Juventus will be hoping their oldest rivals Inter can do them a favour by winning their city derby against Milan tomorrow.
The Serie A title race has come down to the final two matches of the season with Juve leading the reigning champions by a single point.
Milan must beat their cross-city rivals to ensure they make it to the final game of the season in with a chance of taking the title.
If they fail to do so, Juve know they can claim a record 28th scudetto with victory at Cagliari, in a match being played in Trieste due to the Sardinians’ unplayable pitch.
It’s an awful position for Inter to be in as whatever they do, they will help one of their two hated rivals.
But they too have an objective, although one that has now become a little more distant following their 3-1 defeat at Parma on Wednesday. Inter are chasing third place and a Champions League qualifying finish but they trail Napoli and Udinese by three points.
Even if they win their final two matches it may not be enough, although if they want to play in Europe at all next season, the minimum they must do is maintain their four-point lead over seventh-placed Roma.
And club president Massimo Moratti insists they will try to win and let fate decide which of their bitter rivals takes the title.
“We’ll play the derby with the usual spirit, it’s a unique match and we’re not favourites,” said Moratti. “This year it’s one or the other (Milan or Juve) who will do it, I don’t know which would be better for us.”
Juve could have been already halfway there but they threw away victory at home to Lecce on Wednesday. They led 1-0 early on and played the last 35 minutes with a numerical advantage.
But despite creating a host of chances to finish off their opponents, they blew victory five minutes from time when a mistake from Gianluigi Buffon gifted Andrea Bertolacci an equaliser.
Coach Antonio Conte admitted after that blip his side may have let the sniff of glory get to them.
“The prize was a big one and maybe that took away a bit of our lucidity,” he said.
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was relieved to have closed the gap at an unexpected time.
It also means they can guarantee they take the race to the final day by beating Inter tomorrow, something that would not have been the case had Juventus triumphed against Lecce.
Juve have the edge in head-to-head meetings with Milan, meaning the Rossoneri have to make up two points to win.
And Allegri believes Cagliari have ample motivation to fight for a point against Juve.
“Football is strange, we know that, we’re still behind but it’s better than it was before,” he said.
“Cagliari need one point to be safe (from relegation) so who knows.”
Napoli travel to Bologna and Udinese host Genoa in the race for third, although if either drop points than Inter and Lazio, who travel to Atalanta, could come back at them.
Fixtures
Serie A
Playing Today
Lecce vs Fiorentina (1-0) 18.00
Roma vs Catania (1-1)20.45
Tomorrow – 15.00
Atalanta vs Lazio (0-2)
Bologna vs Napoli (1-1)
Cagliari vs Juventus (1-1) 20.45
Inter vs Milan (1-0) 20.45
Novara vs Cesena (1-3)
Palermo vs Chievo (0-1)
Siena vs Parma (1-3) 12.30
Udinese vs Genoa (2-3)
Note: In brackets results first round.
Standings: Juventus 78; Milan 77; Napoli, Udinese 58; Lazio 56; Inter 55; Roma 52; Parma 50; Bologna 48; Catania 47; Atalanta (-6) 46; Chievo 45; Siena 44; Palermo, Cagliari, Fiorentina 42; Genoa 39; Lecce 36; Novara 29; Cesena 22.
Serie B
Playing Today – 15.00
Ascoli vs Empoli
Brescia vs Varese
Cittadella vs Bari
Grosseto vs Pescara
Nocerina vs AlbinoLeffe
Sassuolo vs Crotone
Verona vs Livorno
Vicenza vs Modena
Tomorrow
Sampdoria vs Reggina12.30
Monday
Gubbio vs Juve Stabia 19.00
Torino vs Padova 21.00
Leading standings: Torino 73; Pescara 71; Sassuolo, Verona 70; Varese 62; Sampdoria 61; Padova 60; Brescia 56.