The title race in Serie A could take a major twist this week as second-placed Lazio will host an in-form AC Milan side on Saturday night. Before that, Juventus will host Torino in the Turin derby, in a game where the Old Lady will be the favourites.
This means that by the time Lazio kick-off their game, Juventus could possibly be seven points ahead of the Eagles. And if Lazio fail to win all three points against the Rossoneri, it will be very difficult to see Juventus give up the Scudetto from such a commanding position.
From this perspective, the upcoming round of fixtures in gameweek 30 are of paramount importance for some teams as the fate of Serie A could be decided by this weekend.
That being said, with so much at stake, let’s take a look at the preview of this week’s games in the Italian top flight.
Juventus vs Torino (Prediction: 3-1)
Ever since the league’s restart, Juventus have found their groove and have begun dominating games. That being said, the upcoming match against Torino will be their biggest test so far, given there’s so much riding on this one.
Having won all three of their games recently, the hosts are favourites against Torino, who have lost two consecutive matches lately, and are languishing in 15th place on the standings.
Sassuolo vs Lecce (Prediction: 2-0)
After two consecutive draws in recent weeks, Sassuolo bounced back to winning ways with a 3-1 win over Fiorentina lately, and their next assignment is as at home against Lecce, who haven’t won a Serie A game in their past five attempts.
Sassuolo are currently 12th on the table, while Lecce are 18th, needing just a win to crawl out of the relegation places.
They are, however, unlikely to win away at the Mapei Stadium, given Sassuolo’s decent track record at home.
Lazio vs AC Milan (Prediction: 2-1)
Given Juventus’ red-hot form in recent weeks, Lazio, who are currently second in Serie A, can ill-afford to drop any more points in their remaining games, if the Eagles are indeed hoping to win the league title.
To do that, they’ll have to overcome a hurdle in the form of AC Milan on Saturday night. The home side have won two games on the turn since their defeat to Atalanta and will be hoping to extend their winning streak by downing the Rossoneri.
Milan, however, won’t give in easily, as they are seventh on the table, fighting for a spot in the Europa League. In short, this is a huge game, given there’s so much at stake here.
Sampdoria vs SPAL (Prediction: 2-1)
Relegation-threatened SPAL played out a 2-2 draw with AC Milan recently, but they remain seven points from safety and Luigi di Biagio’s men are on the road this week, to play against Sampdoria.
The home side, meanwhile, are 16th, having beaten Lecce recently. Sampdoria are just four points above relegation places and in desperate need of points. The game against SPAL couldn’t have come at a better time for the hosts.
Inter Milan vs Bologna (Prediction: 2-0)
After demolishing Brescia by a 6-0 margin, Inter Milan will be raring to go against Bologna when the two sides meet on Sunday evening.
The Nerazzurri are third on the Serie A standings, and can expect a straightforward win over the visitors, who are 11th.
Brescia vs Hellas Verona (Prediction: 1-2)
The side that’s bottom of the Serie A standings, Brescia will next play at home against Hellas Verona, who are eighth on the table after their recent win over Parma.
Brescia are now staring down the barrel and if there’s going to be a comeback, it has to happen soon.
Verona, meanwhile, are looking to squeeze their way into the Europa League places, and a win on Sunday could go some way towards keeping that European dream alive.
Cagliari vs Atalanta (Prediction: 1-3)
Having won all four of their matches since the break, Atalanta are the most in-form team in Serie A at the moment. They’re fourth in the standings, and judging by their current exploits, few would give any chances to Cagliari when these two sides meet at the Sardegna Arena.
The home side were held to a 1-1 draw by Bologna recently, and as a consequence, Cagliari are ninth on the Serie A table. This should be a routine win for the visitors.
Udinese vs Genoa (Prediction: 1-1)
Two sides who have been suffering from an inconsistent run, Udinese and Genoa will go toe-to-toe at the Dacia Arena this weekend. Genoa will have a lot riding into this match, given their status as a Serie A team is at stake now.
The visitors are just one point above relegation places, meaning it’s a must-win game for them. Udinese, meanwhile, are further up in 14th, five points ahead of Genoa. The impetus will be on the visiting team to do a miracle here.
Parma vs Fiorentina (Prediction: 2-1)
Despite the fact that Parma lost their most recent game against Hellas Verona, they are nonetheless favourites to pick up all three points against Fiorentina when the two teams meet on Sunday at the Ennio Tardini.
The hosts are 10th on the Serie A table, while Fiorentina are languishing in 13th. That being said, we expect La Viola to fall further, given their recent struggles, coupled with Parma’s decent home record.
Napoli vs AS Roma (Prediction: 2-1)
Atalanta handed a massive blow to Napoli’s chances of directly qualifying for next season’s Europa League with a recent victory over the Naples-based outfit, but with vengeance in their mind, Gennaro Gattuso’s team will welcome AS Roma to the Stadio San Paolo.
The visitors are three points ahead of their adversaries of this week, in fifth place. The outcome of this game could have a big influence on the Europa League places, and hence, it’s a must-win game for both teams.