Serie A preview: Title hopefuls face stern tests

AC Milan are at home to Roma in the first
Serie A match of the round this week,
while Juventus await the visit of Inter on
Sunday.
League leaders Milan sit four points clear
of Juve at the top of the standings, and
have a chance to extend their advantage
when Luis Enrique brings his Roma team
to San Siro.
Roma are sixth on the table, three points
outside the Europa League qualification
places and hopeful of upsetting the front-
runners as they to bid to close the gap on
fifth-placed Udinese.
For their part, Udinese will also play on
Saturday, when they travel to face
Palermo.
The bulk of the week’s fixtures take place a day
later on Sunday.
Atalanta, unbeaten in five matches, will look for
a win at home to eighth-placed Bologna, who
have won two of their last four.
Later, third-placed Lazio have a chance to
record their first win in three matches when
they welcome Cagliari to the Stadio Olimpico.
Just a point behind them are fourth-placed
Napoli, who await the visit of Catania to the
Stadio San Paolo.
Fiorentina suffered a humiliating 5-0 loss at
home to Juve last week, hardly ideal preparation
for this week’s trip to face Genoa.
A crucial relegation clash takes place at the
Stadio Comunale Silvio Piola, where the hosts,
second-from-bottom Novara, square off with
third-last Lecce.
Bottom side Cesena, 14 points adrift of safety,
will continue their apparently vain struggle for
survival away to Parma, who occupy the safety of
17th spot, while mid-table Siena are at home to
strugglers Parma.
Second-placed Juve will try to keep pace the
pressure on the leaders when they take on Inter
Milan in Turin.
Juve’s emphatic win over Fiorentina ended a
frustrating run of four draws in succession, and
Antonio Conte’s title challengers remain
undefeated in the league this season.
They drew 2-2 at home to Milan in the Coppa
Italia semi-finals on Wednesday, sealing a 4-3
aggregate victory and a place in the final
against Napoli.
Inter meanwhile are unbeaten from four matches
in all competitions, but could only manage a 0-0
draw at home to Atalanta last time out.