Title pretenders Napoli and Juventus go head-to-head at Stadio San Paolo this weekend in a clash that could reveal a lot about each side’s chances of lifting the Serie A crown at the end of the season.
Juve lead the league by a point from Udinese and Lazio, while Napoli are five points back in fifth.
All four of those sides are considered capable of challenging champions Milan for success in May, but they are unlikely to all last the pace together, meaning their direct clashes take on extra significance.
Napoli and Juventus are perhaps the two most prepared for a title tilt, having each beaten both Milan and Inter already this season. Added to that, Napoli downed Udinese, but they have proved the more inconsistent of the pair.
As well as a series of impressive victories, they have lost to Catania, Chievo and Parma.
Juventus, on the other hand, are unbeaten this season and also have the added bonus of resting in midweek when the likes of Napoli and Milan compete in the Champions League.
But Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon says it is too soon to be playing up the significance of this game.
“Ten games into the season it would seem madness to me to be talking of a title decider because no game this early in the season could be that important,” he said.
“It’s an important game because it can have so many implications. Many things can change for one team or the other in terms of confidence, conviction and self-esteem. But it definitely isn’t a title decider.”
One main reason for that is fourth-placed Milan, who are just two points behind Juve and who host Catania tomorrow. Having had a difficult start to the season, including a 2-0 defeat at Juve, they have since won four in a row in the league. But they have also been beaten twice, whereas Juve have proved the most consistent team so far.
Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri believes that his team showed in losing 3-2 at Bayern Munich on Wednesday that they are capable of giving anyone a match.
“We’re still in the running for qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League but to do so we’re going to need to play a great match against City,” he said.
“Now we have Juve and we have to think about them. Of course, against Bayern we showed that to beat us you always have to show spirit and overcoming us isn’t easy for anyone.”
Like Milan, Udinese and Lazio also face home games, against Siena and Parma respectively.
Meanwhile, struggling Inter face a daunting trip to Genoa as they bid to convert their European form into league points.
The Nerazzurri have one more point in four Champions League games than after nine matches in the league, where they are a point and a place off the drop zone.
Inter come into the game on the back of a 2-1 home defeat by Juve and trailing the league leaders by 11 points.
Genoa-Inter postponed
Inter’s Serie A game at Genoa tomorrow has been postponed after deadly storms hit the Italian city.
Flash flooding on Friday after heavy rainfall has left six dead.
Five of the victims, including two children, died when the lobby of an apartment block in which they had sought shelter flooded, and a woman was apparently crushed by cars being swept away by the water.
Serie A
Playing Today
Palermo vs Bologna - 18.00
Novara vs Roma - 20.45
Tomorrow – 15.00
Atalanta vs Cagliari
Cesena vs Lecce
Chievo vs Fiorentina
Genoa vs Interpp
Lazio vs Parma
Milan vs Catania
Napoli vs Juventus - 20.45
Udinese vs Siena
Standings: Juventus 19; Udinese, Lazio 18; Milan 17; Napoli, Catania 14; Siena, Cagliari, Palermo 13; Fiore-ntina, Genoa, Parma 12; Roma 11; Bologna 10; Atalanta (-6), Chievo 9; Inter 8; Novara 7; Lecce 5; Cesena 3.
Serie B
Playing Today – 15.00
Ascoli vs Cittadella
Crotone vs Reggina
Empoli vs AlbinoLeffe
Livorno vs Pescara
Nocerina vs Grosseto
Padova vs Juve Stabia
Sassuolo vs Torino
Varese vs Modena
Vicenza vs Gubbio
Monday
Bari vs Verona - 19.00
Brescia vs Sampdoria - 21.00
Standings: Torino 32; Pescara 28; Sassuolo 27; Padova 26; Reggina 23; Sampdoria 21; Bari 20; Verona 19; Varese 18; Grosseto 17; Livorno, Brescia 16; Crotone (-1) 15; Cittadella, Gubbio 14; Nocerina, Juve Stabia (-6), Modena, AlbinoLeffe 13; Empoli 11; Vicenza 10; Ascoli (-10) -1.