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FBL-SERIEA-ITA-PREVIEW
Juve, Inter return to Serie A duel as Napoli try to snap winless run
MILAN, Nov 29, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Juventus and Inter Milan return to their
duel at the top of Serie A after midweek European successes, with Napoli
carrying the momentum of a 1-1 draw at Liverpool as they look to snap a
seven-game winless run and climb up the table.
Serie A leaders Juventus are at home to 14th-placed Sassuolo on Saturday
after ensuring they will finish top of their Champions League group with a 1-
0 win over Atletico Madrid in Turin.
The eight-time reigning Serie A champions are unbeaten this season and are
one point ahead of Inter Milan, who kept their European ambitions burning
with a 3-1 win at Slavia Prague.
Juventus have a perfect home record against Sassuolo with six wins in as
many games.
“Right now, we are only showing flashes of what we feel we can achieve and
we would like to show more consistently,” said Juve coach Maurizio Sarri.
Cristiano Ronaldo has returned after a slight knee problem, giving Sarri a
selection dilemma with Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain in top form.
Veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 41, could start in place of Wojciech
Szczesny, as he looks to close in on Paolo Maldini’s record for Serie A
appearances.
Antonio Conte’s Inter have a chance to keep the momentum going as they host
lowly SPAL, who have never won in the San Siro.
But Conte sees the side from Emilia-Romagna, who are second-bottom of the
league, as “another test” as they build towards their Champions League clash
with Barcelona.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli host Bologna after a 1-1 draw at Anfield left them
well-placed to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The Italians had travelled to Merseyside in disarray with Ancelotti
seemingly on the brink of being sacked after a slump to seventh in Serie A.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis has also threatened to sell the entire
squad and take legal action against the players after they refused his orders
to be confined to a week-long training camp earlier this month.
But Ancelotti declared that “coming out of Anfield alive,” had pleased De
Laurentiis and boosted morale.
“We are united and there is determination on the part of everyone to return
and demonstrate our potential,” said Ancelotti.
Napoli have taken just four points from their last five league games, but
have won their last five home games against 15th-placed Bologna.
Atalanta host the ‘Derby of Lombardy’ against Brescia after creating
history with their first ever Champions League win, 2-0 over Dinamo Zagreb.
Atalanta star striker Duvan Zapata’s injury absence has seen the team slip
to sixth, three points off the Champions League places.
Lazio will be looking to hold third place at home against Udinese, at the
expense of Cagliari, two points behind in fourth, who host Sampdoria on
Monday.
Joint-fourth, Roma’s good form will be tested at Verona, as AC Milan,
struggling in 12th, travel to Parma.
Fiorentina host promoted Lecce looking to avoid a third consecutive league
defeat. One to watch:
Dries Mertens scored for Napoli at Liverpool to bring his tally to 117
goals for the southerners, just four goals off Slovak Marek Hamsik’s all-time
club record of 121.
The Belgian striker has a good opportunity at the weekend against Bologna,
a team he has got 11 goals past in nine Serie A matches, more than against
any other opponent. Key stats:
644 – Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon’s Serie A appearances, three
short of AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini’s record
31 – Atalanta have scored the most goals in Serie A after 13 matches
18 – Inter Milan’s unbeaten run against SPAL
7 – Napoli’s games without a win in all competitions
4 – Cagliari goalkeeper Robin Olsen’s ban after being sent of for fighting
with Lecce’s Gianluca Lapadula in their last game
1 – Juventus’s lead on Inter at the top of the table
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Saturday
Brescia v Atalanta (1400), Genoa v Torino (1700), Fiorentina v Lecce
(1945).
Sunday
Juventus v Sassuolo (1130), Inter Milan v SPAL, Lazio v Udinese, Parma v AC
Milan (all 1400), Napoli v Bologna (1700), Verona v AS Roma (1945).
Monday
Cagliari v Sampdoria (1945)
BSS/AFP/GMR/0852 hrs