The last Champions League qualifying spot will be up for grabs when Lazio take on Napoli at the San Paolo stadium on the final weekend of Serie A.
Lazio need only a point in Naples tomorrow to seal third place and join Juventus and Roma in Europe’s elite club competition next season while Napoli must win to leapfrog their opponents in the standings and take the Champions League spot themselves.
If Napoli are successful, a new coach will lead them in Europe next season.
On Thursday Rafa Benitez announced that he is leaving the club – somewhat taking the glare off the upcoming match with Lazio.
Benitez is the leading candidate for the vacant Real Madrid post and wants to leave on a high.
“On Sunday (tomorrow) we are facing a very important match,” Benitez said to the Italian press.
“My thoughts are turned only towards the match against Lazio. I want to end my cycle here with a victory and a place in the qualifying round of the Champions League.”
Italian champions Juventus and Roma have already ensured themselves direct qualification to the Champions League.
Juve visit Verona this evening with an eye on next weekend’s Champions League final against Barcelona in Berlin.
The clash in Verona will also decide who will finish as the top scorer in Serie A.
Verona forward Luca Toni leads the goalscoring charts with 21 strikes, one more than Carlos Tevez of Juventus and Inter’s Mauro Icardi.
Roma players are expected to get a big welcome when they return to the Stadio Olimpico to face Palermo tomorrow.
The Giallorossi beat city rivals Lazio 2-1 in Rome last weekend to seal second place.
Fiorentina host Chievo knowing that if results go their way they could climb above Napoli to finish fourth in the standings.
The Viola, who will play in next season’s Europa League, have won their last four league games and are two points adrift of Napoli.
Genoa are two points behind Fiorentina and have guaranteed themselves a sixth-place finish.
However, the Grifoni go into tomorrow’s match at Sassuolo knowing they are likely to miss out on Europa League football next season after the Italian Football Federation did not grant them a UEFA licence to compete in next season’s competition owing to an administration issue.
Genoa have appealed and are awaiting a final decision.
If the decision stands, however, it means that seventh place will offer entry to the Europa League, and Genoa’s city rivals Sampdoria currently hold that spot.
Samp host bottom side Parma tomorrow needing a point to hold onto that position.
Inter have an outside chance as they are eighth.
To climb into seventh, they must beat Empoli at the San Siro and hope Samp lose their match.
Milan are looking to end a disappointing campaign with a win at Atalanta in what is likely to be Filippo Inzaghi’s last game in charge.
The Rossoneri are reportedly working on luring former Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti back to the San Siro bench this summer.
Torino look to cap off a solid campaign with a home victory over already-relegated Cesena.
The Maroons, who competed in the Europa League this season, are ninth in the standings.
Tomorrow’s match at home to Udinese will be Cagliari’s last Serie A game for the foreseeable future.
The Sardinian outfit have endured a dismal campaign, winning seven and losing 20 of their 37 games, to see their 11-year run in Italy’s top flight come to an end.
Fixtures
Serie A
Playing today
Verona vs Juventus - 18.00
Atalanta vs Milan - 20.45
Tomorrow – 20.45
Cagliari vs Udinese - 18.00
Fiorentina vs Chievo
Inter vs Empoli
Napoli vs Lazio
Roma vs Palermo
Sampdoria vs Parma
Sassuolo vs Genoa
Torino vs Cesena
Top scorers
21 goals: Toni (Verona).
20 goals: Icardi (Inter), Tevez (Juventus).
16 goals: Menez (Milan), Higuain (Napoli).
15 goals: Gabbiadini (Napoli).
14 goals: Berardi (Sassuolo), Di Natale (Udinese).
Serie B
Promotion play-offs
Semi-finals – first legs
Pescara vs Vicenza - 1-0
Avellino vs Bologna - 0-1
Second legs: Next Tuesday.
Relegation play-off
Today’s first leg
Entella vs Modena
Second leg: Next Saturday.