Serie A remains the only major European football league without confirmed title-winners after the top divisions in Spain, England, Germany and France have all had their champions for the season.
While Juventus certainly appear to be the favourites to clinch Italy’s coveted league title for the ninth consecutive time, their abrupt downfall towards the business end of the season has been interesting to watch and will undoubtedly raise questions about deeper issues at the club.
It may also be said that their title challenge is only stronger because their competitors- Inter Milan and Lazio- eventually ran out of gas in the race.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan, Lazio and Atalanta are likely to finish in the Champions League positions at the end of the season as a massive twelve points separate the fourth spot from fifth-placed AS Roma.
Napoli, who currently occupy sixth place in the standings, have already qualified for next season’s Europa League, courtesy of their Coppa Italia victory, leaving Roma and AC Milan to fight it out for the remaining spots.
At the other end of the table, SPAL are expected to be relegated to Serie B, while Brescia, Lecce, Genoa and Torino will have to face an uphill battle to stay in the top flight.
Let us now take a look at what Serie A has in store for us in gameweek 34.
Hellas Verona vs Atalanta (Prediction: 1-3)
Mid-table outfit Hellas Verona are set to welcome Atalanta to the Stadio Marc Antonio Bentegodi on Saturday afternoon as they look to end their four-game winless run in Serie A.
The hosts currently occupy ninth position in the points table, and while a top-six finish is not entirely out of the picture for them, the nine-point lead held by Napoli and AC Milan will likely be too difficult for them to surpass.
Meanwhile, the visitors are third on the standings- seven points behind leaders Juventus– with five games to go and will be keen on closing the gap on the Bianconeri as their fans begin dreaming of an unprecedented league title.
Cagliari vs Sassuolo (Prediction: 0-2)
Cagliari will play host to Sassuolo at the Sardegna Arena on Saturday as they aim to get back to winning ways after a prolonged winless run in the Italian top flight. Walter Zenga’s men are currently 11th in the standings and have very little to play for except perhaps to improve on last season’s 15th-placed finish.
Meanwhile, Roberto De Zerbi’s side, who are eighth on the points table, will be full of confidence heading into the encounter after they stole a point off Juventus in the previous fixture.
They will certainly be looking to extend their seven-game unbeaten run in Serie A and strengthen their challenge for a Europa League spot in the process.
AC Milan vs Bologna (Prediction: 2-1)
AC Milan will be aiming to push higher up the Serie A standings when they welcome Bologna to the San Siro on Saturday. They are currently seventh on the points table and will be hoping to leapfrog Napoli into the last Europa League spot with a win this weekend.
Meanwhile, Bologna are tenth in the league with little to play for as they are ten points behind Stefano Pioli’s team and 13 points above the relegation zone.
They will, however, be keen on ending their winless run in the Italian top flight against the Rossoneri.
Parma vs Sampdoria (Prediction: 1-2)
Parma and Sampdoria will go head to head at the Stadio Ennio Tardini on Sunday afternoon, with the two clubs currently on contrasting trajectories.
Roberto D’Aversa’s men squandered their chances to finish in a Europa League position after collecting just one point from the lasts six games and now occupy 12th position in the standings.
Meanwhile, Sampdoria were initially relegation favourites but have experienced a resurgence under Claudio Ranieri, who helped the side secure 12 points from their last five games.
They are currently 14th on the table and will be keen on maintaining their momentum in the league.
Genoa vs Lecce (Prediction: 1-1)
Genoa and Lecce will face off at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday in a game that will significantly influence the relegation zone in Serie A.
The two clubs are separated by only a single point, with Genoa currently in 17th place and Lecce in 18th. The encounter is expected to be a fierce clash as both sides will be keen on escaping the final Serie A relegation spot.
Brescia vs SPAL (Prediction: 1-0)
In yet another relegation scrap, Brescia are set to welcome SPAL to the Stadio Mario Rigamonti on Sunday evening in what may be viewed as a must-win encounter for the hosts.
SPAL are at the bottom of the division, two points behind Brescia, and are likely to be relegated to Serie B by the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Le Rondinelle are placed 19th on the Serie A standings after losing their last four games but will be aiming for a home-and-away double against their opponents to secure a crucial three points.
Fiorentina vs Torino (Prediction: 1-0)
Fiorentina and Torino will go head to head in a mid-table clash at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday.
The hosts currently occupy 13th place in the standings and will be looking to secure a win to build much-needed confidence for their next two matches against Inter Milana and AS Roma.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 15th on the Serie A table, eight points away from the final relegation spot, and will be aiming to end their dismal 29-game winless streak in Florence.
Napoli vs Udinese (Prediction: 2-0)
Udinese will travel to the Stadio San Paolo to face Napoli on Sunday evening with the aim of extending the gap between themselves and the relegation zone.
Luca Gotti’s men are placed 16th on the Serie A table, seven points away from the final relegation spot, but the points difference could be significantly reduced as all four of the bottom sides will face off against one another this weekend.
Meanwhile, their Naples-based opponents are sixth on the league standings and are already assured of Europa League qualification after winning the Coppa Italia.
However, this doesn’t mean that they won’t be looking to move further up the table and extend their seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
AS Roma vs Inter Milan (Prediction: 1-1)
Inter Milan will be aiming to catch up to Serie A leaders Juventus when they travel to the Stadio Olimpico to face AS Roma on Sunday night.
The Nerazzurri are currently placed second on the standings, six points behind the Bianconeri, and will be looking to maintain their present momentum after back-to-back wins over SPAL and Torino.
Meanwhile, the Giallorossi occupy fifth place on the table but are a massive 12 points behind the final Champions League spot.
While their chances of finishing in the top four are incredibly slim, they will still be looking to cause an upset this weekend.
Juventus vs Lazio (Prediction: 3-1)
Juventus will play host to Lazio at the Allianz Stadium in an exciting fixture on Sunday night. The Serie A leaders may be six points clear at the top of the standings but their recent dip in form has been worrying for fans.
They will certainly be looking to get back to winning ways this game-week and Lazio’s visit will serve as the perfect opportunity for them to do so.
Meanwhile, the visitors are currently placed fourth on the Serie A table and will be keen on moving further up the table with an upset at Turin this weekend.
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