently has been Arsenal's Cesc Fabragas, but with Barcelona constantly on his trail this deal seems one of pure fantasy. 

Still, unlike last summer this one is unlikely to be a quiet one for the Nerazzurri fans out there and that is something to be excited about after such a season of disappointment.

Milan just four points away from title as Napoli fall again

In a round where Milan were without Ibrahimovic and Pato Cassano and Robinho were put upfront and they did not disappoint. It took a while for Milan to get going in this one and for a significant portion of the second half Brescia looked the more likely to score but a late Robinho winner sealed the win for Milan and also a likely relegation for Brescia this season. It was a huge win for Milan, not least because of Inter's victory over Lazio earlier in the day, and now leaves them requiring just four points from four games to be certain of taking their 18th Scudetto crown. With Bologna, Roma, Cagliari and Udinese to come for the Rossoneri they look odds on to achieve this.

Napoli were prior to this round Milan's closest competitors but they were defeated again, this time in Palermo to see them surpassed in the table by Inter. Edinson Cavani got Napoli of to the perfect start but a rejuvenated Palermo under returning manager Delio Rossi picked up three points for the second round in succession. Napoli now slide down to third place after Inter came from behind at home to Lazio to take three points. Lazio went ahead thanks to a Mauro Zarate penalty which also saw Inter reduced to ten men but the European Champions gritted their teeth as a stunning Sneijder free kick put them back on level terms. Shortly after the break Inter grabbed the winning goal after Giuseppe Biava slipped up allowing Samuel Eto'o to go clean through on goal and he made no mistake in finding the back of the net.

With Lazio losing this provided an opportunity for Udinese, Roma and Juve to close in on fourth spot, but only Roma were able to do this. A Simone Perotta goal gave them a vital win at home over Chievo, but Udinese crashed at home to Parma and Juve blew a two goal lead against Catania to pick up just one point.

The battle for survival looks set to be the closest fought element of the table, and with Sampdoria, Parma and Cesena all picking up vital three points this weekend it is not hard to see why. Bari are now officially down and Brescia remain 5 points away from safety, so it looks likely that only one spot remains left to be filled in the relegation battle. Right now Lecce fill that berth but are level on points with Sampdoria while Cesena, Catania and Parma have moved two to three points clear of them respectively. All have tough games next weekend but the clash between Sampdoria and Brescia will be one to keep an eye on, especially to see whether Samp have finally ended their horrendous run after last weekends win or whether Brescia can keep themselves alive in the race for survival.

Round 34 preview: Titans clash in Milan as the Rossoneri seek to take advantage

Milan may be without Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alex Pato for a couple of rounds yet in terms of Serie A games at least, but with an away trip to Brescia followed by a home game against Bologna in the next two rounds they will be confident of securing six points and pushing on towards the title. And after Inter and Napoli both slipped up last weekend there is no rest bite for either of these sides as they have difficult fixtures to contend with in round 34. 

Inter begin by entertaining and inform Lazio side who themselves are desperate for points what with Udinese breathing down their necks for fourth place as things stand. And after a dismal display away at Parma last weekend Inter will look to bounce back and at the very least secure their position in the top three placing. It won't be easy however as Lazio looked inspired last weekend thanks to a virtuoso display in Catania that saw them destroy the Island side over 90 minutes by four goals to one, thanks to Mauro Zarate, Hernanes and Stefano Mauri having great games. It's been a while since Lazio won in Milan against Inter, a 5-3 barnstormer in 1998 being the last time that Lazio conquoured the San Siro in the league, and that actually includes games against AC as well which demonstrates that it has not been a happy hunting ground for Lazio in recent memory. This will give Inter confidence, not least their strong home form as well. Certainly a game worth watching. 

After Napoli's bitter loss last week at home to Udinese, mildly reminiscent of the manner in which Roma bowed out of the Scudetto race last year with a 2-1 home defeat to Sampdoria, they head to Palermo for redemption. However, after an excellent 3-2 win in Rome last Saturday and a midweek draw at Milan in the Coppa Italia Semi Final Palermo will be in confident mood and look to have overcome their post Christmas difficulties. Not an ideal time for Napoli to head their then, but will returning hero Edinson Cavani be able to make the difference against his former club? Stay tuned.

Elsewhere Juve and Roma look to pull themselves back into top four contention with home games against Brescia and Chievo respectively, while relegation bound Sampdoria surely have to stop the rot away at Bari this weekend in a make or break encounter.

Serie A dark horses Udinese are also worth keeping an eye on this weekend as they entertain Parma, fresh from beating European Champions Inter, in order to keep their Champions League dream going.

Napoli and Inter crash as Milan march on

Napoli fell at home tonight in Naples to all but hand the Scudetto to AC Milan who now, with just five games to go, sit six points clear at the top and have a superior head to head against both Inter and Napoli this campaign. An Udinese side without Di Natale and Sanchez lifted Udinese out of their two game slump to close the gap on fourth placed Lazio to just one point, and with a home game against Parma to come next week Udinese will be confident they can keep up that pressure on the Rome giants.

As far as AC Milan goes while it is not quite time to pop out the Champagne glasses yet Milanista's everywhere will be extatic with the way this round went after Parma comfortably saw of a Inter Milan than look like they've given up on this season since their midweek champions league exit and hammering in the Milan derby. 

They'd better not give up just yet however as Udinese and Lazio both recorded superb away wins at Napoli and Catania respectively and closed the gap on Inter to three and four points respectively. And, with Inter and Lazio clashing next week there is still plenty more decisive action to come even if the Scudetto race looks done and dusted especially with Milan's next two games looking like comfortable wins against Brescia and Bologna in the coming rounds.

It was not a good round for Juve and Roma however as they fell behind in the race for fourth place. Juve could only pick up a point in Florence as the two fierce rivals failed to deliver a knock out blow on their opponent while Roma crashed at home to Palermo as former Lazio boss Delio Rossi picked up a famous win against a Roma side that looked very flat disorganised at the back Yesterday afternoon.

In the race for survival Cesena picked up a vital three points against Bari to push Samp into the relegation zone, while Lecce completed and amazing comeback against Cagliari to draw 3-3 at the death and pick up a useful point at home. Chievo all but assured themselves of Serie A football next season with a 1-0 home win against Bologna.

Battle for fourth: Race re-opens

With this season being the last time, for now at least, that fourth place equals a trip to the Champions League qualifiers in Serie A it's time to look at how the battle for this particular accolade has heated up and who could well be smiling come week 38.

Right now Lazio occupy fourth spot after their 2-0 win over Parma at the weekend, but they have some tough fixtures ahead. With a trip to Catania up next and then a trip to Milan to face Inter the pre-Easter games look tough. And if that was not enough Lazio then entertain Juventus at the Olimpico before heading up to Udine to take on Udinese, usually formidable at home. They then entertain Genoa before ending away at Lecce. These difficult games aside Lazio have been in the top four for most of the season, even leading the league at one stage. They've shown their quality, especially at home, as 12 wins in casa represents the most in the division, joint with Inter. That being said only five away wins is not something to have great confidence in. Having won just once on the road, at Brescia, this year the fact that four of their last six away games are on the road will not fill the Laziale's with great confidence.

City rivals Roma on the other hand have a much easier, on paper, fixture list to contend with. Their next to games are at home to Palermo and Chievo and one would be surprised if six points are not picked up. Then it's onto Bari before entertaining Milan. Catania away next will be a difficult trip before they face Sampdoria on the seasons last day. Milan at home is certainly their stand out game but the other games all represent decent three point bets. They sit four points behind Lazio as things stand but there's no doubt whose got the easier final games. With this in mind Roma look a strong contender for fourth.

What about Udinese I hear you say. Well, up until two weeks ago many tipped them to move about Napoli such was the unstoppable appearance of their good form. But, back to back defeats have put pressure on them to achieve a result in Naples this weekend, something that seems unlikely. This however is the beginning of a difficult phase for them as they still have to play Parma, Fiorentina, Lazio, Chievo and then at home to Milan on the final day. Although they are only 1 point behind Lazio as things stand the combination of a bad run and difficult games ahead makes fourth a difficult target for them. 

Somewhat looking in on this battle for fourth is Juventus having pulled themselves back into the race with 10 points from a possible 12 in their last four games. Up next though is a difficult trip to Fiorentina before they entertain Catania. The big clash though comes on May 2nd away at Lazio, where defeat here would all but end their chances. After they play Chievo, Parma and then Napoli. Given their inconsistent form this season, and the fact they are already six points behind Lazio it seems too much for them really to claim this spot. They would probably have to win at least five of their six matches, if not all of them to be in with a strong chance.

So, an entertaining battle ahead and unless Udinese halt their slide it looks set to be a battle between the two Roman clubs. Lazio have the four point edge over their bitter rivals, but one wonders whether that will be enough given the tough road they have to take.

Relegation focus: Samp and Parma edge closer to the drop

With both Sampdoria and Parma losing again this weekend, and with them having to play the Milan clubs in the next Serie A round it certainly is going to be a tense end to the season for the followers of both these clubs. With two spots remaining for a trip to Serie B next season, if you assume Bari are already as good as down, and both these clubs being leapfrogged by Lecce at the weekend both Parma and Sampdoria, who both finished well within the top ten last season, are in serious danger.

And, there's more than that in common for both these clubs this campaign. Both have parted with their managers after suffering with their inconsistent results. In the case of Samp this is no surprise, internal divisions within the club have hardly helped matters and selling both of your best players has not helped either. For Parma it's a wonder that Marino was not sacked earlier and he again took what was on paper a decent side to the brink of relegation, just as he did last season at Udinese. It's this that points in Parma favour at least to beat the drop. They gave a good account of themselves against Lazio on Sunday even if they did lose 2-0 in the end and against a limping Inter Milan next week they could rally to pick up a point. The attacking talent is there when you examine their squad, the likes of Giovinco, Candreva, Amauri and Bojinov all have quality in the final third, something that is distinctly lacking in the Sampdoria side who look set to rely on Massimo Maccarone to bail them out of trouble.

At this stage it is hard to see Maccarone doing this. Milan are on a roll and should sweep all before them at the San Siro this weekend, and with Cesena entertaining Bari at home the next day Sampdoria could find themselves in the relegation zone come the end of round 33. Brescia of course are in the relegation zone as things stand as well and will probably still be their come week 38 when  you consider their next two games are at Genoa and then at home to Milan, but they do face Sampdoria in a six pointer in round 35. That game for Sampdoria, as well as their trip to Bari, will go a long way in defining their season as their other remaining encounters are against Milan, Roma, Genoa and Palermo. 

Difficult games indeed, but not as daunting as Parma's end to the season which sees them take on Inter, Udinese, Palermo, Bologna, Juventus and Cagliari. With these fixtures in mind Cesena and Brescia will look on in hope that they can surpass them and at this stage given the difficult nature of Parma and Sampdoria's fixtures certainly gives them half a chance, and given that Cesena have lost just once in their last five encounters makes it, on the basis of form at least, simply a matter of time before they catch both of these Serie  A regulars.  

Calcio comment: Inter in disarray as Champions League and Serie A titles all but lost

It's been an incredible week of football in Serie A and in Europe, and just when Inter thought they were back in with a shout at both the Serie A title and the Champions League they have had the rug swept from under their feet on both counts. After the hammering received by AC Milan at the weekend Inter's misery was complete when they hit complete self destruct against German side Schalke 04 last night and are all but out after a 5-2 humiliation on home turf. Inter need to win 4-0 in the second leg, an outcome that looks somewhat unlikely even to the most optimistic interista.

Indeed, Inter have lost their defensive solidarity that they prided themselves so much by just last season. There's no question that mistakes have been made, right down to the hiring of managers that simply could not replace Mourinho and the lack of investment in the Summer that could have freshened up a squad that has won it all.

However, when looking at a club that has done everything over the last five years it's hard to be too harsh, simply because it was always going to be a matter of time as to when the wheels came off, and that is the same for every club in world football and will never change.

Some have suggested in recent days that this marks the end of an era for the current Inter squad and perhaps thats true of some of their players in the current set up. One area that does need freshening up is central midfield and last Summers enquiries for Bastien Schweinsteiger may begin again and Carlos Tevez has been continually linked with the Benemata as well. Their defence also is in need of serious work and the absence of Walter 'the wall' Samuel has been felt especially when it has mattered most.  

Who knows what the mercato and the rest of the season holds for Inter, but rest assured that Moratti won't be happy until the Nerazzurri are Kings of Europe once again.

Week 31: Blockbuster weekend

Milan v Inter, Napoli v Lazio and Roma v Juve. Not to mention Udinese who in themselves have become an institution in entertainment whoever they play against. Yes, blockbuster weekend is perhaps an understatement mainly because this round will go a long way in deciding where the trophies and European places go this season given the nature of these huge six pointers. And that's exactly what these games are, but it is in Milan tonight where my gaze is focused on.

Undoubtedly the Milan derby is the biggest game in Europe this weekend and Inter go into it in red hot form while Milan have stagnated from their early campaign pace setting standard. With no Zlatan tomorrow night many feel Milan are in hot water but the chance to entertain a Pato/Cassano attack must not be underestimated by Inter's back line. With no Lucio a lot will be expected from Ranocchia to keep these guys quiet. But if he is intimidated then Nesta and Silva must be unnerved as well as they have to deal with Eto'o, Sneijder, Pandev and Pazzini and possibly Diego Milito too as well if he makes his expected return from injury. Inter are clicking into gear at the right time, especially for their Champions League push which sees them take on Schalke midweek. But for now beating Milan, and going top of Serie A will be on their mind.

For Milan this is make or break for their Scudetto push. A defeat here will really take the wind out of their sales and possibly see them met on 62 points by Napoli when all is said and done in this round. However, they won't be entertaining that idea. They need Cassano and Pato to really deliver in this one if they are to have any chance of winning against the European Champions.  Whatever happens, expect colour, passion, flair, technique and tension both on and off the pitch. Let the battle commence.