Italian Weekly Round-Up

The tables.


The action.

Round 3 Preview

Fiorentina v Atalanta

4^th meets 5^th in a clash which could be high scoring - last season's corresponding fixture ended 3-1 to the Viola. Fiorentina's last match saw Adrian Mutu score an equaliser at the San Siro against Milan. He will start up front with Giampaulo Pazzini. Huffy hitman Christian Vieri might make the bench for Fiorentina. Despite the excellent point picked up Zradko Kuzmanovic is expected to play at the expense of Fabio Liverani after impressing as a substitute against Milan, while Massimo Gobbi should make way for new boy Franco Semioli to make his first start for the club.

Atalanta are a club offering a chance for Gigi del Neri to show that his work in getting Chievo promoted and into Europe was not a one off. Star man Christian Doni missed the 2-0 hoem victory over Parma but will return to the starting line up for this one.

Genoa v Livorno

One of Italy's most famous old clubs Genoa have found life tough back in Serie A after their fans dared to dream of a season with sound finances, decent players and a return of the 'derby of the Lantern'. Their opponents Livorno are bottom of the table, still adjusting to life after star striker Christiano Lucarelli headed off to Ukraine and a huge wage with Shaktahr Donetsk. His boots were to be filled by Diego Tristan and Francesco Tavano but neither has made much impression and may be dropped for another new option Erjan Bogdani. Their defence has also been shambolic, letting in nine goals in two games. Fiorentina haven't leaked as many goals but have struggled to score them, and will need more from Marco de Vaio and his strike partners. Shot shy strikers meet poor defending….but home advantage should see Genoa pick up the three points.

Internazionale v Catania

Inter beat Empoli easily last time out, but fans at the San Siro will be wary after the opening day draw at home against Udinese. Can they win this 'Shield' with all the pressure they face? Non Inter fans openly state that the last two titles have been 'hollow' and this year with Juve and Milan starting level on points will test the mettle of the 'black and blue'. Can Inter use their winning mentality and quality of squad to dispel any doubts and lift the title? The opening fixture saw some alarming signs: sluggish performances, a lack of pace in defence, poor decision making and rash challenges. Inter and Mancini must watch recent CL matches from the finals, semi finals and quarter finals to see what standards are required. Buying players is nothing if they can't fight, harry opponents, go box to box and still have the quality to change a match. My own view is that this weekend's likely strike pairing of Adriano and Julio Cruz are not at the moment mobile enough, clinical enough or fast enough to lead any team to domestic and European glory.

Catania have managed two draws from two games but will need Jonathon Spinezi to start scoring if they're to collect enough points to climb the table.

Juventus v Udinese

The 'old lady' have so far settled well into life back in Serie A after their enforced absence. Top of the league, highest scorers and back to being roundly hated by almost every football fan in Italy! Boumsong has a thigh injury and Jonathon Zebina has a four game suspension after a red card was followed by an attack on a cameraman! Criscito and Andrade will start in defence.

Udinese's tails were up after a creditable 1-1 draw at the San Siro against champions Inter. Their second game was a nightmare: a 5-0 home thrashing by newly promoted Napoli. The defence was simply overrun, and any repeat will see a heavy defeat against Juve. To make matters worse the zebras have injury worries in midfield, but they will welcome back the hero of Kiev, two goal Antonio De Natale, who has decided to end his 'go slow' contract dispute. His eye for goal will give Udinese their only real chance in this match.

Lazio v Empoli

Two teams without a win in the league meet here, although Lazio will be lifted by qualification for the Champions League. They are also showing better form, with two draws to Empoli's two defeats. Lazio have Guglielmo Stendardo, Sebastiano Siviglia and Modibo Diakhite all injured, so Argentine full-back Lionel Scaloni will have to play once again in the centre.

Workhorse midfielders Gaby Mudingayi and Massimo Mutarelli will play in the middle with Christian Manfredini sitting on the bench. Stefano Mauri is not 100 per cent fit so Simone Del Nero could be the Trequartista behind Goran Pandev and Tommaso Rocchi, the closest thing to a hero the bianocelesti have at the moment. Empoli have no real injury worries but are showing poor form and will do well to get a draw in this fixture, even using their tried and tested 4-4-1-1 formation. They need points and goals, but this might not be the fixture to get either.

Napoli v Sampdoria

Exciting fixture on paper, two great names in Italian football clash in the San Paulo. Napoli opened their season in front of the long suffering fans with a home defeat, but then amazingly thrashed Udinese 5-0 away from home! Samp have started well, with a win and a draw so far. They have threatened since returning to Serie A but it hasn't quite happened for them, maybe this could be the season.

For Napoli the South American attacking duo formed by Marcelo Zalayeta and Ezequiel Lavezzi will start, while Emanuele Calaiò will be bench warming for the second week in a row. Lavezzi has been given the massive weight of being the 'new Maradona' and the fans love him. He is only 22 but is one to watch. Another young hopeful the fans are talking about is Slovakian midfielder Marek Hamsik.

For Samp Vincenzo Montella may not start, but should come on and always knows the way to goal. There should be goals here, but who knows how Napoli will play? At home the expectations are huge, and every mistake magnified; can Samp take advantage?

Palermo v Torino

Decent starts from both sides and an entertaining clash could lie ahead. New Palermo boss Stefano Colantuono surely breathed a sigh of relief as the Sicilians bounced back from an opening-day defeat against Roma with a 4-2 win away to Livorno. Summer signing Fabrizio Miccoli was the star at the Armando Picchi and is forming a mouth-watering partnership with Brazilian hitman Amauri. However Livorno are struggling already and Torino may be a tougher prospect.

Palermo face a tough trip to Czech side Mlada Boleslav in midweek and the hard task for Colantuono this term will be to try and juggle Serie A and European competition. Last term this proved to be Palermo's undoing and games like this one will be a true test of their Champions League qualification credentials. Have they the strength in depth to challenge on two fronts?

Torino started the season with high hopes, as their fans have always tried to do since Superga and the disasters that have outweighed the triumphs ever since, and have found goals easier to come by than last season but problems keeping them out have saw them involved in two 2-2 draws so far. Last season they were thrashed 3-0 by Palermo, and they will hope that the defence gels and they can stop Amauri and Miccoli. Could be a tough task though and Palermo should emerge with the points.

Parma v Cagliari

Parma have only one point so far and the gloom from last season's fight for Serie A status has not been lifted. The club's future is still far from certain and the glory days of the 90s seem like a lifetime ago. The fans sense another relegation dogfight, and games like today's will be crucial. Two hopeful signs are there, one is U21midfielder Luca Cigarini, who scored the crucial winner in a tight win over the Faroe Islands and is growing fast in a Crociati shirt. There is also renewed optimism after the arrival of marksman Bernardo Corradi from Man City which closes a chapter on the summer's unsuccessful bid to lure striking sensation Giuseppe Rossi.

Cagliari are delighted with their start, after losing David Sauzo many predicted collapse but a win in Naples was a fine result and a narrow 3-2 defeat to Juve with a last minute goal was no shame. They travel badly, and whilst Parma are there for the taking a draw might be more likely in this fixture.

Reggina v Roma

Joint leaders Roma visit Reggina in high spirits, which is just as well as this is the last 'easy' game before a run that could decide their season, as they will face Juventus, Fiorentina, Inter, Parma, Napoli, Milan and Lazio in succession. With the Champions League also taking in Dynamo Kiev, the return to Old Trafford and Sporting Lisbon in the same period, confidence will need to be high with three points brought home from down south. Alberto Aquilani has started the season superbly and is getting better all the time, a player to watch. Alongside him in midfield is the impressive Ludo Guily who has started life in Rome well.

Reggina have two draws from two games, a decent start. They had a remarkable season last year, recovering from an 11 point deduction after 'Moggiopoli' and staying up…but that team has been broken up to keep the club afloat. The new arrivals will be hoping that this season is easier for them, and in Nicola Amoruso they have a man who can score goals at this level. It will be a success if they stay up, and they are dogged and defend well but Roma should lift the three points.

Siena v Milan

Siena were tipped by many to go down and have lived 'up' to that by losing their first two matches. Enrico Chiesa again seems destined for the bench despite the poor form of Massimo Maccarone and Mario Frick, and the 4-3-3 system whilst appearing attack minded has so far so them score only once, whilst conceding five times. They will have to find goals to survive and this is a tough fixture to try and base any recovery on. Having said that Milan have problems up front: Ronaldo is injured again, Gilardino is not scoring goals and Inzaghi can't play 90 minutes twice a week. Ancelotti will move Kaka further forward, and also ask Seedorf to get forward to help lone striker Gilardino. They should be strong enough to win, but questions remain about their options up front.